What does graphic design look like when it confronts the most sacred texts of Western culture? The Graphic Design Department at Tiltan — the College of Design and Visual Communication in Haifa — offers a surprising answer to this question. The 2025 graduates’ final exhibition, opened on August 7 on the college rooftop, presents a bold and contemporary interpretation of the Ten Commandments.
This year, led by Department Head Mali Alon, the department set a unique intellectual challenge for the students: To delve deeply into the foundational texts of Jewish and Western culture and examine their relevance to the modern individual. Each student was required to select one commandment that represents a contemporary value for them and develop a communication message around it using diverse design techniques.
The result is dozens of projects that raise penetrating questions about morality, freedom, justice, human dignity, and social boundaries — from both a personal and universal perspective.
A Variety of Techniques and Media
The projects represent a wide range of design techniques: Illustration, branding, animation, user experience design, digital media, posters, books, graphic campaigns, and interactive experiences. The overall tone ranges from socio-political statements to personal philosophical investigations.
A standout project in the exhibition is "You Shall Not Covet" — a design work that redefines clothing tags and measuring tapes inspired by the phases of the moon. This initiative offers a critical response to the narrow beauty ideal and the oppressive culture of measurements, proposing an alternative based on natural cycles rather than rigid social standards.
A Personal Connection to Social Responsibility
Erez Issacharoff, CEO of Tiltan, sees the exhibition as an expression of the college’s broader educational mission. "Every visit to our graduates’ exhibition is a reminder of the power of design: To provoke thought, ask questions, and offer new ways to see reality," he explains.
According to him, this year’s students surprised with the depth of their ideas and the personal connection they brought to each project. "It’s not only impressive visually, but also touching on a human level. Tiltan always aims to cultivate designers who think, feel, and act out of social responsibility — and this exhibition proves how possible that is."
Mali Alon, Head of the Graphic Design Department, emphasizes the conceptual dimension of choosing the theme. "This year, we chose to work with the Ten Commandments not just as a religious or textual reference, but as a broad platform inviting a bold dialogue about the boundaries of what is permissible and forbidden in art, design, and life itself."
She says the choice of a personal commandment allowed each student to find their inner voice and turn their final project into a tool that influences public discourse.
The exhibition offers a unique opportunity to see how the young generation of Israeli designers confronts fundamental existential questions and translates them into a relevant and thought-provoking design language.
The exhibition will be displayed on the college rooftop — 65 Ha’atzmaut Street, Haifa.
Admission is free to the public, and the venue is open for visits Sunday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
Group visits and guided tours can also be arranged.