About
Sometimes, rather than deciding which context to address with a specific body of work or project, I just think of myself as my context . . . and that’s where my Self-Portrait comes into play. It has become a kind of logo for this imagined context of me—and it hopefully provides a through line as my work shifts or twists across traditionally segregated worlds or value systems.
—Alex Israel
Gagosian is pleased to present Always On My Mind, an exhibition of new Self-Portraits by Alex Israel. This is his first solo exhibition in the United Kingdom.
A native of Los Angeles, Israel mines the cultural mythos of his hometown with polished optimism and calculated cool, melding nostalgic feelings with lucid perceptions of California living and the American Dream.
Israel has cultivated a close partnership with Warner Bros. Studios, beginning in 2010 when he rented Hollywood props from the studio’s warehouses and exhibited them as readymade sculptures. He has also collaborated with the studio’s scenic painting department on numerous large-scale series, including his dreamy, pastel-tinted Sky Backdrops, architecturally inspired Flats, and slick, vibrant Waves. The film industry has continued to play a central role in Israel’s work; in 2017, he made his directorial debut with SPF-18, a feature-length teen rom-com that pays tribute to classic surf movies.
#AlexIsrael
Alex Israel: Freeway
The exhibition Alex Israel: Freeway, presented at Fosun Foundation, Shanghai, is an in-depth survey of the artist’s practice. Curated by Jeffrey Deitch, the exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue featuring a conversation between Israel and Jenny Wang Jinyuan, as well as essays by the artist, Deitch, and cultural critic Sean Monahan. To celebrate the occasion, we are sharing Monahan’s essay, “Teenage Obsolescence.”
Alex Israel: New Waves
An animated, short video by Alex Israel takes viewers on a visual journey through the ideas and imagery behind his latest exhibition in Hong Kong.
Alex Israel and Venus Lau
Alex Israel speaks with curator and writer Venus Lau about New Waves, his latest exhibition in Hong Kong. Israel reveals his spirit animal, discusses his love of Duchamp, and tells Lau about the process behind his newest works.
In Conversation
SPF-18
Alex Israel discusses his feature-length film with Derek Blasberg.
Alex Israel / Bret Easton Ellis
Hans Ulrich Obrist interviews the artist and writer about their recent collaboration.
Desire
Diana Widmaier Picasso, curator of the exhibition Desire, reflects on the history of eroticism in art.
News
Tour
Alex Israel
Always On My Mind
Wednesday, February 26, 2020, 6:15pm
Gagosian, Grosvenor Hill, London
Join Gagosian for a tour of Alex Israel: Always On My Mind, an exhibition of new Self-Portraits by the artist, led by Gagosian director Millicent Wilner. In this ongoing series of photorealistic paintings, Israel frames quintessential Los Angeles scenery and snippets from his daily life inside crisp cut-out silhouettes of his own profile. The artist addresses the effortless visual gloss that twenty-first-century image culture and social media demand of their participants. To attend the free event, RSVP to londontours@gagosian.com. Space is limited.
Installation view, Alex Israel: Always On My Mind, Gagosian, Grosvenor Hill, London, January 16–March 14, 2020. Artwork © Alex Israel. Photo: Lucy Dawkins