An Instagram video of an Iranian missile that fell on the property of an Israeli school during the 12-day war and was recently transformed into a piece of art has drawn global attention. The video going viral is something that the artist behind the upcycled missile, Tatiana “Tati” Davidesko, 34 never expected. 

“Painting a ballistic missile is not the typical art project for me,” Ms. Davidesko told The New York Sun in a recent interview. “But my Instagram video of this weapon of war being transformed into something colorful and positive has over thousands of views and comments from all over the world.” 

“This is not my most beautiful piece of art but the project itself has such a powerful symbolism behind it,” Ms. Davidesko, a visual artist who sells her art on Etsy and her personal website, explained. 

The Iranian ballistic missile fell in the courtyard of an elementary school in the community of Barkan, Samaria, miraculously causing very little damage to the school itself. 

Two teachers from Barkan, Gaby Sacks Blattner and Eyal Harel Shamir, who are also community coordinators of Barkan, decided that instead of allowing the missile to instill a sense of fear among residents, they would create a project that would unify and inspire residents with its message of resilience.

Sacks Blattner, who has been living in Barkan for 29 years, explained that in addition to the community volunteers who painted the missile, there were volunteers who helped remove the missile from the school yard.

“Everyone who took part in this project in some way said that it was the first time they saw an Iranian missile and were not filled with fear but hope,” she told the Sun. 

Barkan is a secular community in Samaria with about 500 families, including 100 adults in active reserve duty. 

“Residents here didn’t respond in panic when the missile fell, instead they rose to action,” Ms. Blattner, who immigrated to Israel from Chile three decades ago, said.
 

Ms. Davidesko and local residents from Barkan spent an entire day sanding and painting the ballistic missile. “We wanted motifs of hope, so we painted the missile in shades of blue with a big, bright rainbow and birds fluttering around.”

The volunteers also painted on the missile a sentence in Hebrew from a song by two Israeli musicians, Idan Raichel and Noam Horev, that reads, “From here we will arise to beautiful things.” 

The painted missile is now on permanent display in the entrance to the Barkan community, along with other artistic works. 

Ms. Davidesko said that she understands why some people would want to have the ballistic missile removed and taken elsewhere. “Some people might feel that it is dangerous and wouldn’t want their kids to see this weapon of war. But I believe that our project shows you can take something terrible and transform it into something completely different. It can help make adults and children less afraid.”

“That is the essence of art — to touch people’s hearts and inspire a sense of renewal.” 

This isn’t Tatiana Davidesko’s first nor last project related to the war. Tomorrow the visual artist from Ariel will be traveling to Tel Aviv to paint a wall set up in Hostages Square by the family and friends of Nimrod Cohen, a 22-year-old Israeli hostage kidnapped on October 7, 2023, who is celebrating his second birthday in Hamas activity. 

“Since October 7, I’ve painted numerous bomb shelters and have also done memorial artwork for families of fallen soldiers,” Ms. Davidesko said. “The war has completely changed the content of my art. I hope that my work brings comfort and hope to all those affected by the war.”