Alex Ebstein American, b. 1985

Alex Ebstein creates curiously tactile work exploring themes of the body, touch and labor. In her practice, Ebstein manipulates found materials, contorting yoga mats and other gym equipment into mixed-media collages. Conceiving of her process as a performance, she carves into the mats from above, rendering lithe organic forms which she then splices together to create abstract graphic scenes. In distorting conventional materials, her works challenge viewers to consider the ideological underpinnings tethered to these objects. Divorced from their functional purpose, her materials become stand-ins for the body, mirroring the contortion required of our bodies in order to achieve an ever-illusory ideal. Whether conceived as paintings or large-scale installations, Ebstein’s works culminate as a compelling reflection on the physical and psychological demands of contemporary wellness culture. 

Alex Ebstein (American, b. 1985) received her BA in Studio Art at Goucher College. After enrolling at Towson University, she obtained her MFA in 2015. Ebstein has exhibited extensively, most recently serving as the subject of a solo exhibition at Interloc Projects in Thomaston, ME. She has additionally been showcased at Current Space in Baltimore, MD, Dinner Gallery in New York, NY, De Novo Gallery in Washington, D.C., Asya Geisberg in New York, NY, and Frutta Gallery in Rome, Italy. She was previously featured in Benign Aggressors at Pazo Fine Art (2025). 

Public and private institutions that hold works by the artist include Time Equities, Fort Lauderdale, FL; MD Anderson Hospital, Houston, TX; Fidelity Investment, New York, NY; Cross Boundaries, Nairobi, KE; and Capital One, McLean, VA. In addition, Ebstein completed the Tilleard Projects Residency (2018), and was a Gallery Four Resident Artist (2013). She was recognized as a finalist for the Baker Award (2016) and as a semi-finalist for the Trawick Prize (2017). She lives and works in Baltimore, MD.