Alex Israel – Upside Down

Gagosian, Davies Street, Davies Street 17-19, W1K 3DE, London

June 12, 2026 – September 5, 2026

Gagosian presents "Upside Down," an exhibition featuring new fin sculptures by Alex Israel at the Davies Street gallery in London, opening June 12. The four sculptures, enlarged versions of surfboard fins, reference Southern California surf culture and postwar Los Angeles art history. Crafted from Plexiglas with varying reflectivity and transparency, the works engage with the Finish Fetish and Light and Space movements of the 1960s. Their vibrant colors reflect the commercial aesthetics of surf brands, embodying the freedom and optimism of Southern California's coastal lifestyle. Each piece is named after a popular song, enhancing its nostalgic appeal. The fins are inverted and suspended from the ceiling, evoking surfers' movements like a "turtle roll" or the orientation of fins underwater. This installation creates a fish tank-like effect in the gallery, offering viewers an "underwater" perspective.