Alex Israel is a multimedia artist, writer, and even an eyewear designer from Los Angeles. His work includes large and colorful paintings of abstract gradients and Los Angeles skies.
He also does self-portraits, mostly painted on shaped fiberglass panels. His multimedia installations are constructed from movie-house props.
His work is included in the collections of many museums. He also has some web series, including As it Lays, in which he interviewed LA celebrities, 33 to be exact. The group included Oliver Stone, Perez Hilton, Jamie Lee Curtis, Rachel Zoe, Marilyn Manson, and more.
In 2010, he founded his eye wear brand, called Freeway Eyewear. It debuted with seven styles in the spring of 2010, drawing inspiration from California freeways. Models were named after freeways.
Contents
- 1 1, Eve/Cycle/Adam Installation 2011
- 2 2. Minerva 2011
- 3 3. Untitled (flat) 2011
- 4 4. Untitled (flat) 2011
- 5 5. Triptych Invisible 2011
- 6 6. Untitled (flats), 2012
- 7 7. Untitled (flats), 2012-2014
- 8 8. Untitled (flat) 2014-2015
- 9 9. Sky Backdrop 2014
- 10 10. Sky Backdrop 2015
- 11 11. Self Portrait 2013-2017
- 12 12. Self Portrait US Open Of Surfing 2014
- 13 13. Self Portrait Autoroute 2014
- 14 14. Self Portrait Selfie And Studio Floor 2014
- 15 15. Desperado 2015
- 16 16. Self Portrait (wetsuit) 2015
- 17 17. Lens Orange 2015
- 18 18. Self Portrait Directors Chair 2016
- 19 19. Self Portrait Mom 2016
- 20 20. Self Portrait Surf Shop 2016
- 21 21. Self Portrait Still Life With Mr. Brown 2018
- 22 22. Self Portrait Rear-View Mirror 2018
- 23 23. Self Portrait Neon 2018
- 24 24. Self Portrait PCH 2019
- 25 25. New Waves 2018-2019
- 26 26. New Waves 2018-2019
- 27 27. New Waves 2018-2019
- 28 28. New Waves 2018-2019
- 29 29. Self Portrait Autographs 2019
- 30 30. Batman Signal Installation Le Corbusier, Marseilles, France 2019
- 31 31. Idol 2019
- 32 32. Rimowa Suitcases 2019
- 33 33. As It Lays Installation 2019
- 34 34. Alex Israel
1, Eve/Cycle/Adam Installation 2011
Religious topics and concepts are often part of art. And while they are rarely present in modern art, especially in pop art, urban art, and graffiti, Alex Israel uses the concept. Adam and Eve were the first humans to inhibit our Earth, and they are part of Israel’s exhibition.
2. Minerva 2011
Minerva is the Roman goddess of wisdom, trade, arts, and strategy in war. As a goddess of art, it is only logical for her to make way into an art exhibition. One of her domains was handicrafts.
3. Untitled (flat) 2011
Alex refers to these “paintings” as “flats”. That is a technical term used in the film and television industry to describe the backdrop for sets. And while they hang on the wall, they are not paintings. At least not in the eyes of the author.
4. Untitled (flat) 2011
Alex used the Flats series to evoke the experience of Hollywooding. That is a term used by the artist to describe the unique character of the city. In his words, Hollywood is more than a town, it is an attitude, a way of moving and being.
5. Triptych Invisible 2011
While most of the objects in the Flats series are in pink, romantic color, Alex also tried another color. The vivid orange symbolizes the dynamic and joyful lifestyle of Hollywood.
6. Untitled (flats), 2012
Flats were deliberately unclear. Alex wants to blur the distinction between commercial and fine art. Some experts criticize him for that, but he lives his own way.
7. Untitled (flats), 2012-2014
Flats is one of his most successful exhibition. Each is a framing device for an on-screen action or for props acting as sculpture. Some say that Flats is actually a nostalgic take on the romantic Hollywood past and the American dream.
8. Untitled (flat) 2014-2015
Flats recur again and again across his work. They are just phenomenal in a way they show so much emotions in a flat painting/backdrop of set.
9. Sky Backdrop 2014
The sky of Los Angeles is one of the most common topics and concepts in Alex Israel work. Depending on his mood, the sky is shown in different colors. And that metaphor is what makes his paintings genius. Look at the color, and try to imagine what the actor is feeling.
10. Sky Backdrop 2015
The more colorful a sky is, the more joyful, right? Well, nobody can tell for sure when looking at Alex’s paintings.
