Alex Israel: Upside Down Sculpture Exhibition at Gagosian London

Upside Down features new fin sculptures by artist Alex Israel that draw inspiration from Southern California surf culture and the region's 1960s art history. Suspended from the ceiling, the translucent Plexiglas works invert traditional surfboard fin orientation to create an immersive, underwater-like atmosphere within the gallery.

Gagosian’s presentation of Upside Down showcases new fin sculptures by Alex Israel, which serve as enlarged iterations of those found on surfboards. Through their sleek, reflective, and translucent production, these works engage in a dialogue with Southern California’s iconic Light and Space and Finish Fetish art movements. The sculptures utilize pop-inflected colors to reference the commercial aesthetics of surf brands, channeling themes of freedom and the coastal lifestyle, while their titles—taken from beloved pop songs—imbue them with a sense of collective nostalgia. In this installation, the fins are inverted and hung from the ceiling of the Davies Street gallery in London. This orientation mimics the perspective of a surfer maneuvering through a wave or a “turtle roll,” while simultaneously transforming the gallery space into a fish tank–like environment for the visitor. The exhibition invites viewers to experience a unique perceptual vantage point that blurs the boundaries between the aesthetics of the ocean and the interior architecture of the gallery.

Admission to the gallery is free. For further inquiries or information regarding the exhibition, visitors are directed to contact Gagosian via their official website or the provided gallery contact details.