An artist, a visionary and an art leader
Yossi Govrin is an internationally recognized artist, curator, leader of artists, philanthropist and visionary for the development of the arts with over 35 years in the cultural arts world.
artist
Govrin is an artist with a diverse cultural background who has exhibited both nationally and internationally for his multimedia work including hemp and cement sculptures, bronze sculptures, paintings, photography and film.
Originally from Israel and having studied at the Bezalel High Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem, Israel, Govrin is a US citizen and works and lives in Los Angeles for the past 40 years.
He has received notable commissions for monuments, his artwork is in private collections and has also been featured in several movies like Iron Man III, Fast and Furious 7, A Perfect Murder, Multiplicity and more.
Govrin has also founded two large scale art centers and several art galleries, including the Santa Monica Fine Art Studio, the Santa Monica Art Studios, Arena 1 Gallery, Hangar Gallery North and Hangar Gallery South.
art leader
His unique ability to foster relationships and collaborations is evident from his scope of interaction with a wide range of high caliber curators from universities, museums, art institutes, public figures, established artists and emerging talent.
From a losing battle in politics with the City of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Cultural Affairs who took over his successful business of the Santa Monica Art Studios and awarded what he has created to a new management, he founded MAXIMA Art Initiative with a strong and diverse staff, a Board of Directors and Art Advisors.
As the founder, President and Director of Santa Monica Art Studios and Arena 1 Gallery, Govrin was awarded the Creative Community Innovator Award for Arts Leadership Award by the Santa Monica Arts Foundation in 2014 presented to him by the mayor of the City of Santa Monica, Pam O’Connor. He was also awarded the California Legislature Assembly Resolution honoring Govrin and the Santa Monica Art Studios as a highly valued entity in the state of California 2015 presented by State Assemblyman Richard Bloom. Govrin is a member of the Americans for the Arts, the nation's leading organization for advancing the arts and arts education with a strong commitment to cultural equity.
visionary
Govrin developed and cultivated his vision of an arts center to support and promote multi-disciplinary artists with the inclusion of the Santa Monica community and Los Angeles in raising arts awareness, providing artist opportunities and conceiving and establishing an art space for a reputable and professional arts center to thrive from the Santa Monica Fine Arts Studio in 1985 to the Santa Monica Art Studios from 2002 to 2019.
The Santa Monica Art Studios combined state-of-the-art studios, exhibition areas, and lectures located in the heart of the Santa Monica Airport in an historic 22,000 square foot hangar with exposed metal beams and aged patina that he found and built from a pigeon infested hangar with no plumbing, electricity or water to a beautifully stunning art center with 36 artist studios and 3 galleries. Arena 1 Gallery is a 2,400 square foot exhibition space to provide for open dialogue among international cutting edge artists and curators, and serves as a catalyst and tool for the art community. Hangar Gallery North and South are unique exhibition spaces at the Santa Monica Art Studios designed to showcase tenant artists, emerging artists, community artists and events that foster exploration of culture and the art