Jerusalem Cinematheque presents exhibit of children’s art on coronavirus

Children’s lives have been turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic, and a new exhibit on display at the Jerusalem Cinematheque presents artwork that children from around the world have created in response to the coronavirus year.

The exhibit, titled COVID Through Children’s Eyes, is sponsored by Czech Centers in cooperation with the Movement On Own Feet-Centipede project and the Education Ministry, and will be at the main hall in the cinematheque until the end of the month, and may be extended into May. Part of the exhibition has already been presented in the Czech Republic and includes art by children from Israel, Japan, Korea, Austria, Greece, Slovakia, Great Britain and the Czech Republic.

The exhibition was created under the patronage of Chief of General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces Gen. Aleš Opata, and the Metropolitan Archbishop of Prague, the Czech Primate Dominic Cardinal Duka OP.

The Czech-based children’s peace movement, On Own Feet, is a humanitarian organization that helps children to help each other. It was founded by Bela Gran Jensen, who said, “It is quite encouraging, that our children, despite this difficult time, see the world in an optimistic way and full of colors.’’

The children’s artwork is beautiful and striking, portraying images of day-to-day life with the virus, such as hospital visits, tests and pictures of the virus itself, as well as representations of the anxiety and suffering that the disease has caused.