Oren Pinhassi

In 2018, Pinhassi had an exhibition at Skibum MacArthur in Los Angeles.[5] In 2019 Pinhassi was selected alongside Felipe Baeza, Julia Bland and Arghavan Khosravi in an exhibition curated by Doron Langberg at Yossi Milo Gallery in New York City.[6] In 2021 he had his exhibition Lone and Level at Helena Anrather in New York,[2] Thirst Trap at Commonwealth and Council in Los Angeles.[7] In 2018,[4][8] 2021[9] and 2022 he exhibited in the UK with Edel Assanti Gallery in London. [10] The gallery went on to exhibit a solo presentation of Pinhassi's work at Art Basel Miami Beach 2022.[11]

Through his sculptural work, Pinhassi deals with queer spaces. Veronica Esposito describes this in The Guardian "as areas where things don’t sit exactly right, where individuals can become porous and vulnerable in ways that aren’t possible in heteronormative spaces." He also addresses notions of vulnerability and mourning as central themes in his work.[12] Pinhassi states:

Oren Pinhassi, Standing Figure (San Basilio 2), 2021, bronze and tempered glass, 200 x 40.5 x 37.5 cm.

“My work deals with archetypes of structures and objects that act as networks that encase the living and the dead human body, that protect it or destroy it, that interact materially with it. Archetypes like: a bunker, a tunnel, a grave, a house, a mausoleum, a bath-house, a bath-tub etc; these are metaphysical cases of interaction between the human and the non-human. Materials are interacting with each other, desires and instincts as well, wet elements interacting with dry ones, organic body with synthetic body. I see these interactions as potentials for positive, constructive forces that can set new tools, production rules and new economies for the artist, and for thinking about our place within the universal continuum.”[13][14]

Pinhassi predominantly produces work by layering burlap, plaster and sand over welded steel skeletons.[15][16] As Michael Yeung notes in Wallpaper* "[...] He calls his sculpting process one of ‘repetitive touch’ – working away at the plaster with his hands a little at a time – no two objects he creates are ever exactly the same.[...]"[17] From 2010-2012, wood featured heavily in his installations and it was this "frustration with the rigidity" of materials that drove him to explore the shapeshifting potential of plaster, sand and burlap.[17]

In 2021, Pinhassi began producing works in bronze and glass following his residency at Castello di San Basilio, Basilicata, Italy.[18]