Los Angeles artist Alex Israel’s practice explores the iconography of his hometown, the Hollywood film industry, and the cult of celebrity, embracing its clichés and styles, and posits Los Angeles as central to an understanding of American culture and the American dream. In his paintings, sculptures and installations – including also elements from talk shows and performance art – he conveys, transforms and comments on this city’s mythology and aesthetic.
Alex Israel
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Alex Israel, © Masheter Movie Archive / Alamy Stock Photo, 2021 -
Alex Israel, Pelican, 2017
External: Acrylic on fiberglass
Internal: stainless steel, aluminum, plastic
38 x 203 x 119 cm / 15 x 79 7/8 x 46 7/8 inches
Edition of 3 + 1 AP -
Alex Israel, The Surfers, 2017
Acrylic and UV ink on canvas
182,9 x 365,8 cm
72 x 144 inches -
Alex Israel, Self-Portrait (Wetsuit), 2016
Acrylic on aluminum
140 x 61 x 45,7 cm
55 1/8 x 24 x 18 inches -
Alex Israel, Self-Portrait (Wetsuit), 2017
Acrylic on aluminum
140 x 61 x 45,7 cm
55 1/8 x 24 x 18 inches -
Alex Israel, Self-Portrait (Wetsuit), 2017
Acrylic on aluminum
140 x 61 x 45,7 cm
55 1/8 x 24 x 18 inches -
Alex Israel, Self-Portrait (Wetsuit), 2017
Acrylic on aluminum
140 x 61 x 45,7 cm
55 1/8 x 24 x 18 inches -
Alex Israel, Self-Portrait (Wetsuit), 2017
Acrylic on aluminum
140 x 61 x 45,7 cm
55 1/8 x 24 x 18 inches -
Alex Israel, Self-Portrait (Wetsuit), 2017
Acrylic on aluminum
140 x 61 x 45,7 cm
55 1/8 x 24 x 18 inches -
Alex Israel, Lens (Yellow), 2015
Side view -
Alex Israel, Desperado, 2015
Acrylic on bronze
35,6 x 24,1 x 25,4 cm -
Alex Israel, Self-Portrait (U.S. Open of Surfing), 2014
Acrylic and bondo on fiberglass
243,8 x 213,4 x 10,2 cm -
Alex Israel, Self-Portrait (Seagull), 2014
Acrylic and bondo on fiberglass
243,8 x 213,4 x 10,2 cm -
Alex Israel, Lens (Purple), 2015
UV Protective Plastic Lens
213,4 x 243,8 x 35,9 cm -
Alex Israel, Lens (Orange), 2015
UV Protective Plastic Lens
213,4 x 243,8 x 35,9 cm -
Alex Israel, Lens (Yellow), 2015
UV Protective Plastic Lens
213,4 x 243,8 x 35,9 cm -
Alex Israel, Untitled, 2014
Oil and acrylic on canvas
152,4 x 121,9 cm -
Alex Israel, Untitled, 2014
Oil and acrylic on canvas
152,4 x 121,9 cm -
Alex Israel, Triptych (Indivisible), 2013
Acrylic on stucco, wood and aluminium frame, ceramic tiles.
3 parts: 137,2 x 76,2 cm - 243,8 x 152,4 cm - 137,2 x 76,2 cm -
Alex Israel, Triptych (Indivisible), 2013
Acrylic on stucco, wood and aluminium frame, ceramic tiles.
3 parts: 137,1 x 76,2 cm - 243,8 x 152,4 cm - 137,1 x 76,2 cm -
Alex Israel, Diptych (Indivisible), 2014
Acrylic on stucco, wood and aluminium frame
152,4 x 243,8 cm -
Alex Israel, Diptych (Indivisible), 2012
Acrylic on stucco, wood and aluminium frame
243,8 x 342 x 7 cm -
Alex Israel, Self-Portrait (Director’s Chair), 2014
Acrylic and bondo on fiberglass
243,8 x 213,4 x 10,2 cm -
Alex Israel, The Big Chill, 2012-2013
Marble and styrofoam cup
12,7 x 7,6 x 7,6 cm -
Alex Israel, Sky Backdrop, 2012
Acrylic on canvas
274,3 x 487,7 cm -
Alex Israel, Triptych (Indivisible), 2012
Acrylic on stucco, wood and aluminium frame
243,8 x 465 x 7 cm -
Alex Israel, Alex Israel — Thirty, 19.10 — 13.11.12
Exhibition view at Almine Rech Gallery, Paris -
Alex Israel, Alex Israel — Thirty, 19.10 — 13.11.12
Exhibition view at Almine Rech Gallery, Paris -
Alex Israel, Alex Israel — Thirty, 19.10 — 13.11.12
Exhibition view at Almine Rech Gallery, Paris -
Alex Israel, Alex Israel — Thirty, 19.10 — 13.11.12
Exhibition view at Almine Rech Gallery, Paris -
Alex Israel, Alex Israel — Thirty, 19.10 — 13.11.12
Exhibition view at Almine Rech Gallery, Paris -
Alex Israel, Alex Israel — Thirty, 19.10 — 13.11.12
