North Miami art exhibit shows horror of Oct. 7 attack on music festival in Israel
NORTH MIAMI - In a deeply moving exhibition opening in North Miami, visitors will be confronted with the brutal reality of the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack that transformed a peaceful music festival into a scene of unimaginable horror in Israel.
The "6:29: The Nova Music Festival Exhibition," which opens Wednesday, chronicles the devastating moment when a joyful gathering of nearly 4,000 young music lovers was violently interrupted by terrorist attacks, resulting in the murder of 411 festival attendees and the abduction of 44 civilians.
Ofir Amir, co-founder of the Nova Music Festival and co-producer of the exhibition, survived the attack by a narrow margin. "We managed to escape, jumping in a car and driving through the fields," Amir said. "I got shot while we were escaping. The terrorists were waiting in the bushes and shooting at us. I was hit, the bullet went through the door into both of my legs. Lucky for me, we managed to escape them."
The four-room exhibition is more than just a memorial. It's a carefully curated space that captures the human stories behind the tragedy. In the week following the attack, a healing center was established to collect and preserve the personal belongings left behind by festival attendees.
"More than 100,000 pieces were brought back to families of the victims, to people and survivors who found their shoes, who found their bags," Amir explained.
Powerful artifacts tell heartbreaking story
Visitors will encounter stark reminders of the violence:
- Scorched cars
- Bullet-riddled structures
- Actual festival toilets marked with bullet holes
- A room dedicated to the hundreds of young lives lost.
One particularly haunting section reveals the grim reality: "People were killed inside hiding in these toilets, and there were also two survivors from these toilets," Amir said.
Despite the overwhelming darkness, Amir emphasizes that the exhibition is not just about tragedy. "Our message is that it's not only about darkness, it's also light," he said. "At the end, the light is the foundation - this community taking care of each other and healing each other, showing resilience."
The exhibition has already been viewed by more than 300,000 people in Tel Aviv, New York and Los Angeles. It aims to tell a story of hope, love and community strength.
"It's not about taking sides," Amir said. "It's to see what happened at a music festival."
Donations from the exhibit will go to the Nova Healing Journey, which supports mental health treatment for victims and families of the Oct.7 massacre.
Exhibit details
What: "6:29: The Nova Music Festival Exhibition"
Where: Greenwich Studios, 12100 NE 16th Ave.
When: Starting Dec. 18. Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday 11 a.m. to 4:40 p.m.. Closed on Mondays except Dec. 23 and Dec. 30 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Information: Website
Note: Viewer discretion is advised.