Legendary American photographer Ralph Gibson and producer Martin Cohen have created a unique photographic exhibition and publication that captures the soul of Israel, both ancient and contemporary. The photographs convey the fundamental humanity and underlying affinities that connect all who deem this land as sacred and express aspirations for mutual understanding and peace. At a time when the war and suffering in Israel and Gaza overwhelm us, Gibson’s images offer a compelling and hopeful outlook for the future.

Sacred Land invites us into the eye of the photographer as a first-time visitor to Israel – we see what he sees, what captures his attention. It is in the details, a particular gesture, a candid pose, a fragment, a moment, that we glimpse a deeper meaning.

The natural beauty of the details of the landscape, nature, and millennia-old archaeological artifacts express a timeless sense of wonder and spirituality. The industrial, urban images convey the impact of human imagination, ingenuity, and necessity. While each individual image captures our attention, it is Gibson’s artful pairing of images that creates the special impact of these photographs.

“In Ralph Gibson’s Sacred Land, one senses that this place is holy to all, across all of the differences that rupture this part of the world. This exhibition projects hope for a peaceful future, where all can find healing, empathy, and shared understanding,” explains Jean Bloch Rosensaft, Director, Heller Museum.

The exhibit opened on October 3rd and will continue until December 31st with a special reception to be held at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 12.