Ahron Ben-Shmuel

Ahron Ben-Shmuel, also known as Ben Shmuel, Aaron Ben Shmuel (1903–1984) was an American artist, known for his direct carvered stone sculptures, figural granite work and paintings. He worked for the Works Progress Administration (WPA), and he was associated with left-wing politics despite his art having no clear political references.

About Ahron Ben-Shmuel was born on 18 January 1903 in New York City, New York.

He apprenticed for three years as a monument carver at a stone yard and eventually developed his own style. Jackson Pollock studied direct carving techniques under Ahron Ben-Shmuel between 1930 until 1933 in his Greenwich Village studio. Ben-Shmuel was Noguchi's friend and he subleased one of the units.

Ben-Shmuel was awarded the Guggenheim fellowship in Fine Arts in 1937 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.

Death and legacy He died 24 February 1984 in Jerusalem, Israel. Michener Art Museum, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Brooklyn Museum, among others.

Public art work