Absalon

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

Meir Eshel, the eldest of four children of Adèle and Elie Eshel, was born in December 1964 in the city of Ashdod.

At the 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 lived 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 Absalon described 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) in the Third Arrondissement 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 friends and referred to the biblical Absalon.

In 1989 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 Chantal Crousel.

In the same year he was introduced to the curator Yona Fischer by Christian Boltanski, who invited him to exhibit in Israel at the Artists Studios, Aika Brown Gallery, Jerusalem, it was the first time he returned to Israel since moving to Paris.

In 1991 Absalon moved to live in the Villa Lipchitz (Jacques Lipchitz) in Boulogne built by Le Corbusier in 1923–24.

In his video Solutions (1992) Absalon demonstrate the study of measurements and calculation of movements like eating, sleeping, taking shower which later will define the form of his cells.

In 1993 Absalon planned to live in the six cells he designed for six cities, on October 10, 1993, Absalon died from an illness associated with HIV, at the age of 28.

The film "The seven years of Absalon" premiere, Created by & Script: David Ofek, Amit Azaz took place on May 29 at the Tel-Aviv Cinematheque.

"The film describes Meir Eshel, a 22-year-old beach boy from Southern Israel, buys a one-way ticket to Paris and re-invents himself as an artist calling himself Absalon. He quickly rises to art-scene stardom, showcased by the most prestigious museums worldwide: the Venice Biennale, Centre Pompidou Paris, Tate Gallery London, and Israel Museum. Absalon's success was short-lived – almost seven years passed since his arrival in Paris until his tragic death, during the peak of his success at the age of 28. More than 25 years later, his younger brother Dani Eshel's first assignment as estate manager – is to sell Absalon's final art piece. Through his journey, we learn about the life of a unique Israeli artist."

The film won the "Jury Award" at the Docaviv International Documentary Film Festival 2022.

In May 2022, an official website containing the entire archive of Absalon art was launched by Absalon family.

In the course of six years Absalon created a series of one person living units based on everyday routine actions and designed entirely in relation to his measures.

The inside of the cell is all covered in white in order to reduce distractions or elements that can disturb the eye.

In 1993 Absalon started to construct six cells which were supposed to be installed in six metropolitan centers as Absalon described in interview: "I would like to create my own setting and belong to nothing else. My living unit will be comprisedof [sic] the six habitation units which I construct, and my homeland will be in-between them."