David Kaplan

Itzik Benshalom, the man and the artist, is larger than life, an artistic Israeli with a remarkably gentle disposition. Born in Hadera, Israel, in 1945, Benshalom has had no formal art training, but has worked closely with many artists since 1967 when he set up a foundry specializing in the 4000 year old 'Lost Wax' method of casting sculpture. Ben Shalom's sculpture refers to human emotion. Created in pairs, male and female, the sculptures are often moveable pieces. The juxtaposition expresses the essence of Ben Shalom's statement and his concern with human interaction. He says of his work, "The 20th-century artist has to work primarily within the psyche of alienation. The overlay of modern existence which seems to be communicated more by electronic media than anything else, denies basic human emotions love, anger, understanding, all are reduced to cipher. I see my work as an attempt to remind people of a more primal form of humanism. In a sense, I see a need to redefine emotion". Benshalom was recently selected from among 2000 sculptors and artists, to create a five meter sculpture, Lovers, for the lobby of the new Industry House of Israel in Tel Aviv. Another of his monumental works will provide the centre point of the plaza at the University Business Park in Austin, Texas. His works are to be found in museums and public places as well as corporate and private collections throughout Europe, Israel and North America. Benshalom and his wife Hannas, also an artist in lacework, as well as a designer of fine jewelry, live with their three children in Hadera, Israel.

Abstract sculpture has evolved over time with artists making a variety of striking statements in stone, bronze, ceramic and other materials. In the collection of abstract sculptures on 1stDibs, you are sure to find a piece that is perfect for your space.

When exploring how to arrange furniture and decor, consider color, texture and what kind of energy it should evoke. Abstract sculpture can elevate any home through its many decorative possibilities.

Auguste Rodin is often called the father of modern sculpture for his pioneering naturalistic forms and figures that vividly express emotion. His work in the 19th and early 20th centuries broke with artistic conventions and inspired modernism, leading to a new period of avant-garde abstraction.

Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque were among the first artists to push abstract sculpture into the mainstream. They helped define the Cubism movement, which focused on deconstructing the world abstractly. Other 20th-century artistic movements, including Italian Futurism, Dadaism, Neo-Dadaism, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism and Minimalism, all contributed to the advancement of abstract sculpture. Italian Futurism, for example, celebrated movement, dynamics and technology in abstract sculpture. These movements continue to inform abstract sculpture today.

With abstract art — sculpture, painting or a grouping of prints — a work can complement a living room, dining room or other space, or it can act as a bold focal point.

Browse a range of modern abstract sculptures, postmodern abstract sculptures and other sculptures on 1stDibs.