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Absalon (Artist)
Meir Eshel (December 26, 1964, Ashdod - 10 October 1993, Paris) is known professionally as  "Absalon", an Israeli-French artist and sculptor.





Biography
Meir Eshel, the eldest of four children of Adèle and Elie Eshel, was born in December 1964 in the city of Ashdod. at age fourteen he began to study at the Technical School of the Air Force in Haifa. After his graduation in 1982 he served as an aircraft technician at the Hatzerim Israeli Air Force Base for three years.

From 1985 to 1987, Absalon moved to live in Sinai and later in the dunes south of Ashdod, where he built a wooden cabin and made his living making jewelry. In an interview later described Absalon the period:“I built my first house when I was 20: I was discharged from the army in a very bad state and went to the desert [...] for about a year I lived with the Bedouins in Sinai. I had a fantasy about life in the desert. I believed I could do it, until I realized it didn’t fulfill me.”

In 1987 he immigrated to Paris, and moved to the home of his uncle Jacques Ohayon which was located on Temple Street (Rue de Temple) Third Quarter of Paris. Eshel through Ohayon met several artists such as Christian Boltanski and Annette Messager. He began studying art at the École Nationale Supérieure d’Arts Paris-Cergy (ENSAPC) and attended the weekly Boltanski class at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts (ENSBA) during this period, he adopted the name Absalon, a nickname given to him by one of his uncle’s friend and referred to the biblical Absalom. In 1998 he received a one year scholarship to study at the Institut des Hautes Études en Arts Plastiques in Paris. In 1990 he was represented by the Galerie Crousel-Robelin/ Bama. In the same year it was the first time he returned to Israel after he was introduced to Yona Fischer by Christian Boltanski, who invited him to exhibit in Israel at the Artists Studios, Aika Brown Gallery, Jerusalem. In 1991 Abslom moved to live in Villa Lipchitz (Jacques Lipchitz) in Boulogne built by Le Corbusier in 1923-24. In 1993 Absalon planned to live in six cells he designed to install in six cities, on 10 October 1993 Absalon died from an illness associated with HIV, aged 29.

 Cells 

In the course of about six years Absalon created a series of living units, developing a formal language based on existential routine of everyday indoor life. The cells are designed entirely in relation to his measures, unlike of The Modular of Le Corbusier that was used as standard for architects, Absalon wanted to create a home "tailor-made" for his size. The inside of the cell is all covered in white in order to reduce distractions or elements that can disturb the eye, the whiteness and emptiness of the space emphasize a mental space rather than the physical one. In his video Solutions (1992) Absalon demonstrate the study of measurements and calculation of movements like eating, sleeping, taking shower, biting the nails, lighting cigarette etc, which later will define the form of his cells. In 1993 Absalon started to construct six cells which were supposed to be installed in six metropolitan centers and function as Absalom home as he travel between them as he described: "I would like to create my own setting and belong to nothing else. My living unit will be comprised of the six habitation units which I construct, and my homeland will be in-between them."

Absalon wanted the cells to influence his social relationships

Education

 * 1987- The École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts Paris-Cergy, Paris, France
 * 1987- The École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts, Paris, France
 * 1988- The Institute des Hautes Études en Arts Plastiques (IHEAP), Paris, France Absalon.Disposition.1990.jpg

Videos

 * 1991- Proposals for Habitation (3:30min)
 * 1992- Solutions (7:25 min)
 * 1993- Noises (3:23 min)
 * 1993- Battle (62:24 min)
 * 1993- Mr. Leloup Life (31min)
 * 1993- Mr. Leloup Life (31min)
 * 1993- Assassinations (33 min)

