Reuven Israel
b. 1978, Jerusalem
Lives and works in NYC
Reuven Israel’s sculptural practice directly engages with form and color, drawing from myriad cultural references that range from religious monuments to science fiction. These sources amalgamate into autonomous abstract sculptures that simultaneously feel familiar—due to the employment of a rich range of signifiers—yet unhinged to any particular context.
While they appear to be industrially fabricated, the sculptures are actually the result of a painstaking process that involves hand-cutting, gluing, laminating, and sanding medium density fibreboard (MDF) that is then coated with industrial paints and lacquers. The resulting sculptures play a game of visual deception as the handmade simulates that which is industrially fabricated: Wood disguises itself as metal and plastic, and sculpture takes the form of a seemingly utilitarian object.
Photo by Gili Getz
Solo and Two-person Exhibitions
“U.F.O. (Untitled Folding Object) 1329”, KinoSaito, Verplanck, New York (2025); “Scaffolding (after Buffalmacco)”, Braverman Gallery, Tel Aviv (2025); “Tempus Fugit”, 89 Greene St at Signs and Symbols, New York (2024); “Metamorphosis and Metaphors, The abyss And rising from it, Reuven Israel/Panos Tsagaris”, Ncontemporary, Milan (2023); ”Slip Slidin’”, Sevil Dolmaci Gallery, Istanbul (2022); ”Reuven Israel: F.L.O.O.R. (Formulated, Liminal, Oblique, Openable, Rectangles)”, Center for Contemporary Art, Tel-Aviv (2021); "W.A.L.L. (WOODEN ARRANGEABLE LINEAR LAMELLATIONS)", Shulamit Nazarian Gallery, Los Angeles (2021); "In Four Acts", Shulamit Nazarian Gallery, Los Angeles (2018); "Offshoot", Braverman Gallery, Tel-Aviv (2018); "As Above, So Below", Shulamit Nazarian Gallery, Los Angeles (2016); "Formula", Braverman Gallery, Tel-Aviv (2016); "Multipolarity", Fridman Gallery, New York (2014); "Superpartners", Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv (2011); "Fatima", Braverman Gallery, Tel-Aviv (2010); "From Shapes to Forms", Museo Civico Floriano Bodini, Gemonio (VA) (2010); "Range of Sorrow", Montrasio Gallery, Milan (2009); "Reuven Israel", Braverman Gallery, Tel-Aviv (2006).
Group Exhibitions
“Tinned”, Wasserman Projects, Detroit (2025); “Traces IX – Slough”, The 9th Biennale for Drawing in Israel, The Jerusalem Artists’ House, Jerusalem (2025); “Objects Of Affection”, Wasserman Projects, Detroit (2023); “Metamorphosis and metaphors, a dialogue on minor aesthetics”, Ark Kultur, Istanbul (2022); “10 Years”, Shulamit Nazarian, Los Angeles (2022); “The Promise”, Center for Contemporary Art, Tel-Aviv (2020); “Play”, Braverman Gallery Tel-Aviv (2020); “Crossing Lines”, Kunsthalle Osnabrück, Osnabrück (2019); “Diplomacy”, Yeh Art Gallery St. John’s University, New York (2019); Only Connect, Braverman Gallery, Tel Aviv“Twist,” Jessica Silverman Gallery Fused Space, San Fransisco (2018); "Flair," Fridman Gallery, New York (2017); "Same Same But Different," Works from The Haaretz Collection, Minus1 Gallery, Tel Aviv (2017); "Untitled.," Braverman Gallery, Tel Aviv (2017); ״BENE•F•ACTION״, Andrea Meislin, New York (2016); "The Museum Presents Itself 2", Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv (2015); "The Museum Imagined", Danese/Corey, New York (2015); "Domestic Ideals", Lesley Heller Workspace, New York (2015); "Re:Start", Braverman Gallery, Tel Aviv (2015); "The Readymade Centennial", Haifa Museum of Art, Haifa (2013); "No Place", BAAD Gallery, Tel Aviv (2013); "Human Nature", Braverman Gallery, Tel Aviv (2013); "Curator: Yona Fisher", Ashdod Art Museum (2013); "Tracing the Fish Bladder", Radiator Gallery, New York (2013); “Re: Visiting Rockefeller,” Rockefeller Archaeological Museum, Jerusalem (2013); “Senses of the Mediterranean”, Hangar Bicocca, Milan (2011); “The Ministry of Culture and Sport’s 2009 Awards for Art and Design,” Herzliya Museum of contemporary Art (2010); “Il Segreto dello sguardo,” Galleria San Fedele, Milan (2010); What Does Sculpture Want?, Bezalel gallery, Tel Aviv (2009); In Silence, rothschild 69 project, Tel Aviv (2008), "Young Israeli Art", Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Helena Rubinstein Pavilion,Tel Aviv (2007), Forms of construction, Eigse festival, carlow ( Ireland) (2007); "Raw and Cooked", University of Haifa Art Gallery, Haifa (2007).
Awards, Prizes, and Grants Artis exhibition grant recipient (2025, and 2022); Young Artist Award, The Israeli Ministry of Culture (2009); the Legacy Heritage Fund Prize, Tel Aviv Museum of Art (2007); Rich Foundation Award (2006); America- Israel Cultural Foundation- scholarship (2004,2006); Prize in memory of Ehud Elhananani, Department of Fine Art, Bezalel Academy (2004).
Education Reuven Israel holds both an MFA (2007) and a BFA (2004) from Bezalel Academy of Art and Design Jerusalem.