Exhibition view at Almine Rech Gallery, Paris -
Alex Israel, Museo Civico Diocesano di S.M. dei Servi, 2012
The Angela and Massimo Lauro Foundation
Exhibition view -
Alex Israel, Museo Civico Diocesano di S.M. dei Servi, 2012
The Angela and Massimo Lauro Foundation
Exhibition view -
Alex Israel, Museo Civico Diocesano di S.M. dei Servi, 2012
The Angela and Massimo Lauro Foundation
Exhibition view -
Alex Israel, Museo Civico Diocesano di S.M. dei Servi, 2012
The Angela and Massimo Lauro Foundation
Exhibition view -
Alex Israel, Property, 2010
Rented cinema props -
Alex Israel, Diana and Venus from Property, 2010 -
Alex Israel, Property, 2010
Rented Cinema props -
Alex Israel, Lockers and Muse, from Property, 2011
Rented cinema props -
Alex Israel, Untitled (Flat), 2011
Acrylic on stucco, wood and aluminium frame -
Alex Israel, Untitled (Flat), 2011
Acrylic on stucco, wood and aluminium frame -
Alex Israel, Untitled (Flat), 2011
Acrylic on stucco, wood and aluminium frame -
Alex Israel, Untitled (Flat), 2011
Acrylic on stucco, wood and aluminium frame -
Alex Israel, Triptych (Indivisible), 2011
Acrylic on stucco, wood and aluminium frame
One part 244 x 183 cm, two parts 122 x 76 cm -
Alex Israel, As it Lays, 2012
Video still, Jamie Lee Curtis and Alex Israel -
Alex Israel, As it Lays, 2012
Video still, Cheryl Tiegs and Alex Israel -
Alex Israel, As it Lays, 2012
Video still, Bret Easton Ellis and Alex Israel -
Alex Israel, Abbott Kinney Mural, 2012
Venice Beach, California
Exhibitions
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Rosebud
— • Paris, Matignon -
Summer 2
— • Paris -
Summer
— • Paris -
The Shell (Landscapes, Portraits & Shapes), A show by Eric Troncy
— • Paris -
Platform, Curated by Nicolas Trembley
— • Brussels -
Art Basel 2013
— • Basel -
Thirty
— • Paris -
Telephone Paintings, Curated by Nicolas Trembley
— • Art 43 Basel, Switzerland
Museum Exhibitions
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Abstraction(s), Curated by Nicolas Trembley
— • Song Art Museum, Beijing, China -
Waves
— • Kunstraum Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria -
Future Eaters
— • Monash University Museum of Art, Melbourne -
b. 1982, Los Angeles
— • Le Mur, 8 Rue Saint-Bon, Paris -
Alex Israel at the Huntington
— • Huntington Art Gallery, San Marino, CA, USA -
Sightings: Alex Israel
— • Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas -
The Los Angeles Project, Star Waggons, 2014
— • Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing -
Le Consortium
— • Dijon -
Alex Israel
— • Museo Civico Diocesano Di Santa Maria Dei Servi, Citta della Pieve, Italy
Selected press
- Caroline Goldstein, 'Is Batman Patrolling Marseille This Summer? No, That's Just Artist Alex Israel, Projecting the Bat Signal in the Sky Over the City', Artnet, July 2019 — 419.3 kB
- Ambre Clément, 'Alex Israel rend hommage à Batman', AD Magazine, June 2019 — 230.7 kB
- Artnet, ‘Have Art, Will Travel? Alex Israel Designed Custom Color-Graded Suitcases With Luxury Luggage Brand RIMOWA’, March 2019 — 625.9 kB
- Dirk Vanduffel, 'This is how the song, California Calling by the Beach Boys starts...’, Artdependence, 17th July 2017 — 536.4 kB
- Colin Kean, 'Alex Israel: Summer 2 at Almine Rech Gallery', Artefuse, 21st June 2017 — 275.3 kB
- Gary Baum, 'Alex Israel: "L.A.’s Most Sought-After Artist Works Out of Warner Bros.’ Backlot “Like a Trojan Horse“', The Hollywood Reporter, 22th January 2016 — 1.4 MB
- Christopher Bagley, 'Alex Israel: Stars in his eyes. Is the artist Alex Israel Hollywood's most clever critic? Or its biggest fan?', W Magazine, 12th January 2016 — 1.5 MB
- Jan Tumlir, 'Alex Israel and Bret easton Ellis', Artforum, Summer 2016 — 2.4 MB
