A north wind blows through the collection of Haifa Museum of Art. The museum’s location in the city of Haifa is reflected in its collection, which contains many works by artists based in Haifa and the north, attesting to Haifa’s unique identity: as a port city, the relation to immigrants and refugees repeatedly surfaces in the works; as a workers’ city, many of the works address class issues; and as a city nestled in a unique topography between the sea and the mountain, the works delve into interrelations between the earthly and the spiritual. From its focal point in the north, the collection also converses with Israel’s art centers, with Arab culture, and with Western modern art: turning south, to artistic practice in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem; east, beyond the Jordan Valley; and west, to what is happening overseas.
Since its inception in 1951, the Museum’s directors have regarded it as a museum for contemporary art, focusing on the collection and display of contemporary Israeli art. The museum’s curators over the years saw the reinforcement of Israeli art as a central task and made sure to purchase and obtain works by Israeli artists. The comprehensive and high-quality collection they have compiled, numbering more than 8,000 works, provides an overview of major trends in the history of local art.