Featured Project
Lilac Madar, best known for her photomontages and assemblages exploring feminist themes, turned to performance in the wake of October 7, 2023, as she began to grapple with mounting evidence of atrocities committed during the Hamas-led massacre in Israel—including the rape, sexual brutalization, and murder of women. Her grief made creation feel impossible—until a vision emerged: she was lost in Central Park, leaving a trail of pink thread behind her. PoppyPink, for her, is an act of remembrance—a body unraveling in real time, marking the absence and memory of the women violated and silenced. Named in part for artist Inbar Haiman (Pink), murdered at the Nova festival, the performance aims to affirm what art demands: to witness, to endure, to insist on presence. In this interview, we take a closer look at the project and its origins.
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Tell us a bit about yourself – how did you get to performance art?
Performance art isn’t my main practice—I’m best known for my photomontage works. Since my art is idea-driven, it naturally expanded into assemblages, then interactive works, and from there, the leap to object-based participatory performance was short.
My art is straightforward. Whether I’m dealing with the nude, gender, politics, or faith, people need to grasp it instantly—so they can process, reflect, and engage. That’s why I use found objects—things that already exist in the world, carrying their own inherent meanings.
I feel that in times of urgent socio-political issues, performance and audience interaction are essential. The “right here, right now” calls for an art form that exists in the moment. That led to Old Glory, my participatory performance at the SVA residency in 2022. I was constantly discussing The American Dream installation-in-progress with visitors in my studio, debating the meaning of the flag just as the Supreme Court overturned abortion rights and expanded gun rights. It became clear—this conversation had to become art. And from there, performance was the natural next step.
What is the genesis of your current project?
I was in New York on October 7, 2023. The next day, I was supposed to install a new piece in a group show—a striking, colorful grid of 24 loupes. When I finished, I stepped back and thought, What’s the point? I was overwhelmed with horror and grief, and art felt redundant.
Like many other Israeli artists, I lost the will to create. My mind kept circling around the women who were brutally raped and kidnapped. I wanted to give them a voice but didn’t know how. So, I formed (in Jaffa) a local support group for artists. In one of our sessions, something clicked—I had a breakthrough. I saw myself lost in Central Park, leaving a trail of pink thread behind me. It was clear that the piece had to involve my physical body. I had never done that before.
The title PoppyPink refers to the Poppy flower that became a symbol of the October 7 tragic events. Pink was the artist alias of Inbar Haiman, an art student murdered at the Nova festival on October 7. Her body remains held by Hamas terrorists.
In the PoppyPink performance, I walk through a path in Central Park wearing a knitted pink dress with one thread securely tied to a tree. As I walk, the dress unravels and leaves a trail of thread behind until it is completely undone. The audience is invited to follow me. They may engage with the thread by touching or pulling it. In the end, I invite participants to approach—I cut a piece of thread from the remaining dress and tie it around each participant’s wrist.
I was determined to perform this piece on the one-year memorial. It was a tight schedule—I collaborated with the legendary fashion designer Haya Nir, traveled to New York with the rehearsal dress in hand—like a door-to-door salesperson promoting the project—connected with the Jewish Museum, unraveled the first dress, had another one knitted, formed a team, fundraised, and by the end of October, I was standing in front of an incredibly supportive audience, performing one of the most emotional and important works of my life. It was heartbreaking. But at that moment, I knew—Art is a necessity. Art is life. Art is resilience. Art is healing. Art is hope.
You mentioned the Jewish Museum. Tell us more about your collaboration with them.
I reached out to the Jewish Museum, got a meeting—and brought the rehearsal dress, of course. Fortunately, James Snyder, the director, who had previously led the Israel Museum in Jerusalem gloriously for 20 years, was immediately excited about PoppyPink. Together with Darsie Alexander’s curatorial team, we quickly built a meaningful relationship. Museum collaborations are usually long, multi-year processes. But for PoppyPink, the museum leadership recognized the project’s urgency and went above and beyond to support me on a tight schedule. They served as a fiscal sponsor, displayed the dress before the performance, and hosted a reception afterward to honor the project. The entire team was incredibly dedicated. I’m so honored to work with them—it was truly an incredible experience.
How do you see this project in the context of your previous work?
My work has always explored social structures. Forming an immediate connection with the viewer is essential. I use vibrant colors and visually seductive aesthetics to draw people in, and humor is inherent in my work—it disarms and creates an affinity.
But the fracture of October 7 shattered everything—personally and artistically. Finding a bridge between my past work and creating in the face of such tragedy was complicated. How do you stay true to your lively artistic voice when your spirit is broken? You must dig deep into your core and strip away the known and familiar.
In many ways, PoppyPink marks a shift. For the first time, I put myself—my body—at the center of the work, not just emotionally but physically, in a way that left me completely exposed. And yes, there were safety concerns. But as they say, extreme times call for extreme measures. I am not forsaking my past work. This journey is not a straight line—sometimes you just wander around, lost and found.
What are your plans next?
PoppyPink will travel to different cities and contexts. I aim to collaborate with more institutions to expand the project’s reach and impact, advocating for women’s rights. I want to explore diverse crowds, places, and atmospheres and see what happens after the performance—how the remnants of the dress, the documentation, the physical traces—become part of future installations. I am also working on a new time-based installation and hoping to find some peace in working on my large-scale collage objects.
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About the artist: Lilac Madar, born in 1975 in Haifa, is a visual artist who works across various creative fields, including photography, collage, assemblage, installation, and performance. Madar earned a BFA in Photography from Bezalel Academy in 2000 and an MA in Art History Research from Tel Aviv University in 2015 with a full scholarship, completing her thesis Photomontage, Feminism, Pornography. In 2018, she received a certificate in art education from the Kerem Institute, Jerusalem. Madar’s colorful and witty creations, which focus on social and cultural issues, are well-recognized for their use of everyday objects and distinctive style. Madar’s work has gained international recognition, with exhibitions held worldwide and pieces included in museum and private collections. @lilacmadar