When Community Becomes Art

A Shared Community Act

The Surfer sculptures are perhaps the most profound expression of Shmuelik’s connection to the Palmachim community. These are not anonymous figures; they are the kibbutz members themselves. In an extraordinary creative process, the members served as live models. In some cases, direct plaster casts were taken from their bodies to create the precise mold for the final cast. Thus, the act of sculpting became a collaborative journey between the artist, the model, and the community.

Movement Frozen in Time

The four figures capture different moments of the encounter between the body and the surfboard. The series successfully "freezes" the dynamic movement of surfing, transforming it into a study of weight, tension, and stability. The relationship between the human body and the flat surface of the board emphasizes movement even though the sculpture remains static.

Discover the Figures: Archival Photos 

Look Closer

Mission for Young Detectives

How many surfers can you count in total? Notice that one of them

is touching the board in a very special way—can you strike the same pose?