John Kiss, a street artist, peace activist, and now an emerging writer, is redefining the boundaries of creative expression in Israel today. Renowned for evocative murals like Peace Kids and 27 Club Graffiti as well as her critically acclaimed Naive Series of landscape paintings, Kiss has earned the “Israel’s Banksy,” captivating audiences with her ability to provoke thought and inspire change.
Kiss, who uses she/her pronouns, has long championed LGBTQ+ rights in Israel, a commitment reflected in her volunteer work with the Israeli Gay Youth Association (IGY) and the recurring themes of inclusivity and human rights in her art. Yet, even with widespread acclaim in the visual arts, she felt an unfulfilled urge to tell stories in a different medium.
“No matter which field in the visual arts I tried, it just felt like it wasn’t enough,” Kiss revealed. “Stories needed to be told, and eventually, they won out.” Now, after a decade of dedication to writing, her debut novel, Under the Floorboards, is set to be published by Hall Publishing, marking an exciting new phase in her career.
The novel is inspired by the true story of Dr. Felix Zandman, a Holocaust survivor whose extraordinary journey embodies resilience and the weight of survival. Kiss’s fictionalized narrative follows a young boy, hidden beneath the floorboards of a Christian family’s home during the Holocaust. As he grows into a celebrated scientist in post-war France, he remains haunted by the sacrifices made to save his life and the lingering shadows of his past.
“I let my body lead me,” Kiss explained when discussing her creative process. “I know I’m on the right track when I’m crying, feeling angst, or butterflies. I let the characters speak to me.” This intuitive approach allows Kiss to craft profoundly human characters who resonate with readers through their raw emotional complexities.
Kiss’s artistic endeavors have not been without controversy. Her mural Peace Kids, a poignant call for harmony between Israelis and Palestinians, has faced skepticism, especially in the wake of heightened tensions following the October 7th attacks. Critics have questioned whether her vision of peace is naive in such a fractured reality.
Such critiques are not unfamiliar to Kiss. Her Jerusalem landscapes, showcased in the exhibition Of Gold, received mixed reviews for their hauntingly desolate portrayals of the city. Samuel Thrope, writing for the Jewish online magazine Zeek in 2011, observed: “The unpopulated spaces…could point to the impossibility of these cities and the harmonious dream they seem to naively promote. Like ‘The Bridge,’ the painted Jerusalems are primed for a meaning which slips through the fingers.”
Kiss embraces this ambiguity, insisting it is deliberate. “I wanted to challenge perspectives of Jerusalem by making the art difficult to interpret,” she explained. This same philosophy informs her debut novel, which wrestles with the interplay of light and darkness, hope and despair.
Importantly, Kiss’s foray into writing does not signify an abandonment of her visual art. “Art is a part of me,” she asserted. “I will forever create art, and I have so many sketches that I want to turn into large-scale paintings, murals, and sculptures. Sharing my art and stories with the world brings me immense joy.”
From painting Bethlehem’s separation wall with symbols of peace to pushing the boundaries of traditional art through her pseudo-naïve style, and now exploring themes of survival and sacrifice in her writing, John Kiss continues to uncover beauty and meaning in unexpected places. Her work is a testament to the transformative power of art in all its forms to challenge perspectives, inspire action, and heal.
