ARTillery, by Eli Gross
Eli Gross is an Israeli artist born in Jerusalem into a Hasidic family of seventeen children. Raised within ultra-Orthodox educational frameworks, his early life was shaped by tradition, structure, and a strong sense of continuity. At the age of twenty, he completed national civil service and entered the high-tech industry, where he worked in technological roles for approximately seven years.
With the outbreak of the war, Gross was called up for reserve duty and served for over 450 days in a technological unit of the Israeli Air Force. During this time, he was exposed to the physical remnants of conflict, including missile fragments and interceptor debris. These materials, originally designed for destruction, gradually came into his possession and became the foundation of his artistic practice.
His engagement with art did not emerge from a prior ambition to become an artist, but directly from an encounter with material. As the war progressed, Gross created The Menorah of Hope, a large scale sculptural work composed of metal and fragments of war. It marked a turning point in his life, after which he made the decision to leave the high-tech sector and dedicate himself fully to artistic practice.
Following this transition, Gross founded ARTillery Gallery and presented a solo exhibition in Tel Aviv, alongside participation in several group exhibitions. His works have since been exhibited across Israel, Europe, and the United States. Working from his studio in south Tel Aviv, his practice explores the intersection of war materials, personal identity, his Hasidic background, and contemporary Israeli reality.
In March 2026, Gross presented his solo exhibition 1956 in Manhattan, tracing a personal and material journey across distinct worlds: Hasidic life, technological industry, prolonged military service, and a complete commitment to artistic practice.