In a remarkable confluence of past and present, the new exhibition “20&20 – A Lens of Her Own: Pioneering and Contemporary Women Photographers,” at ANU – Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv, highlights the enduring contributions of Jewish women photographers to the art of photography.

Curated by Dr. Orit Shaham Gover, the museum’s chief curator, the exhibition features the works of 20 pioneering Jewish women photographers from the early 20th century alongside 20 contemporary ones, creating a unique dialogue across generations.

Featuring notable photographers like Claude Cahun, Julia Pirotte, Elinor Carucci, and Jill Greenberg, it includes archival footage, vintage cameras, and special events with participating artists. Each contemporary photographer selected a pioneer to respond to creatively, deepening the connection between eras and perspectives.

The exhibition, which opened on Thursday and runs until January 2027, aims to “correct a historical injustice,” as Gover passionately describes it.

“This exhibition is a kind of tikkun,” she told The Jerusalem Post, using the Hebrew term for repair. “It’s an homage to women who pioneered in photography at a time when photography was not considered art, but labor.”

PHOTOGRAPHS BY Hannah Altmanare featured at the ‘20&20 – A Lens of Her Own: Pioneering and Contemporary Women Photographers’ exhibit at ANU – Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv (credit: ANU)
PHOTOGRAPHS BY Hannah Altmanare featured at the ‘20&20 – A Lens of Her Own: Pioneering and Contemporary Women Photographers’ exhibit at ANU – Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv (credit: ANU)
According to Gover, many of these pioneering women photographers, particularly those in Central and Western Europe, seized the camera as a means to break free from traditional female roles. “It was the first generation of independent women who could provide for themselves. They didn’t need a man to support them unless they liked him,” she said, adding that this spirit of independence fueled their artistry and innovation in portraiture, fashion, social documentary, and photojournalism – fields that barely existed before they blazed their trails.

The Nazi regime, however, cast a long shadow over their lives and careers. While 19 of the 20 pioneering photographers featured in the exhibition survived, most were forced to flee their homes, leaving their studios and much of their work behind. “Their lives were saved,” said Gover, “but their careers often were not.” The legacy of many was overshadowed by their male peers – even though, she notes, “many of these men were their students.”

ONE SUCH figure is Julia Pirotte, a Polish-French photographer whose courageous resistance work during World War II is legendary. Pirotte often carried a camera in one hand and a concealed revolver in the other, embodying the indomitable spirit that defines the exhibition.

Alongside the pioneers’ works are those of 20 contemporary Jewish women photographers, including acclaimed American photographer Jill Greenberg and Israeli photographer Noa Sadka.

The exhibition pairs each contemporary artist with one of the historical pioneers, who are all deceased, allowing them to engage in a creative dialogue. Each artist selected her “partner” based on artistic or personal resonance, leading to displays where images from different centuries hang side by side – sometimes challenging the viewer to distinguish between past and present.

For Sadka, a long-time photography educator at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem, the experience was profoundly personal. She was drawn to Lou Landauer, a lesser-known photographer who escaped Germany and taught photography at Bezalel in the 1940s.

“When I discovered her, I felt connected to her story,” Sadka told the Post. “She spent over a decade researching Landauer’s life, uncovering her archives and learning about her struggles as a female artist navigating the post-war Middle East.

Sadka’s own artistic philosophy also reflects a deep commitment to humanism and compassion. “Photography and humanism are very connected for me,” she said. “Women photographers often have a different energy. They’re not afraid to expose – to join life rather than control it.”

She recalled how Landauer once photographed a cat, a subject that, at the time, was considered too mundane or even frivolous compared to the weighty political realities of the day. “People asked, ‘Where is Treblinka? Where is the reaction to what’s happening in Israel, and in Palestine?’” Sadka says. “But for her, photography was about the small details of life – something I deeply connect with.”

Greenberg, known for her bold and provocative portraits, brings a different but complementary perspective to the exhibition. She sees photography as a tool to challenge societal norms and reveal hidden truths.

 “Whenever I arrive somewhere, I seek out the women,” she stated, echoing the exhibition’s theme of centering female voices and experiences.

GOVER SEES this intergenerational dialogue as essential. “These contemporary artists are not only celebrating the work of their predecessors but also engaging in a conversation with them,” she said. “Through their photographs, they question what has changed, what hasn’t, and what still needs to be done.”

This dialogue extends beyond the images themselves. The exhibition features video installations where contemporary photographers discuss the pioneers they selected, offering insights into their artistic processes and the emotional connections they formed. It also includes historic cameras, like the Leica – a game-changer in the 1920s that allowed women photographers to work outside the studio and on the move.

The significance of this exhibition goes beyond aesthetics or history. “It’s about repairing the record,” Gover said. “These women helped shape photography as an art form. Their contributions were erased or forgotten. We are here to say: they matter. Their art matters.”

That point was underscored by Irina Nevzlin, chairwoman of the board of ANU, who said, “These visionary women didn’t merely photograph history – they shaped it. This exhibition finally restores the spotlight they deserve.”

Oded Revivi, CEO of ANU, sees the exhibition as part of a larger cultural conversation about gender equality and representation.

“This exhibition raises essential questions about the place of women in the art world and in our shared cultural narrative,” Revivi said. “In an era where the struggle for gender equality is ongoing and significant, this exhibition makes a powerful statement about the importance of including diverse voices.”

As the exhibition opens its doors, visitors are invited to explore a century of women’s photography: from the pioneering spirits who transformed a technical craft into a powerful art form, to the contemporary artists who continue to innovate and challenge conventions. In a time of global uncertainty and social upheaval, the exhibition’s message is clear: through the lens of women, we see not just history, but humanity.

ANU, Museum of the Jewish People, 15 Klausner St., Tel Aviv. anumuseum.org.il