Alex Israel
{{Short description|American artist}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{About|the artist|other people with similar names|Alexander Israel (disambiguation){{!}}Alexander Israel}}{{Infobox artist
| name = Alex Israel
| birth_date = 15 October 1982 {{birth year and age|1982|10}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| education = Yale University (BA)
University of Southern California (MFA)
}}
Alex Israel (born October 1982) is an American multimedia artist, writer, and designer from Los Angeles. His work includes large, colorful airbrushed paintings of abstract gradients and Los Angeles skies, his self-portraits, painted on shaped fiberglass panels, and multimedia installations constructed from movie-house props.
Early life and education
The son of a real estate developer, Israel was born at UCLA Medical Center.Gary Baum (22 January 2016), [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/artist-alex-israel-works-warner-857099/ L.A.’s Most Sought-After Artist Works Out of Warner Bros.’ Backlot “Like a Trojan Horse”] The Hollywood Reporter. He grew up in Westwood alongside two sisters. He attended Harvard-Westlake School in Studio City before completing his undergraduate studies at Yale University in 2003.Baun, Gary, [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/artist-alex-israel-works-warner-857099 L.A.'s Most Sought-After Artist Works Out of Warner Bros.' Backlot "Like a Trojan Horse]," Hollywood reporter.com His first summer back from Yale, he worked part-time as an intern for the conceptual artist John Baldessari, and for Ann Goldstein, who was a curator at MOCA at the time. Later, he worked as an assistant at the gallery Blum & Poe before moving to New York City to work at Sotheby's auction house.{{cite web |url=http://www.wmagazine.com/culture/art-and-design/2016/01/alex-israel-artist/photos/ |title=Fashion, Celebrities, Parties & Art |work=W Magazine |date=May 16, 2017 |accessdate=22 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116163237/http://www.wmagazine.com/culture/art-and-design/2016/01/alex-israel-artist/photos/ |archive-date=November 16, 2016 |url-status=dead }} After working for the artist Jason Rhoades, followed by a brief stint as a salesperson for Hauser & Wirth. He went on to receive a M.F.A. from the University of Southern California’s Roski School of Fine Arts in 2010.{{cite web|url=http://www.artproductionfund.org/artists/alex-israel|title=ALEX ISRAEL|last=Fund|first=Art Productuion|website=Art Production Fund|access-date=17 November 2016|archive-date=July 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707165848/http://www.artproductionfund.org/artists/alex-israel|url-status=dead}}
Work
Early in his career, Israel maintained a studio at 3113 Beverly Boulevard in Filipinotown.Nate Freeman (2 June 2023), [https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2023/06/david-zwirner-galleries-los-angeles How David Zwirner Turned a Forgotten Block in LA Into Prime Real Estate] Vanity Fair. Since 2016, he has been working from a {{convert|10600|sqft|m2|abbr=on|disp=flip}} studio at Warner Bros.’ Burbank backlot, designed by Johnston Marklee & Associates.[https://www.johnstonmarklee.com/work/alex-israel-studio Alex Israel Studio] Johnston Marklee & Associates.Gary Baum (22 January 2016), [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/artist-alex-israel-works-warner-857099/ L.A.’s Most Sought-After Artist Works Out of Warner Bros.’ Backlot “Like a Trojan Horse”] The Hollywood Reporter.
= ''AS IT LAYS'' =
Between July 2011 and May 2012, Israel produced a web series called, "AS IT LAYS," in which he interviews 33 LA celebrities. The diverse group of subjects includes Rachel Zoe, Oliver Stone, Perez Hilton, Michael Chow, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Marilyn Manson. The first thirty videos were shot in the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, and on location at the subjects’ homes and offices. The series premiered during an exhibition at Reena Spaulings Fine Art March 11 through April 8, 2012. The first thirty videos were released online.{{cite web|url=http://www.reenaspaulings.com/images3/ISRAEL.PR.pdf |title=As It Lays : Alex Israel |website=Reenaspaulings.com |accessdate=22 May 2017}}
On May 19, 2012, The MOCA LA presented the series as a special one-night screening and performance event. In between screenings of video portraits, Israel created three additional interviews with surprise guests Laird Hamilton, Molly Ringwald and Melanie Griffith, in front of the live audience.{{cite web|url=http://asitlays.com/about |title=As It Lays |publisher=As It Lays |accessdate=22 May 2017}}
= ''Easter Island Venice Beach'' =
From July 13–15, 2012, "Easter Island Venice Beach" was erected in the recreational area of Venice Beach as part of the Hammer Museum’s Venice Beach Biennial. Curated by Ali Subotnik,[http://easterislandvenicebeach.com/video Easter Island Venice Beach video], Easterislandvenicebeach.com the installation plays off the Easter Island statues in the southeastern Pacific Island.{{cite web |url=http://www.letsgochile.com/locations/central-zone/pacific-islands/easter-island |title=Chile's No. 1 Tailored and Vacations Travel Agent > " Easter Island |publisher=LetsGoChile |date=February 22, 1999 |accessdate=22 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170603195715/http://www.letsgochile.com/locations/central-zone/pacific-islands/easter-island |archive-date=3 June 2017 |url-status=dead }} Israel says that he was inspired when he found four giant replicas of the sculptures at a prop house in Hollywood a few years earlier.School of Doodle, [https://medium.com/school-of-doodle/tumblr-vs-the-museum-9363cffe6335#.2zzb3tcfy The Weird Places That Have Inspired Alex Israel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118041434/https://medium.com/school-of-doodle/tumblr-vs-the-museum-9363cffe6335#.2zzb3tcfy |date=November 18, 2016 }}, Medium.com
= ''Rough Winds'' =
The first of his video series, produced in 2010, invites viewers to "watch and follow the lives of jaded young adults as they navigate the golden light and melancholic shadows of life in the magical dreamscape of Los Angeles."{{cite web|url=http://www.roughwinds.com|title=Rough Winds|website=Roughwinds.com|accessdate=May 22, 2017}} The dialogue-free series is composed of a trailer and ten clips between two and six minutes long.
