Los Angeles-based Alex Israel – known for exploring the vacuity of celebrity culture through paintings, sculptures, installations and videos that center on signifiers of this culture, from sunglasses to director’s chairs to celebrities themselves, and is in collections including the Los Angeles Museum of Art, Centre Pompidou and the Museum of Modern Art – plumbs his own psychological depths only to discover what makes him love work and life.
What historical art figure would you like to have lunch with and why? Leonardo Da Vinci. To find out if he was really vegan.
What did you purchase with the proceeds from your first sale? I saved up to make the down payment on my house.
What words or phrases do you overuse? Wow. Nice. Cool. Amazing.
Shamrock Tattoo, 2024 Acrylic on canvas 48 x 72 1/4 inches (121.9 x 183.5 cm) © Alex Israel Photo: Josh White Courtesy Gagosian
How do you know when a work is finished? I’ll work on a piece until I’ve successfully removed any distracting features.
When and where were you happiest? Disneyland. Every time I go.
What is your most treasured possession? It was my dog, Mr. Brown. But now it’s his ashes, held in a life-size ceramic urn that looks just like him, made by my talented friend Grant Levy-Lucero.
Where is your ideal escape destination? Home. When everyone thinks I’m out of town.
Troubadour, 2024 Acrylic on canvas 54 x 90 inches (137.2 x 228.6 cm) © Alex Israel Photo: Josh White Courtesy Gagosian
What TV series from your youth best describes your approach to life? Saved by the Bell.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? It would be really nice to sleep past 7:30 am on weekends.
What is your most treasured memory? Maybe my first memory ever: Mixing red and yellow finger paint and discovering that together they make orange.
What makes you smile? My niece and nephews.
Gas Station, 2024 Acrylic on canvas 54 x 134 inches (137.2 x 340.4 cm) © Alex Israel Photo: Josh White Courtesy Gagosian
What makes you cry? Movies on airplanes.
What is your go-to drink when you toast to a sale? Tequila. Shaken cold. Served up with lime.
After an all-nighter, what’s your breakfast of champions? Jon & Vinny’s pancakes.
Who inspires you? Elite athletes.
What’s your best quality? Curiosity. It keeps me going.
Hollywood Liquor, 2024 Acrylic on canvas 54 x 96 inches (137.2 x 243.8 cm) © Alex Israel Photo: Josh White Courtesy Gagosian
What’s your biggest flaw? I get stressed out.
What is your current state of mind? Trying not to get stressed out.
What do you consider your greatest achievement? I don’t know. I just keep going.
If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what would it be? A pop song.
HKAB Art Drunk, photo by Gary Yeh and Lucy Emms
Alex Israel’s exhibition, Noir, is at Gagosian, Beverly Hills January 9, 2025. His exhibition, Heaven, is at the Aspen Art Museum February 15 – March 16, 2025.
Cover image: Alex Israel, photo by Leonardo Cestari; visit the artist on IG.
