Brainstorming Your Way to a Creative Life – David Gerstein

Just around the corner from Singapore’s Central Business District, dotted by high-rises, stands Momentum, an 18m-high (approx. 59 feet) tree-like sculpture with rows upon rows of figures spiraling upward. This colorful piece lends a radiating vitality to the gray urban jungle while showing the feverish energy of David Gerstein, an optimistic and spirited creator from Israel.

An artist gifted with great potential since childhood, David Gerstein excels at painting and sculpture. His sought-after works, featuring vibrant colors, penetrate the heart and touch the mind. He studied in Jerusalem, Paris, New York, and London. The artist’s work is a conglomeration of different artistic styles, which allows for an interesting interplay of ideas that leads to that creative spark. Without strict adherence to Cubist collages, his cutout sculptures boldly combine painting with 3D sculpture, featuring vivid colors inspired by the unique and refreshing style of Pop Art.

Unlike many artists, David Gerstein divides his time between creation and art education; he takes time for the latter so that he can pass down his techniques and ideas to the younger generation in Israel. Since he returned from his studies overseas at the age of 26, the artist helped bridge the gap between traditional jewelry design and artistic creation, infusing art into life while actively following new art trends and movements. During his tenure at the academy, Gerstein experimented with pastels, oil paintings, and watercolors to produce works of even more varied styles until the 1980s when his first foray into sculpture took his creative career to a new level.

David Gerstein says, “Art is simple and basic, just like bread, water, and air. And I think creation comes naturally to me, as a tree bears fruits. I do not need to invent anything, and nor do I have to rack my brains to come up with great ideas. Everything comes naturally to me while I’m driving, chatting, or getting up in the morning. When I get to my studio, I may be able to reap my fruits. Nature gives fruits colors and shapes so tantalizing that birds are attracted to eat them while scattering their seeds. In other words, attractive colors and shapes truly hold appeal.”

Momentum, 2007, Singapore, David Gerstein

David Gerstein draws on his “daily life” for creation. He believes that instead of being confined to galleries, artworks should be presented outdoors to be more accessible to the public. Since 2000, Gerstein has developed instantly recognizable public artworks that can be found in more than 20 places around the world including Israel, Switzerland, Singapore, Seoul, London, and Bangkok. His wonderful pieces in Taiwan, which can be found at the Hsinchu Municipal Stadium and Taichung Science Park, present bright-colored images inspired by everyday objects and animals such as bicycles, ponds, cats, and butterflies. These artworks bring renewed vitality to the urban landscapes while suggesting the simplicity and beauty of life in a fast-paced world.

Pablo Picasso said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” When considering the art works David Gerstein has produced, one can see how he lives up to this quote.

Red Lips – Muse of Art

An Encounter of
David Gerstein and FRANZ

Rosy, thick lips suggesting a faint smile are a common feature in David Gerstein’s sculptures of their kind. Passion Breath is a perfect mix of butterflies and lips, with the former symbolizing innermost desire and the latter expressing rich emotions.

According to David Gerstein, the red lips are inspired by Surrealism and Pop Art. He draws on the Mae West Lips Sofa, an iconic 1930s surrealist sculpture shaped after the lips of fascinating actress Mae West by Salvador Dali in the 1930s, as well as the luscious red lips that are one of the most eye- catching elements in the works of American Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein. The thick lips stimulate unlimited imagination, with their bold, vivid red color giving hints of rich vitality.

David Gerstein’s lighthearted and vivid works are marked by the charms of whimsical storytelling and appealing expressiveness. His superb artistry and sense of humor transform mundane objects into pieces overflowing with an exuberant vitality, reminiscent of a wonderful life. The artist says that the butterfly is a symbol of beauty, happiness, tenderness, and bright light, with veiled references to the frail yet mesmerizing duration of life. Therefore, the combination of butterflies and red lips shows desire, mystery, and people’s innermost emotions.

● Passion Breath, 2013, David Gerstein

The porcelain box, inspired by the artist’s sculptures of rosy lips, can be used to keep significant mementos from daily life. Whether it be scraps of paper that contain covert words of love that inspire the romance hidden at the bottom of one’s heart or even small yet cherished objects, these precious keepsakes will be guarded by a pair of butterflies for eternity.

Lips Design sculptured lidded porcelain box
FZ03586