11. Self Portrait 2013-2017
Self-portraits are another popular medium and concept in his art. He plays with colors, trying to show a different mood. If you have ever watched the Big Bang Theory, shirts worn by Sheldon Cooper symbolize the mood of the character. This is the same metaphor Alex is playing with.
12. Self Portrait US Open Of Surfing 2014
Fun and unique, these self-portraits are a painting within the painting. Or a photograph within the painting. Alex uses different motifs, events, and paintings in his self-portraits. Here, we see the US Open Surfing event.
13. Self Portrait Autoroute 2014
There are many routes and highways in America. The Pan-American might be the most famous and popular one. It stretches across the entire American continent.
14. Self Portrait Selfie And Studio Floor 2014
Breaking the fourth wall are we? Selfie within a self-portrait, now that is a whole new level of taking selfies.
15. Desperado 2015
Here Alex explores the iconography of his hometown, the Hollywood film industry, and the cult of celebrity. Desperado is one of the most famous Hollywood movies, and this scene is iconic.
16. Self Portrait (wetsuit) 2015
How would Alex Israel look in a wet suit? You have the answer thanks to this self-portrait. It is just amazing how much the artist loves to play with his portraits and image.
17. Lens Orange 2015
We said Alex founded an eye wear company in 2010. He also likes to combine his eye wear company with his art. Here, you have lens of one of his iconic products.
18. Self Portrait Directors Chair 2016
Alex is greatly influenced by TV and cinema. He once sat in the directors chair, for his web series As it Lays. Who knows, he might sit in one again.
19. Self Portrait Mom 2016
Paying homage to his mother, it is just incredible how he makes these portraits look so real. It is amazing, and a true work o art.
20. Self Portrait Surf Shop 2016
If you are wondering why Alex is obsessed with surfing, here is the answer. He is not a surfer. However, he thinks his approach to art is related to surfing. He thinks he is on a wave, and he can either go with or don’t.
21. Self Portrait Still Life With Mr. Brown 2018
One of the best part about his self-portraits is that Alex gives the viewers an insight into his life. He shows his everyday life as part of his art. And that is a rarity in the art world.
22. Self Portrait Rear-View Mirror 2018
Another example of how the artist gives viewers an insight into his everyday life. This is how his rear view mirror looks. In Los Angeles, it is always sunny.
23. Self Portrait Neon 2018
Neon colors were quite popular in the past several years. And Alex is always about what is popular, but he uses it in his own unique way.
24. Self Portrait PCH 2019
Looking at Alex Israel self-portraits, you will discover Hollywood and Los Angeles. Many of the photos and images used in the self-portraits are iconic Los Angeles areas.
25. New Waves 2018-2019
New Waves is an exhibition Alex set up in Hong Kong. It includes multimedia works related to his first feature-length film, SPF-18. While shooting the movie, he noticed pelicans silhouetted against the sky or swooping in at the edge of the frame. And he used them for his “images”.
26. New Waves 2018-2019
Neon Lights, newspaper headlines, and art historical references flash into view in the New Waves exhibition. The show his deep attunement to the intersection of media, visual pleasure, and history.
27. New Waves 2018-2019
New Waves also marks the debut of his Los Angeles-based clothing brand, called Infranthin. The clothing brand will offer unisex apparel available in a pop-up store. The clothing will feature his “waves” images.
28. New Waves 2018-2019
For his New Waves exhibition, Alex again used his hometown for inspiration. He is born in Los Angeles, so the exhibition features sunsets, beachscapes, and self-portraits on a backdrop of molded neoprene and fiberglass panels.
29. Self Portrait Autographs 2019
You can find many of the celebrities Alex used for his Web Series As it Lays in this self-portrait. They probably gave him autographed pictures.
30. Batman Signal Installation Le Corbusier, Marseilles, France 2019
This summer, people in Marseille, French city, asked whether Batman is now patrolling the city. But that was not the case. Alex installed a Bat Signal at the MAMO Arts Centre on the Roof of an apartment. The signal was installed as part of his Batman-focused exhibition.
31. Idol 2019
Contemporary fertility icon? Who doesn’t need one? Definitely a very clever work by the genius artist.
32. Rimowa Suitcases 2019
Rimowa is a premium luggage brand. At the beginning of 2019, they revealed their latest collaboration with Alex. The result was a candy-hued collection of suitcases.
33. As It Lays Installation 2019
Here is the setup for his Web Series. This is where Alex interviewed more than 30 celebrities and then released it as a movie.
34. Alex Israel
This photo was taken during the Hong Kong New Waves exhibition. It is a perfect photo of Alex and his work, with the sunny yellow color in the background, as well as the ocean blue. Los Angeles baby!
