Los Angeles-based artist Alex Israel talks about his beginnings before he went public as an artist and also reveals the inspiration he’s always drawn from his hometown of Los Angeles.
Israel said he worked in several positions in the art world behind the scenes and also studied formally, obtaining both an undergraduate degree as well as a master’s, prior to launching his own art. “For me it was very natural, I was always an artist, I was an art major in college – and I always made art – I was just kind of quiet about it.
“When I went into graduate school, I kind of had this idea about what I wanted to do. Some things I had been working out and trying to figure out, and I knew with the two years of graduate school I could really work through them and accomplish them, and figure out what I wanted to do.”
Alex also discusses his Hollywood upbringing and what impact this still has on his unique art projects. “I’m very inspired by the city,” Alex said. “It also came from growing up watching television, and going to the movies, and going to theme parks, and just being a consumer of those things and being a fan of those things.
“I really always loved the work of Ed Ruscha and Billy Al Bengston in particular, in terms of the generation of artists who developed in the ‘60s in Los Angeles. I love Raymond Pettibon’s work, I love Larry Johnson’s work, and I love Jason Rhoades.”
Watch the full episode to also hear Alex discuss a performance art show he launched called As It Lays that featured various celebrities interviewed during the show.
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