Shomeret HaChomot (Guardian of the Walls), the title of Pereg’s video work is a gendered inversion of the name of the IDF’s military operation Shomer HaChomot (Guardian of the Walls). known in Arabic as معركة سيف القدس (Ma’rakat Sayf al-Quds, “Battle of the Sword of Jerusalem”), the operation was a military campaign the IDF conducted in the Gaza Strip. It began on Jerusalem Day, May 10, 2021, and lasted until the ceasefire brokered by Egypt took effect on May 21 at 2:00 AM.
The work was filmed at Braverman Gallery on May 18, 2021, amid the conflict between Israel and Gaza during Operation ״Guardian of the Wall״, featuring dancer and choreographer Iris Erez improvising variations on assembling and disassembling the Optimus sculpture.
Guardianess of the walls, 2021. 7 min
Nira Pereg is an Israeli multidisciplinary artist known for her exploration of liminal spaces and the intersection of reality and art. Born in 1969, she works primarily with video, installation, and readymade objects, investigating ideological frameworks, mechanisms of separation, and the role of man-made objects in public spaces. Pereg’s works often highlight the bureaucratic and visual regimes that govern societal behavior, offering a critical perspective on contemporary social and political issues. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including in major galleries and museums, reflecting her deep engagement with both local and global contexts.
