( ENSPIRE Business ) Limited Collection Bridges Fashion, Activism, and Tech
ENSPIRE Contributor: Daniel Garritson
Tomer Peretz is an Israeli artist currently based in Los Angeles. He is best known for his portraiture, having been a painter since he was a child in Jerusalem. Through a blend of realism and surrealism, his work has historically sought to cultivate a sense of intimacy and candidness.
Now with his latest artistic venture, he seeks to use a combination of art and technology to tell a story of and spread a message of peace. His “War is Over” line of repurposed military jackets includes state-of-the-art technology in the form of scannable chips that identify each jacket as authentic and one-of-a-kind. The art on each jacket is personalized and impossible to replicate.
ENSPIRE spoke with Tomer to discuss his inspirations and methods for creating the collection.
In what ways do you think serving in the IDF has shaped your artistic vision and style?
“Well, the IDF shaped me in everything I do in my life, from the way I eat to the way I make decisions. It’s in my mind a lot, without thinking too deeply about it, It’s always around.”
What inspired you to depart from your most commonly used medium (paintings) for this project?
“I didn’t depart, I still paint, maybe not as I used to on traditional Canvas but I paint on a different type of fabric, the fabric you can wear, I like the idea of wearing my paintings, different usage.”
How did you decide on combining tech and art to express your message?
“Because I used to provide authentication letters, but this can be copied or faked by anyone. Using tech as a solution to authenticate my work.”
Your “end of war” jackets are windproof, water-resistant, and have additional insulated layers. Did you have a vision of sustainability when starting this project, or is it a happy accident that your jackets are long-lasting and multi-purpose?
“Well, I’m using a military garment, obviously it’s gonna be sustainable, I didn’t plan it in advance, but I was very aware of it when I started to work on the garment.”
As tensions rise for the Israel-Palestine conflict, War is Over’s message is sorely needed. The unconventional combination of tech and art will serve to spread that message far and wide. Additionally, the two themes of the pieces, sustainability and peace, combine to represent an optimistic view of the future. There will be a launch event for the War is Over product line on March 4th at Peretz’s LA studio.
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