Emil Rutenberg Bio
About Emil Rutenberg
Emil Rutenberg, was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and is a Los Angeles artist, who maintains studios in Inglewood, California and Woodstock, Cape Town. His work is held privately by a number of national and international collectors. Emil Rutenberg is represented by The Artist Gallery (TAG) in Los Angeles and has shown his work in various southern California venues including the Bruce Lurie Gallery, where in 2018 he had a solo show of figurative paintings and drawings.
When he was a university pre-med student in South Africa, Emil Rutenberg first studied human anatomy, which serves as the basis of his current artwork. In 1983 he settled in Los Angeles and established an eponymous fashion label, and as an award-winning clothing designer he manufactured styles that elegantly complimented the human form.
During his years as a creative director of his clothing line, Emil Rutenberg began his formal art education, studying figure drawing and painting with illustrious artist and teacher Joe Blaustein of UCLA Extension. Subsequently, Emil Rutenberg discovered his “major passion” for sculpting the human form. Under the tutelage of Brian Booth Craig, world-renowned contemporary figure sculptor, Emil Rutenberg developed his own sculpting practice. He has also participated in advanced sculpting workshops in Rome, Cape Town and Los Angeles as well as with distinguished instructors Tanya Regir and Adam Mantano. The other “teacher” Emil Rutenberg credits with his development and growth as an artist is “simply working at one’s craft as often as possible.”
While Emil Rutenberg’s sculptures, paintings and sketches are distinguished by the substance of their inherent structure, strength and boldness , they are imbued an enduring quality which gives his art a classic appeal.