As part of the 2026 Jerusalem Biennale, artists were invited to create works in dialogue with Mordechai Ardon’s monumental stained glass windows. These massive windows created in 1984, feature Isaiah’s vision of universal peace. As a contemporary artist, the new works created a dialogue between the events of the last three years and this seemingly unattainable vision of peace. Six view masters are placed directly across from the stained glass windows. The light from these windows is necessary to illuminate the images inside the view masters. But the images reflect a broken world, deeply in need of repair. There are several disparate experiences: that of scale. The images inside the view masters are tiny and very intimate versus the monumental windows. The images are starkly black and white versus the brilliant vivid colors of the windows. And the jarring sensation of expecting to see picturesque sites or Disney clips, but instead viewing images of the hostages or war torn Gaza adds to the dissonance. And yet, there is hope. Without the vision of peace, the light from these windows, we could not see our way past the last three years. Isaiah is still waiting.
