Alex Levin

{{Infobox
|title =  Alex Levin
|image        = [[File:Space holder.jpg|215px|alt=Alex Levin]]
|header1 = Birth:
|data2  = Kiev, Ukraine
|header3 = Style:
|data4  = Fantastic Realism 
|header5 = Themes:
|data6   = Jewish Tradition, Venetian Mask, Tel Aviv
|header7 = Awards:
|data8  = Venetian Scholarship, Knesset Medal for Contribution to Judaic Art
|header9 = Description:
|data10   = Young Israeli Artist who uses the ancient tempera technique. He also produces decorated musical boxes and jigsaw puzzles of his work.
}}

Alex Levin is a successful young artist living in Herzliya, Israel. Born in 1975 in Kiev, Ukraine he immigrated to Israel in 1990 shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Alex Levin is known for his ‘fantastic realism’ pictures of  Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Venice.

==Art Education==
Like most young children, Alex Levin liked to paint and draw, however he also had talent to go with it. By his early teens his artistic promise gave him a place at the ''Art Academy'' in Kiev, where he received many honors. Once in Israel, his talent was recognized by none other than the Chairman of Israel Artist Association, ''Professor Baruch Elron'', who took the young Levin under his wing.  Alex continued to study with him until Elron’s death in 2006. After completing his military service in 1997, Levin began to study in an industrial and web design program, which he has found useful for his art.

==Techniques==
Levin works in a variety of medium from pencil and charcoal to modern acrylic paints and as well as traditional oils. Alex also likes the ancient ''tempera'' method of painting used by the Old Masters.  In this technique artists make their own paint - using a mix raw egg white or yolk with pigment and oils like linseed - to produce the translucent colors they want.  They then build up a painting over a base (ground) in very thin layers, much thinner than can be achieved with oils. They may also paint into the wet oil paint, and the results give a transparent or glazed effect, and the paintings can maintain their vibrancy and color for centuries.  Levin finds tempera suits his work,but he also likes to use this technique as a way to preserve it.
 
==Style==
Using a combination of Surrealistic and Realistic styles, Alex Levin’s work can be considered to fall in the realm of ‘''fantastic realism''’. His Jewish paintings, especially those featuring the ''Western (Wailing) Wall'' and the ultra-orthodox religious neighborhoods in ''Jerusalem'' evoke the traditional and timeless tradition of the Jewish people. 
Alex’s ''Tel Aviv'' landscapes, on the other hand, are full of detail depicting scenes of young people enjoying the vibrancy of life, energy, happiness and love.  He has also been captivated by Venice and its tradition of the Mask and mystery at Carnival time. Part of this Venetian project includes crafted wooden musical boxes with painted lids.

==Collectables==
Although well-known people like Oscar Peterson, Richard Gere and Madonna buy and enjoy his paintings, Levin also makes his art affordable for ordinary people. Small limited edition (25 or 100) prints on canvas produced by the giclee technique which look similar to that of a regular painting, enable his work to be seen and owned by a wider public. He also produces large 1,500 piece jigsaws of his more popular works.  Alex’s most collectable works are his painted musical boxes with pictures of Jerusalem and Venice Masks. He has two art books to his credit to date.

==Awards and Exhibitions==
Following an exhibition in Venice of his ''Mask series'' (2002), Levin won a scholarship to the Venice Art Academy which gave him time to devote to new work on the theme of Venice and Masks.  In 2007 the Israel Knesset (Parliament) gave Alex the ''Medal Award for Contribution to Judaic Art''. 
He has exhibited all over the world - from Australia and Europe to the United States and Israel-starting from before he left Kiev in 1989, and exhibiting somewhere almost every year since. Alex Levin is represented by major galleries, and his pictures, musical boxes and jigsaw puzzles are also available online.

[[Category:Jewish Art]]