Torres Crafts Unique Judaic-Themed Art

Cuban native Alexi Torres uses oil, metal, fiber, and his own vivid imagination to create touching, wild, and wildly different Judaic-themed art from his West Side Studio near The Works on Chattahoochee Avenue, where his wife, Julie, also an artist, shares the 6,500-square-foot studio.

To connect the dots, Torres explains, “I have many collectors, some from Israel and some from here. I feel a relation from my homeland and Israel — both are small countries trying to find freedom, having their people all around the world for different reasons. I think there is not a lot of Judaic art out there; and I have tried to create some which have done very well for me. Many Jewish people seem to have a great appreciation for art, supporting art and artists and building great collections.”

The late Bernie Marcus’ collection in Boca Raton, Fla., is an example. Torres is best known for oils that are painted to appear as if knitted or woven. Often, he takes inspiration from everyday organic items like leaves, basket weavings, cloth or feathers, and more recently, the harsher stainless steel.

To get started in the Jewish milieu, Torres began with the Israeli flag. “Years ago, I began creating a series of flags, which I still make today. For each piece, I collect images of objects that represent the culture of the country of the flag. Using my basket weaving style, I then paint all those objects on top of the outline of the flag. A few years ago, I got a commission to paint a large flag of Israel and while creating that piece, I delved deeper in the culture, people, and traditions.”

In addition to Jewish-themed art, Torres’ work is in some very visible places. He created an 18-foot piece for an Atlanta collector for which he painted hundreds of objects and symbols that contributed to humanity’s evolution. He has paintings in airports throughout the country. One of his favorites is a 23-foot painting of the Wright Brothers at Delta Sky Club in Concourse B at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport. His exhibitions include Miami’s Contessa Gallery; UNIX Gallery, New York; Marietta Cobb Museum Of Art; DMoMA Lausanne, Switzerland, 2013; Hoover Library, Alabama; Rush Gallery, New York, 2012; Kai Lin Art, Atlanta, 2012; Scope Miami; and the collections of Will Smith, Los Angeles; Hoover Public Library, Hoover, Ala.; David Mills, San Francisco, Calif.; Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, Atlanta; Ruth Beardsley, Australia; Laura Rathe, Houston; and Law & Moran, Atlanta.

He explained, “I follow ideas and execute them the most effective way possible. I am fascinated by how our mind works and how we make things happen with our thoughts and our focus.”

Each work usually takes a few months to complete. Torres follows a moon cycle like farmers in Cuba to plant and harvest the crops. He begins each painting on a waning moon and finishes a few months later on another waning moon. He records the dates with his signature on the canvas. He created a series of embroideries that range from $2,000 to $6,500. The price for oil paintings and sculptures depends on size and complexity — small paintings start at $10,000 with the price topping $100,000 for the larger works. He is working on six to 10 paintings concurrently.

Of Torres’ Judaica collection, Miami client Niki Lipkin said, “Our spectacular Torres piece casts a glow upon our wall, warmly welcoming us into our home and reminding us of the strength of our people. The many hands holding candles, lighting the way as we move forward while simultaneously echoing the memories of those loved and lost. It is a cherished piece that Alexi masterfully created and we are proud to have in our home.”

In Atlanta, Torres is represented by Carousel Fine Art Gallery Buckhead. He will meet private clients by appointment at the studio. For more information, please email contact@alexitorres.com.