Solo Exhibitions

 * 1989- Centre d’Art Contemporain d’Ivry (CREDAC), Ivry-sur-Seine, France (catalogue)
 * 1990-“Proposals for Habitation (Scale 1:1),” Artists Studio, Aika Brown Gallery, Jerusalem (catalogue)
 * 1990-Musée Sainte-Croix, Poitiers, France (catalogue)
 * 1990-“Cells,” Galerie Crousel-Robelin / Bama, Paris
 * 1991- “Compartments,” Kunstlerhaus, Stuttgart
 * 1991- “Compartments” Kulturbehrde, Hamburg
 * 1991- “Compartments,” Galerie Crousel-Robelin / Bama, Paris
 * 1992- Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv (catalogue)
 * 1992- Galerie Etienne Ficheroulle, Brussels
 * 1992- “A Universe without Objects,” FNAC, Hôtel des Arts, Paris
 * 1992- Kaye Pesblum Gallery, Helsinki
 * 1993- “Cells,” Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (catalogue)
 * 1993- “Battle,” Galerie Crousel-Robelin / Bama and Jean-René Fleurieu, Paris
 * 1993- Carmelitenkloster, Frankfurt
 * 1993- Galerie Luis Campana, Cologne
 * 1994- Galerie Crousel-Robelin / Bama, Paris
 * 1994-  “Cells,” Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
 * 1994- De Appel, Amsterdam (catalogue)
 * 1994- Carré d’Art, Musée d’Art Contemporain, Nîmes, France (catalogue)
 * 1994- “Noises,” Chisenhale Gallery, London
 * 1994- “Disposition,” Château d’Aulteribe, Sermentizon, France
 * 1994- Attitudes Gallery, Geneva
 * 1995- “Cells,” Chisenhale Gallery, London
 * 1995- “Cells,” Kunstverein, Hamburg
 * 1996- “Cells,” Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin
 * 1996- “Absalon: Complete Video Works,” Oriel Gallery, Cardiff
 * 1997- Galerie Chantal Crousel, Paris
 * 1997- L’Institut d ‘Art et Techniques de Bretagne Occidentale (IATBO), Brest, France 1997- Kunsthalle Zurich
 * 1999- “Cells, Models & Drawings,” Goldie Paley Gallery at Moore College, Philadelphia (catalogue)
 * 2005- Platform Garanti, Istanbul
 * 2005- “The Intruders,” off-site program, Pavillon de l’Arsenal, Musée de la Ville de Paris
 * 2005- Les Visiteurs programme, Chartreuse de Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, France
 * 2006- “Battle,” Ballet Preljocaj, opening of the Pavillon Noir, Centre Choréographique National, Aix en-Provence
 * 2007- “Marie-Ange Guilleminot présente Absalon,” La Chappelle de Visitandines, Amiens
 * 2008- Passerelle Centre d’Art, Brest, France
 * 2010- KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin (catalogue)
 * 2012- Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam (catalogue)
 * 2013- Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv (catalogue)

