Magasin III Jaffa

Magasin III Jaffa is an exhibition space, a permanent satellite established in 2018 by Magasin III Museum for Contemporary Art from Stockholm, Sweden. Magasin III Jaffa’s diverse program features both local and international contemporary artists. The space is located on 34 Olei Zion, in a residential neighborhood rich with history and cultural diversity, that borders Jaffa’s famous flea market. Magasin III Jaffa’s unique architecture enables passersby to view the exhibitions from the outside, day and night.

The aim is to foster dialogue, diversity, and a visual and intellectual discourse through art.  A place built on the conviction that art and culture have a pivotal role in progressing democratic values. The exhibitions and programs in past and present have dealt with matters such as language, locality and civil rights, prompting discussion on different communities’ everyday lives in a politically charged region. Magasin III Jaffa offer a variety of activities and tours to different local communities and engage with the public in all three languages, Hebrew, Arabic and English.

Magasin III Jaffa Books

Across the street from the exhibition space Magasin III, lies Magasin III Jaffa Books. In a modest hole in the wall on roughly 28 square meters a generous and well curated spread of art books are presented. The store was established in 2022 as a means to further suport the local arts community, and in its formation it became the first bookstore of its kind in Israel to do so. With some 700 titles, this ever growing inventory features a wide range of books, books that are works of art, comprehensive reviews of artists’ oeuvres, and publications accompanying specific projects or exhibitions.

The store does not act as a publisher and the books that are accepted are not bought on stock, instead they are taken in on commission. This means that five copies from each artist’s book are kept, and when they are sold, the funds are given to the artist while the store keeps 20% of the amount for handling and promotion. It is not a non-profit, but it is a deal that is designed to sustain the store while giving as much as possible back to the artist – a financial model that underlines that the bookstore is there for the benefit of the artists. “We view it as both a philanthropic activity and a way to be in close relationship with many local artists” as the director of Magasin III Jaffa, Karmit Galili explains it.

Much like the exhibition space across the street, the bookstore has grown into a natural meeting place for artists and a art loving general public. It regularly arranges and hosts various events such as book launches and talks, providing opportunities for personal interactions with artists. As a means to integrate the exhibition space with the bookstore the storefront with its large window features a “Vitrine”, a square display case that functions as an additional, condensed exhibition space. A way to increase the visibility of the work of local artists, and to effectively give passersby an opportunity to engage with art for free.