Earlier this year, more than 100,000 New Yorkers lined up to honor the dead and witness the largest terrorist attack ever committed at a live music event. The Nova music festival, whose fateful gathering on October 7, 2023 saw the deaths of at least 360 attendees at the hands of Hamas and more than 40 hostages, is now inextricably linked to the broader ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Survivor of October 7 attack invites protesters to exhibition at Nova Music Festival
In the months that followed, a group of activists and creatives wanted to send a clear message: “We will dance again.” So reads a neon sign at the “Nova Exhibition,” an interactive memorial to the musical gathering that took place that day. After a successful run on the East Coast, the exhibition opens Aug. 17 in Culver City. (A specific location has not yet been announced in the interests of security.)
Omri Sassi, Yoni Feingold, Ofir Amir and Yagil Rimoni conceived the installation, which was directed by Reut Feingold and originally mounted in Tel Aviv. Now in its third year, partners including Scooter Braun, Joe Teplow and Josh Kadden are helping the project gain traction in the Hollywood community.
"Music brings us together. It is not a tool that divides us," said Braun, a former manager of Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande. "We need to recognize the victims of Nova as a way to see each other's humanity. Our hope is that the opening in LA provides an opportunity for people of all viewpoints and communities to come together as one."