=''SPF-18''=
Israel directed SPF-18, a feature-length teen surf film and multi-platform project, which was written by Michael BerkGary Baum (22 January 2016), [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/artist-alex-israel-works-warner-857099/ L.A.’s Most Sought-After Artist Works Out of Warner Bros.’ Backlot “Like a Trojan Horse”] The Hollywood Reporter. and released on both Netflix and the ITunes Store on September 29, 2017. It featured Noah Centineo in a starring role in addition to Molly Ringwald,Bagley, Christopher, Alex Israel: Stars in his Eyes, W Magazine as well as cameos by Keanu Reeves and Pamela Anderson.Gary Baum (22 January 2016), [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/artist-alex-israel-works-warner-857099/ L.A.’s Most Sought-After Artist Works Out of Warner Bros.’ Backlot “Like a Trojan Horse”] The Hollywood Reporter.
=Work with Bret Easton Ellis=
In 2016, Israel and Bret Easton Ellis worked together on a set of collaborative paintings, taking samples of Ellis's text and laying them across stock images of Los Angeles that Israel selected and purchased the licensing to.David Pagel (21 March 2016), [https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-alex-israel-bret-easton-ellis-billboards-gagosian-20160315-story.html Review: Alex Israel and Bret Easton Ellis: Why new billboard art loses its power when seen up close] Los Angeles Times.Janelle Zara (30 September 2022), [https://www.wallpaper.com/art/bret-easton-ellis-and-alex-israel-join-forces-on-new-works-at-gagosian-beverly-hills Mixed media: Bret Easton Ellis and Alex Israel join forces at Gagosian Beverly Hills] Wallpaper.
Other activities
From 2010, Israel designed a line of sunglasses called Freeway Eyewear, that he sold online as well as at Barneys New York and Gagosian Gallery in New York.Christina Binkley (21 February 2019), [https://www.latimes.com/fashion/la-ig-rimowa-and-alex-israel-collaboration-20190221-story.html Rimowa teams up with L.A. artist Alex Israel on new suitcases] Los Angeles Times. In 2018, he launched Infrathin, a casual clothing line named for the term coined by Marcel Duchamp.Maria Fitzpatrick (26 March 2020), [https://www.ft.com/content/d47745f1-f748-4ec5-939a-cf74feb64e71 Meet the man who bottled LA for LV] Financial Times.
In 2019, Israel collaborated with German luggage maker Rimowa on creating a 20-foot-tall replica of a Rimowa roller suitcase.William Van Meter (4 February 2019), [https://www.wsj.com/articles/inside-rimowas-l-a-inspired-collaboration-with-artist-alex-israel-11549291780 Inside Rimowa’s L.A.-Inspired Collaboration With Artist Alex Israel] Wall Street Journal.Christina Binkley (21 February 2019), [https://www.latimes.com/fashion/la-ig-rimowa-and-alex-israel-collaboration-20190221-story.html Rimowa teams up with L.A. artist Alex Israel on new suitcases] Los Angeles Times. In 2020, he worked with Louis Vuitton on designing the packaging of three fragrances.Maria Fitzpatrick (26 March 2020), [https://www.ft.com/content/d47745f1-f748-4ec5-939a-cf74feb64e71 Meet the man who bottled LA for LV] Financial Times.Elly Parsons (18 October 2022), [https://www.wallpaper.com/lifestyle/louis-vuitton-alex-israel-fragrance-launch Louis Vuitton bottles LA summertime into three new fragrances] Wallpaper.
Collections
Work by Israel is included in the collections of the Moderna Museet, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, MOCA, LACMA, Whitney Museum of American Art, MoMA, The Jewish Museum, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and Astrup Fearnley Museet.Alex Israel Biography, gagosian.com
Personal life
References
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Category:Artists from Los Angeles
Category:Yale University alumni
Category:University of Southern California alumni