Dede Bandaid
Urban narrative
Dede Bandaid’s name, or alias, characterises the artist’s vision and intention: to care and to heal. Ten years ago, just after his military service, Dede Bandaid started to paint plasters— an adhesive strip of material for covering cuts and wounds. . For him, it was something to say and something to share with the public, as such, he covered the wall of Tel Aviv, Israel, with what would become both his iconic symbol and signature.
For him, and his partner and collaborator Nitzan Mintz, working in the streets, and sharing their art is a way of expressing themselves freely. Through site-specific art—outdoors and indoors—Dede Bandaid explores the composition and shapes of his bandaids. For him, a specific place requires a specific scale, form, and colour such as his famous Yellow Submarine (2013) and City Freshers. Aiming at “fixing” what is broken, Dede Bandaid uses his iconic plaster as a way to address personal, societal, and political traumas and the violence of socio economics, such as gentrification.
Beyond the now iconic white bandaid, the multidisciplinary urban artist developed other projects and series such as the Wooden Animals: birds and mammals from the local wildlife, made from scraps and influenced by furniture, abandoned on the pavements of Tel Aviv construction sites. When projects are led outside of Israel, Dede Bandaid researches the area, the neighbourhood, its people, and its history. In his sketchbooks, he can list initial concepts and draw early sketches. Dede Bandaid’s practice is rooted in trying to do something meaningful for local communities.
Because of the nature of street art, most projects are first crafted in his studio and then shared with the public. From stencils to paint on paper pasted up or spray paint, these techniques enable him to act quickly. Most often applied onto neglected walls, art becomes an act of care, to alleviate the damage. The work becomes a gift to surrounding communities, a megaphone for those whose voices are not heard. Playing with urban objects and architecture, most often whimsical and cheerful, his work aspires to connect with passersby. When back in the studio, Dede Bandaid creates works on paper, on cardboard, or on found wood; he also collects papers, and recycles them to make large-scale collages. In that case, the outside is the inspiration for the pieces.
Selected Group Exhibitions
2022
‘One of a Kind’, Tel Aviv Museum, Tel Aviv, Israel.
‘Couples Therapy’ ,Kfar Saba Gallery, Israel
Palm Beach Art Fair, Miami, US.
2021
Group Show, Zemack Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel.
‘A Prophet in His City’, Rehovot Gallery, Israel.
2020
‘Floating Somewhere Out There’, Zemack Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel.
2018
‘Mistaer Freeze’, Toulouse, France.
‘The French Salon’, Zemack Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel.
‘Many Faces’, The Living Gallery, New York, US.
2017
‘Art Attack’, Mayson Gallery, New York, US.
‘Anniversary Exhibit’, 212 Gallery, New York, US.
‘Hidden’, Gal Caon Gallery, Tel Aviv, US.
2016
‘Hurdle’, Jedna Dva Tri, Prague, Czech.
‘100 Years of Dada’, Yanko-Dada Museum, Ein-Hod, Israel.
2015
‘Street Capture’, Tirush, Hertzelia, Israel.
‘Israeli Art’, Inoperable Gallery, Vienna, Austria.
‘Baggage’, Neurotitan Gallery, Berlin, Germany.
2014
Phoenix, Nahum Gutman Museum of Art, Tel Aviv, Israel.
A Comfortable Man, Wilton’s Hall, London, England.
Stories, Sweater Gallery, Ekaterinburg, Russia.
2013
‘Inside Out’, ‘Diaglib Botik hotel, Tel Aviv, Israel.
121 Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2019
Context Art Fair, Art Miami, Miami, US.
‘Non Destructive, Zemack Contemporary Art, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
2018
Pulse Art Fair, Art Basel, Miami, US.
Duet, Zemack Contemporary Art, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
2017
‘Out of Place’, Haifa Museum, Haifa, Israel.
‘Out of Place’, Die Ferberei, Munich, Germany.
‘Out of Place’, Jan Arnold, Vienna, Austria.
2016
‘Dede Artist Book’, Artist studio, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
‘Salon’, The Jewish Salon, Hamburg, Germany.
Selected Murals and Installations
2022
‘Culture Fix’, Cleveland Israel Arts Connection, Front Art Triennial,
Cleveland, US.
‘Breathe Life Give love’, Hadassah Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
2021
Daramis Mural, JCC and the Israeli Embassy in Prague, Prague, Czech
Republic.
‘Good Dids Mural’, Bat-Yam Museum of Art, Bat-Yam, Israel.
2020
Parking Lot, Tidhar Construcauion Group, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
Old Jaffa Mural, Jaffa HQ, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Beta Gallery, Jerusalem, Israel.
2019
‘Art Sukka’, JCC Manhattan, New York, US.
ZYANYA and Israel Embassy, Mexico City, Mexico.
Gallery 430, Tamar Municipality, Dead Sea, Israel.
2018
Serbia Mural, Israel Embassy in Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.
‘Urban Forms’, Ostrow’s Mural, Poland.
2016
‘Urban Forms’, Jewish Ghetto Mural, Lodz, Poland.
‘Argo Mural’, Prague, Czech Republic.
Awards
2020
Art Project Scholarship, Rabinovich Foundation for the Arts, Tel Aviv, Israel.
2016
Printed artist book, Mifal HaPais Council for the culture, Israel
Publications and Press
2022
Amanda Koehn, ‘Israeli Artist Brings Healing Urban Art Creations’,
Cleveland Jewish News.
Amanda Koehn, ‘Israeli Artist Brings Healing Urban Art Creations’, Canvas Cleveland.
Shawn Mishak, ‘Israel-Based Dede Bandaid Brings Life-Size Prints of
Notable Local Artists to Walls All Across Cleveland’, Cleveland Scene.
Dual Interview, Metro newspaper, Prague, Czech Republic.
Pavlina Scholtz, Dual Interview, J-cast, Podcast by JCC Prague, Czech
Republic.
Selected
artworks
