The Artworks of Hillel Selznick

American artist Hillel Selznick creates abstract paintings using brushy layers of alternating colors. Over the course of his 30-year career, Hillel Selznick created an influential body of work that also influenced contemporary abstraction. As Selznick blends European painting with American abstraction, he achieves a balance between calm reflection and intrinsic vitality. Creating intentionally compelling spaces is Selznick's forte. Concentration and care are hallmarks of his art, where monumentality and intimacy are constantly intertwined. The idea of humanity's betterment dominates Selznick's art, despite focusing on the physicality of his materials. It contains an almost infinite number of expressive emotional fluctuations at its core.

Hillel Selznick Early Life

Hillel Selznick was born in New York City in 1960. Selznick's childhood was marked by the artistic talent, childhood curiosity and a strong curiosity about the world around him. He credits the influence of his mother, who is a painter, as having an important impact on his art. At the age of nine, Selznick saw a Salvador Dali exhibition, which had a huge impact on his future art career. He graduated from The High School of Music and Art in New York. Selznick then studied painting at the New York University from 1974 to 1978, where he was heavily influenced by the abstract expressionism of Willem de Kooning.

His Artworks Can Be Found in Numerous Private and Public Collections

Selznick's work can be found in numerous private and public collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Brooklyn Museum. His paintings can be found in both permanent and touring exhibitions around the world. His work has been featured at both major and minor public and private shows. For example, his paintings have been exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, the National Academy of Arts in New York, the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery in Buffalo, the New Britain Museum of American Art in Connecticut, and the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia. His work has also been featured at the acclaimed High Museum of Art in Atlanta. In addition to exhibiting his own work, Selznick has also curated exhibitions of other artists, including Doug Aitken, Bob Briner and Mike Kelley.

Ideas and Emotion Drove His Art

Selznick's art is driven by ideas and emotion, rather than purely aesthetic considerations. He has no set subjects or styles. Rather, he focuses on themes and ideas that are meaningful to him. His work is heavily influenced by his Jewish background. Therefore, it is inspired by both the Judeo-Christian concepts of faith, as well as aspects of Jewish culture.

Conclusion

In his review of Hillel Selznick's work in the New York Times, Jonathan Jones described Selznick as "a painter with a visionary eye." He described Selznick's paintings as "concentrated bursts of color that could be considered a new branch of abstract expressionism." This is a fitting description for a powerful artist whose work is defined by acute concentration and care, involving constant negotiation between the monumental and the intimate. While giving primary importance to the physicality of his materials, Selznick's art is commanded by the idea of humanity's betterment. At its heart lies a near-infinite number of expressive emotional fluctuations.

If you are interested in learning more about Selznick's artwork, you can find more information on his website, including a comprehensive list of public and private exhibitions his work has been featured at.