Introduction to the Nova Music Festival Exhibition
An exhibition tells the story of the morning of October 7, 2023, when approximately 3,000 attendees of the Nova Music Festival in the Israeli desert fell victim to the deadliest attack on a music event in history. According to the Israeli military, Hamas members killed 378 festival-goers, injured hundreds and took more than 40 hostage to the Gaza Strip. The exhibition, also known as Nova Exhibition, was shown in Tel Aviv, New York, Buenos Aires and other cities, and is now on display in Berlin.
The Exhibition’s Focus and Layout
Rather than providing a general overview of the conflict, it focuses solely on the individuals who were present at the Nova Music Festival in Israel. Through multimedia installations, forensic evidence and first-hand accounts from survivors and their families, the exhibition shows visitors the atrocities and provokes reflection. The exhibition takes place on the site of the historic Tempelhof Airport, where the festival site is recreated using multimedia, and consists of three parts. In the first part, there is an introductory video in the entrance hall before visitors enter a replica of a campsite on the festival site.
Authenticity of the Exhibition
All items on display – tents, burned-out cars, personal items, bullet-riddled portable toilets – come from the original site. Visitors are encouraged to touch and smell everything or to pick up the cell phones on which videos are being played. The second part uses text panels and portraits to address the lives of the victims. For example, the young German tattoo artist Shani Louk, who was killed by Hamas. A photo showing her unconscious in the back of a pickup truck, cheered on by the perpetrators, went around the world.
Personal Stories and Healing
In the exhibition, numerous videos can be seen on screens that were recorded by the victims and describe the attack from their hiding places. Some were also filmed by the perpetrators, who broadcast the events live on the Internet. At the center of the exhibition are tables with items left behind by festival visitors: shoes, backpacks, cell phone cases and clothing. Finally, the third part is dedicated to healing: Under the motto “We will dance again,” a room reminds visitors of the power of music, community and resistance.
Support and Patronage
The project is supported by the Tribe of Nova Foundation, founded by the organizers of the Nova Music Festival, and was brought to Berlin in collaboration with representatives of the local music and cultural scene. The exhibition is under the patronage of Berlin’s Mayor Kai Wegner, Federal Education Minister Karin Prien and Wolfram Weimer, the Commissioner for Culture and Media. Mayor Wegner stated that Berlin is a city of freedom and diversity, and that anti-Semitism has increased worldwide.
Current Situation and Peace Negotiations
The exhibition opens at a time when peace negotiations between Israel and Hamas are underway. According to Israeli sources, nearly 50 people who were abducted from the Nova festival and settlements near the border on October 7, 2023 are still being held in the Gaza Strip. Their families continue to hope for their early release. It is uncertain whether they are still alive. As demonstrations against Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip continue to take place in Berlin, the organizers are expecting pro-Palestinian protests. The exhibition runs at Tempelhof Airport until November 16th, with entry costing €20, which benefits the Tribe of Nova Foundation.
