Fins - Alex Israel

The world of surfing lands in Rome with the new exhibition presented by Gagosian Gallery: giant surfboard “Fin” sculptures in red, yellow, green acrylic plastic, to dream of California, discover the inspiration that generated them and explore in a new and unexpected way the visual imagery typical of Los Angeles. These are the latest works created by Alex Israel, an ironic and original American artist who plays and experiments with pop culture and language.

The artist presents the “Fins” as sculptures, each with their own shape, size and color, their own personality and backstory. In both name and style, the sculptures dialogue with works typical of art movements that emerged in Los Angeles in the 1960s, such as Light and Space and Finish Fetish, which used industrial processes and materials, for example fiberglass or resin, to create glossy paintings and sculptures.

In addition to the “Fins,” the exhibition will feature additional works including cut-out works on paper and study-sized “Self-Portraits”, all thematically related to Israel’s new sculptures.