Emil Rutenberg, a South African-born artist, settled in Los Angeles in 1983, where he launched his eponymous fashion label, serving as its creative force. His innovative concepts quickly attracted international acclaim. Driven by a deep creative impulse, he expanded into drawing, painting, and sculpting. Through these mediums, Rutenberg conveys his distinctive vision of the human spirit, captured through the human form.
“Emil’s sketches are a powerful and rich blending of skill with intuitive and spontaneous strength. His works exhibit a freshness, a beguiling charge, and are a pleasure to see.”
- Joe Blaustein
bio
Emil Rutenberg, is a Los Angeles-based artist born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He maintains studios in both Inglewood, California, and Woodstock, Cape Town, and exhibits his work internationally. His sculptures, paintings, and sketches are held in private collections around the world, reflecting his growing recognition among national and international collectors. Rutenberg is represented by The Artist Gallery (TAG) in Los Angeles and has held ten successful solo exhibitions across Southern California and Cape Town, including notable shows at Bruce Lurie Gallery and Young Blood Gallery.
Rutenberg’s artistic path began as a university pre-med student in South Africa, where he studied human anatomy - a foundation that continues to inform his precise and expressive treatment of human form. After moving to Los Angeles in 1983, he launched an eponymous fashion label. As a celebrated designer, his award winning clothing lines were known for silhouettes that complemented the human body.
In 1992, Rutenberg transitioned to fine art, studying figure drawing and painting under Joe Blaustein at UCLA Extension. This led him to discover his “major passion” - sculpting the human figure. He trained with acclaimed sculptors including Brian Booth Craig and Eudald de Juana, and further honed his craft through workshops in Rome, Cape Town, Navata (Barcelona), and Los Angeles, with instructors Tanya Regir and Adam Mantano. Over time, he developed a personal sculptural language rooted in anatomy, emotional resonance and movement.
Rutenbergs work is defined by structural integrity, expressive depth and a timeless yet contemporary sensibility. His pieces convey both vulnerability and strength - organic in form, contemplative in spirit and deeply human at their core.