Title: Defiance
Artist: Aiden Braner
Year: 2025
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Dimensions: 24 × 30 inches
Created in response to the tragic attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Erev Chanukah, Defiance is a testament to Jewish resilience, light, and unwavering spirit. Centered on the menorah—an enduring symbol of faith and survival—this painting transforms grief into resolve, honoring the lives lost while affirming the power of illumination in the face of darkness.
Thick, expressive brushstrokes and layered color give the menorah movement and weight, as if the flames themselves are rising with purpose. Gold accents shimmer through deep blues and vibrant tones, evoking both mourning and hope. Each candle burns as an act of resistance, declaring that even in moments of violence and hatred, Jewish light will not be extinguished.
Defiance stands as a visual declaration: we light in defiance. In defiance of fear. In defiance of silence. In defiance of those who seek to erase. This work serves as both memorial and proclamation—an affirmation that faith, identity, and light endure.
Title: Defiance
Artist: Aiden Braner
Year: 2025
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Dimensions: 24 × 30 inches
Created in response to the tragic attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Erev Chanukah, Defiance is a testament to Jewish resilience, light, and unwavering spirit. Centered on the menorah—an enduring symbol of faith and survival—this painting transforms grief into resolve, honoring the lives lost while affirming the power of illumination in the face of darkness.
Thick, expressive brushstrokes and layered color give the menorah movement and weight, as if the flames themselves are rising with purpose. Gold accents shimmer through deep blues and vibrant tones, evoking both mourning and hope. Each candle burns as an act of resistance, declaring that even in moments of violence and hatred, Jewish light will not be extinguished.
Defiance stands as a visual declaration: we light in defiance. In defiance of fear. In defiance of silence. In defiance of those who seek to erase. This work serves as both memorial and proclamation—an affirmation that faith, identity, and light endure.