- Sharon Johnston and Mark Lee, 'Free Way', Surface Magazine, December 2015, January 2016 — 5.6 MB
- Gerrit Jackson and Caroline Busta, 'I'm not punk', Texte Zur Kunst, December 2016 — 3.8 MB
- Olivier Zahm, The Shell, Purple Fashion, Fall/Winter 2015 — 514.8 kB
- George Epaminondas, ‘Eli Broad’s Museum Opens: A Billionaire’s Art Stash is Set to Make a Splash in Downtown L.A.’, Hollywood Reporter Online, September 16th 2015 — 251.5 kB
- Timothée Chaillou, 'Alex Israel Almine Rech / Paris’, Flash Art, July 30th 2015 — 398.1 kB
- Mara Hoberman, 'Alex Israel's "Summer", Art Agenda, July 20th 2015 — 555.3 kB
- Stephanie Bailey, 'A conversation with Alex Israel', Ocula, July 10th 2015 — 662.8 kB
- Natacha Wolinski, 'The art show must go on, The Good Life, June/July 2015 — 7.0 MB
- Eric Troncy, 'L'art fait son numéro', NUMERO, June 2015 — 1.3 MB
- Aram Moshayedi, 'Alex Israel', INTERVIEW MAGAZINE, January, 2015 — 460.6 kB
- Charles Barachon,'La collection rêvée d'Eric Troncy', ARTS MAGAZINE, October 2014 — 2.7 MB
- Venus Lau, 'Hit factory: frames, bubbles, and fro-yo', LEAP, October, 2014 — 963.9 kB
- Jon Leon, 'Summertime', SPIKE, Summer 2014 — 2.2 MB
- 'Mode: Alex Israel', Numéro 154, June/July 2014. — 1.7 MB
- 'Cover: Alex Israel', Numéro 154, June/July 2014. — 5.0 MB
- Morais Pedro, 'Fluo Conceptuel. Expoistion au Mamo de Marseille', O2, February 4th, 2014. — 324.7 kB
- 'Alex Israel: Interview - le Consortium', 2013 — 335.4 kB
- Sophie Van Vlierbeghe, ‘Destination LA avec Alex Israel’, LE BIEN PUBLIC, July 2013 — 164.5 kB
- 'Alex Israel at Le Consortium, Dijon', MOUSSE, July 2013 — 1.0 MB
- 'La classe internationale au Consortium', LE BIEN PUBLIC, June 21st, 2013 — 270.7 kB
- Gary Baum, 'Artist Alex Israel gives the TV Show a new spin', THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, May 15th, 2013 — 169.1 kB
- Eric Troncy, 'Hotel California', FROG MAGAZINE, Number 12, Summer 2013 — 483.0 kB
- Bret Easton Ellis, 'On the Border', FROG MAGAZINE, Number 12, Summer 2013 — 275.8 kB
- Melanie Griffith, 'On the Border', FROG MAGAZINE, Number 12, Summer 2013 — 274.8 kB
- Timothée Chaillou, 'Alex Israel in conversation with Timothée Chaillou', NOVEMBRE, Issue 7, Spring/Summer 2013. — 1.4 MB
- Timothée Chaillou, 'Alex Israel: Almine Rech - Paris', FLASH ART, p. 101, January-February, 2013 — 4.6 MB
- Daniel Horn, 'Alex Israel', MODERN PAINTERS, February Issue, 2013 — 4.3 MB
- Aude Launay, 'Alex Israel, Framing the Frame', ZERODEUX, Winter 2012. — 5.1 MB
- Aude Launay, 'Alex Israel et ses lunettes de soleil', TECHNIKART, October, 2012. — 1.2 MB
- Gigiotto del Vecchio, 'L.A. Man', MOUSSE MAGAZINE, May, 2012. — 12.0 MB
- Jonathan Griffin, 'Focus: Alex Israel', FRIEZE MAGAZINE, April, 2012. — 201.3 kB
- Nicolas Trembley, 'L'atelier - Alex Israel', NUMERO, April, 2012. — 101.2 kB
- Adam Linderman, 'Who Is Alex Israel and Why Should I Care?', NEW YORK OBSERVER, April 25th, 2012 — 11.9 MB
- Jerry Saltz, 'How to make it in the art world', NEW YORK, April 2012 — 2.1 MB
- 'Inside the Artist's studio', W, March 2012 — 429.3 kB
- Kevin McGarry, 'Out there mystery theater', MAGAZINE NEW YORK TIME, February 2012 — 1.4 MB
- Davon Garanicas, 'Interview with Alex Israel', ARTISANT, September, 2011. — 2.3 MB
- Ashley Simpson, 'Alex Israel, Berlin Babylon', INTERVIEW, September 9th, 2011. — 784.1 kB
- Christopher Bollen, 'Alex Israel Art', PURPLE MAGAZINE, Fall/Winter 2011. — 1.9 MB
- Roberta Smith, 'A bit of Hollywood, minus the tinsel' NEW YORK TIMES, May 31, 2011. — 428.9 kB
- Alexxa Gotthardt, 'Alex Israel on L.A. Horizons and Future Horizons', Artsy, June 26th, 2015 — 856.0 kB
- Ambre Clément, 'Alex Israel : 5 choses à savoir sur celui qui sera à l'honneur cet été', AD, May 17, 2019 — 825.6 kB