Description

Micha Bar Am has been photographing in Israel for 60 years, having moved there with his family from Berlin when he was young. He has witnessed the country’s rise to prominence on the international stage, while capturing the drama and the nuance of Israeli life. Pictured here, a parade in the street of the town of Bew’er-Sheva, Israel. 1973.

It is almost impossible to be both a participant in the events and their observer, witness, interpreter

MIcha Bar-Am
© Micha Bar-Am | Magnum Photos

Micha Bar-Am has been a Magnum Correspondent since 1968. He was born in Berlin in 1930 and moved with his family to Israel, then Palestine, in 1936. Growing up in Haifa, Bar-Am lived on a kibbutz and began to document kibbutz life with borrowed cameras.

Active in the pre-state underground, Bar-Am was drafted in 1948 when the Jewish-Arab conflict turned into all-out war. After his military service, he had several jobs before he began to photograph seriously.

In the mid-1960s, Bar-Am curated several exhibits and books with Cornell Capa, including Israel: The Reality. He assisted Capa with the establishment of the International Center for Photography in 1974 and became an active curator. His reportages on Israel have been published in a large number of magazines and books.

© Micha Bar-Am | Magnum Photos

Get Magnum news and updates directly to your inbox

Stay in touch
Monthly updates on the latest assignments, photographer projects and collaborations with brands.
Know when our quarterly 7-day square print sale is coming.
Learn about online and offline exhibitions, photography fairs, gallery events, plus fine print news and activities, on a monthly basis.
Get fortnightly tips and advice articles, find out about the latest workshops, free online events and on-demand courses.
Be the first to know about recent Magnum Shop drops. From new books and limited editions, to special offers, you can find it all on the weekly Magnum Shop newsletter.
Stay up to date every Thursday with Magnum photographers’ activities, new work, stories published on the Magnum website, and the latest offerings from our shop.