Yael Bartana
In The Undertaker, Yael Bartana stages a symbolic burial of weapons as a powerful call to overcome patriarchal violence. The black-and-white stills from the video installation depict a ceremonial procession, led by a woman, culminating in the ritual interment of rifles. The work focuses on human bodies in their vulnerability and strength, releasing them as victors from a spiral of violence and war. Bartana’s work places life at the center and raises the question of whether a world led by women might be a more peaceful one.
Yael Bartana was born in Israel in 1970 and lives and works in Tel Aviv and Berlin. In her films, photographs and installations, she explores themes such as identity, memory, nationalism and collective utopias. Her works can be seen in international exhibitions, including the MoMA in New York. In 2024, she presented works in the German Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Bartana combines poetic imagery with political urgency, creating space for new perspectives on history and society.