Nir Hod

Nir Hod (; born 1970) is an Israeli visual artist, based in New York. He works in the mediums of painting, sculpture, and video art.

Life and work Nir Hod was born in 1970, in Tel Aviv, Israel. Hod studied at Jerusalem's Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, and New York City's Cooper Union School of Art.

He began his career in video, works in sculpture but is known for his high realism paintings. His work investigates old notions of hyper-seriousness and personal authenticity. Hod's realistic takes on rakish narcissism examine androgyny, identity, sexual confusion, and excess. As Richard Vine wrote in the catalogue for Hod's survey exhibition at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, “From the beginning of his career, Nir Hod has opposed the ideology that labels sumptuousness an esthetic sin. His work openly substitutes the pleasure principle and a fluid multiplicity of selves for the old notions of high seriousness and personal authenticity.” In his recent series of “Genius” paintings and sculptures, Hod depicted aristocratic young men and women whose cherubic cheeks contrast with their scornful expressions and smoldering cigarettes.

For his solo exhibition at Paul Kasmin Gallery, Mother, 2018: "The Life We Left Behind", Gavlak Gallery, Palm Bech 2018: "The Life We Left Behind", Makasiini Contemporary Gallery, Finland 2015: "Life and Death of a Star", Michael Fuchs Gallery, Berlin, Germany 2014: “Once Every Thing Was Much Better Even the Future”, Paul Kasmin Gallery, New York 2012: “Mother,” Paul Kasmin Gallery, New York 2011: “Genius,” Paul Kasmin Gallery, New York 2007: “Faded Heartache,” Davide Gallo Gallery, Berlin 2006: “You Are Not Alone,” Jack Shainman Gallery, New York 2005: “Forever,” Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv “Luna a Las Vegas,” Alon Segev Gallery, Tel Aviv 2001: “Destiny's Days,” Rosenfeld Gallery, Tel Aviv 2000: “Heroes’ Tears,” The Borowsky Gallery at the Gershman Y, Philadelphia “Controversial Innocence,” Rosenfeld Gallery, Tel Aviv “Nir Hod,” Liebman Magnan Gallery, New York 1999: “Forever,” Lime Light Club, New York 1998: “Forever,” Liebman Magnan Gallery, New York; Wolfson Galleries at Miami-Dade College, Miami “Bleeding Hearts,” The Opera House, Tel Aviv 1997: “DOHRIN: The Last Painting,” The Museum of Israeli Art, Ramat Gan, Israel “A Souvenir from November,” Mary Fauzi Gallery, Tel Aviv 1996: “The Brush of the Heart,” Noga Gallery of Contemporary Art, Tel Aviv

Press Shiffman, Allyson, "Nir Hod and the Importance of Narcissism," Interview, 7/13. Cembalest, Robin, "Painting Auschwitz Blue," ArtNews, 1/10/13. Phelan, Amy, "Document No.46: New Geniuses Born," Document Journal, Fall '12/Winter '13. Cembalest, Robin, "Holocaust Imagery As Art," Tablet Magazine, 3/26/12. Slenske, Michael, "The Kids Are All Right? The Paintings of Nir Hod," Art in America, 5/16/11.