Dalia Bachar In this age of #metoo and #pressforprogress movements, it is especially appropriate to dedicate this issue of 44 Degrees to women artists in Israel. This issue is in collaboration with The Association of Women's Art and Gender Research in Israel. The main goals of the association, established in 2015, are to encourage the research of women artists in Israel. We also aim to serve as facilitators to contemporary women artists who are in need – by organizing events, shows, prizes and residencies, alongside helping them with networking, and by supporting scholarship about artistic activity. The association welcomes researches, artists, curators and art lovers of all genders and ages, from any religion, ethnicity, or nationality. Our hope is to have many members join us (please visit our website: https://www.womenartandgender.com/ In this issue we are proud to introduce four of our winning artists who received the prize "artist of the month", granted to members of the association. In the next issues we will introduce additional artists, aiming to unfold the rich variety of artists, techniques and themes that women artists in Israel are engaged in. www.womenartandgender.com
Tal Dekel Chair of Association of Women's Art and Gender Research in Israel Head of Visual Culture Studies & Curatorial Studies, Kibbutzim College
Artist and an art historian. Born in Bagdad, Iraq. Won awards and published academic articles and books. Her artwork is exhibited widely, dealing with gender and language – Hebrew and Arabic. dbdalia@yahoo.com
Eden Desta Artist and teacher. Born in Ethiopia, immigrated at the age of three. Her multimedia art – photography, painting, sculpture– deal with gender and ethnicity and the Ethiopian culture. Much of her art deals with power relations and politics. edendesta88@gmail.com
Sarit Leila Haas Artist and author, her work revolves mainly about her background as a second generation of Holocaust survivors, from a gender perspective. Exhibited in Israel and abroad in solo and group shows. batshe12@smile.net.il
