Hamas hostages rescued in a bold Israeli military mission after eight months of “hell” tied to chains, blindfolds and ropes, are now turning his pain into paintings.
Andrei Kozlov of Russia and Israel is launching his first solo art show in Chelsea with an emotional collection that reflects the light-form of captivity, including physical and psychological torture.
Not a Jew from St. Petersburg – moved to Israel 13 months before the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, and the attack on Israel escaped the inevitable draft of Russia’s Ukrainian war.
Before that move, Kozlov wondered, “What is the chance of a terrorist attack?”
Kozlov was working at the Nova Festival as an unarmed security guard on that fateful day and was captured by terrorists. He was taken to Gaza. Gaza is a journey depicted in Highway to Hell, an unforgettable piece that reminds you of the terrifying car ride with hostage Shlomi Jib.
“So Real Srural” Exhibition – Scheduled to open next month Lux Contemporary Gallery – includes dozens of heart-piercing paintings that nod to some of the most influential figures in art, such as Picasso’s Blue Age and Edvald Munch’s The Scream.
“To make something like this, I’ll talk about it for me,” Kozlov told the Post. “It’s another way to tell the story.”
The memory of being continuously shuffled for eight months by a terrorist group is revealed in his abstract The “Maybe” work shows the dark, narrow alleys that Kozlov has routinely moved.
He spends time in captivity and finds a blank sheet of paper that allowed him to get lost by drawing other worlds that he could dream of.
“It was just for my soul and to get my heart out of this prison,” said Kozlov, who was rescued along with three other people during the IDF Special Forces mission in June 2024.
The film’s raid by the Elite Commando team involved heavy gunfire and airstrikes to free Kozlov along with ZIV, Almog Meir Jan and Noa Aragmani. She was named one of the week Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of the year.
It was one of his “three birthdays,” Koslov spoke about his rescue and survival on October 7th. “It’s the best day of my life.”
Once I was freed, the blank canvas became the path to healing.
And his story is as New York as the Middle Eastern story. Coming to New York has always been Kozlov’s dream. He is working on collections in Greenpoint and Chelsea spaces after art therapy and rescues to pursue the urban art scene.
Leonardo Munoz
Emmanuel Friedman, whose gallery holds an art show, said the collection will find a home in the museum “for years to come.”
“By coincidence, I became a symbol of hope,” admits Koslov, who lives in Midtown.
“I have a second chance. I need to use it.”