Selected Group Exhibitions

 * 1988– Atelier du Parvis de Beaubourg, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris
 * 1989 – “Pas à côté pas n’importe où (Not a side, not anywhere),” Villa Arson, Nice
 * 1989 – “Carte blanche à Jean de Loisy (Free card for Jean de Loisy),” Centre d’Art Contemporain d’Ivry (CREDAC), Ivry-sur-Seine
 * 1990 – “Resistance: Absalon, Art in Ruins, Véronique Joumard, Serge Kliaving,” Musée Sainte-Croix, Poitiers (catalogue)
 * 1990  “Lignes de mire 1 (Lines of Sight),” Fondation Cartier, Jouy-en-Josas, France
 * 1990– “Le Cinq (the Five),” Tramway, Glasgow; curator: Jean de Loisy (catalogue)
 * 1990 – “VII Ateliers Internationaux des Pays de Loire” Fonds Régional d’Art Comtemporain (FRAC); curator: Jean-François Taddei (catalogue; text: Hans-Ulrich Obrist)
 * 1991 – “Collection of the CAPC Museum,” Musée d’Art Contemporain (CAPC), Bordeaux
 * 1991– “Movements 1 & 2,” Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; curator: Jean-Pierre Bordaz (catalogue)
 * 1992 – Documenta 9, Kassel; curator: Jan Hoet (catalogue)
 * 1992– “New Acquisitions,” Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, Paris
 * 1992– Third International Istanbul Biennale; curator: Vasif Kortun
 * 1993 – “L’Image dans le tapis (The Image in the Carpet),” Arsenale, Venice Biennale; curator: Jean de Loisy (catalogue)
 * 1993– “Hôtel Carlton Palace, Chambre 763,” 207 boulevard Raspail, Paris; curator: Hans-Ulrich Obrist
 * 1993– “Lieux de la vie moderne (Places of Modern Life),” Le Quartier
 * 1993– Centre d’Art Contemporain, Quimper, France
 * 1993– “Le milieu du monde (The Middle of the World),” Villa Saint
 * 1994 – “Hors limites (Out of Bounds),” Musée National d’Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; curator: Jean de Loisy (catalogue)
 * 1994– “Même si c’est la nuit (Even if it is Night),” Musée d’Art Contemporain (CAPC), Bordeaux; curator: Jean-Louis Froment
 * 1994– “Le saut dans le vide (A Leap into the Void),” Artists House, Moscow (catalogue)
 * 1994– “Beats,” Collection de la Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, Belém Cultural Centre, Lisbon
 * 1994– “Un papillon sur la roue (A Butterfly on a Wheel),” Espace d’Art Moderne et Contemporain, Toulouse
 * 1995 – “Rudiments d’un musée possible 2 (Rudiments for a Possible Museum 2),” Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain (MAMCO), Geneva
 * 1995 – “Currents ‘95: Familiar Places,” Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), Boston
 * 1995– “Artistes/Architectes (Artists/ Architects),” Le Nouveau Musée, Villeurbanne, France
 * 1995 – “Architecture(s),” Musée d’art contemporain (CAPC), Bordeaux
 * 1995– “Insomnie (Insomnia),” Centre d’Art Contemporain, Domaine de Kerguehennec, Bretagne
 * 1996– “Decadent Future: Art and Architecture,” Centre for Visual Arts, Cardiff
 * 1996– “Vision and Reality,” Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark
 * 1996– “House, Body, Identity: Construction of Identities,” Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig (MUMOK), Vienna; National Gallery, Prague
 * 2004– “Contrepoint (Counterpoint),” Louvre Museum, Paris
 * 2004– “Living Inside the Grid,” New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York
 * 2005 – “Yona in Bezalel,” Bezalel Gallery,  Tel Aviv; curators: Sarit Shapira, Sandra Weil (catalogue)
 * 2006 – “Au delà des images (Beyond Images),” Galerie Sfeir-Semler, Beirut
 * 2006– “Sip my Ocean,” Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark
 * 2007– “The Unhomely,” 2nd International Biennial of Contemporary Art, Seville
 * 2007-- “Volksgarten: Politics of Belonging,” Kunsthaus Graz, Austria
 * 2009 – “Die Kunst Ist Super! (Art Is Super!),” Hamburger Bahnhof Museum, Berlin

Collections

 * Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris
 * Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (ARC)
 * Centre National des Arts Plastiques (CNAP), Paris
 * Fond Régional d’Art Contemporain (FRAC) Languedoc-Roussillon, Montpellier
 * Fond Régional d’Art Contemporain (FRAC) Aquitaine, Bordeaux
 * Musée d’Art Contemporain (CAPC), Bordeaux
 * Musée d’Art Contemporain (MAC), Marseilles
 * Musée d’Art Moderne de Saint-étienne
 * Carré d’Art, Nîmes, France
 * Centre Régional d’Art Contemporain, Grenoble, France
 * La Collection de la Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, Paris
 * Tate Gallery, London
 * Friedrich Christian Flick Collection at Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin
 * Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark
 * Magasin 3 Stockholm Konsthall
 * Malmö Konsthall, Sweden
 * Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein, Vaduz
 * Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), Boston
 * The Israel Museum, Jerusalem
 * Tel Aviv Museum of Art