Joel Amit

Charlie Chaplin, 3D Mixed Medium Metal Wall Sculpture

2019

Israeli artist Joel Amit mines construction site waste for his work, repurposing and hand-painting materials such as steel, concrete and wood to bring new life to scraps that would otherwise be thrown away. Bright colors and dynamic patterns in his sculptures, which frequently draw on nature, introduce lively energy to fundamental shapes — drawing in viewers and serving as a focal point in any space.

Born in Jerusalem, Amit developed a passion for painting and sculpting when he was quite young. He graduated with honors from the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in his hometown. After completing his studies, he moved to the Negev desert.

Amit lived for five years in the Negev, designing and building villages. This period of time spent in the desert, which afforded him the opportunity to explore the possibilities of using discarded construction materials to make art, greatly informed his style.

While each one of his wall sculptures and other pieces is highly imaginative, Amit doesn't leave anything to chance when creating his art. He sketches each creation before he begins work, painstakingly detailing the position of how every component might fit into the larger work, down to the smallest element. He cuts and shapes every scrap to exact specifications before applying it to a base made of wood — his efforts go toward presenting the illusion of movement, which is especially apparent in wall sculptures that feature the silhouettes of birds, butterflies or sun rays. 

Today Joel Amit works and lives in Israel.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of original Joel Amit sculptures and mixed-media art.