Serban Ionescu

About

Lives and works between New York and Paris

Serban Ionescu’s work spans sculpture, painting, design, and architecture. With distinctive lines emerging from his intensive drawing practice, vibrant use of color, and cartoonish gestures, Ionescu infuses his works with anthropomorphic and abstract shapes, creating a constant, intuitive play on shifting scale and form. Recently, the artist has turned to the creation of large-scale steel and aluminum sculptures, marking a return to a post-architectural studio practice.

Born in Romania in 1984, Ionescu grew up in New York City from the age of ten. He earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, and served as an adjunct professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s School of Architecture in Troy, NY. Ionescu has exhibited solo shows across the United States and internationally, including Antwerp and Tokyo. His book of colorful steel sculptures and furniture pieces, A Thing On A Table In A House, was published in 2021, and his book of drawings, 148 Oblique Drawings, in 2023, both by Apartamento.

CV

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SOLO AND DUO EXHIBITIONS
OBLA, Akiinoue, Tokyo, Japan (2025)
Folk City, India Mahdavi Project Space, Paris, France (2025)
Viscus, Plus One Projects, Antwerp, Belgium (2025)
The Great Outdoors, Marta Gallery, Los Angeles, USA (2025)
LISI, Nanzuka Underground, Tokyo, Japan (2024)
Two kids (duo exhibition with James Ulmer), Primary Projects, Miami, USA (2023)
Visitors 1 and Visitors 2, Everyday Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium (2023)
Human Relations (duo exhibition with James Ulmer), Primary Projects, Miami, USA (2022)
Castle Garden, R & Company, New York, USA (2022)
In Order Of Appearance, Everyday Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium (2021)
Failed Seriousness: Lapo Binazzi and Serban Ionescu, R & Company, New York, USA (2020)
DACIA, R & Company, New York, USA (2019)
Serban Ionescu and Anjuli Rathod, SAFE Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, USA (2018)
A Crowded Room, Larrie Gallery, New York, USA (2018)
CASBAH, MAW Gallery, New York, USA (2017)
Bad Water Pavilion, Knockdown Center, Queens, New York, USA (2016)

GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Bestiari, Alzueta Gallery, Barcelona, Spain (2026)
Thrones, Broadway Windows, New York, USA (2025)
Creatures of Comfort, Ordunpazari Modern Museum, Eskisehir, Turkey (2024)
Apple of Discord, Louise Alexander Gallery, Sardinia, Italy (2024)
Officer Bar, Bar and restaurant design for Horst music festival, Brussels Belgium (2024)
Playhouse by Playlab, House of Play, Miami, USA (2023
Smokey, Mix Brussels, Brussels, Belgium (2024)
SMOKE, A Reading Room, Melbourne, Australia (2023)
The Views, Moskowitz Bayse, Los Angeles, USA (2022)
Desert Islands, virtual show curated by Apartamento (2020)
Under / Over, Marta Gallery, Los Angeles, USA (2020)
Imagined, For Uncertain Times, virtual show curated by Soft Geometry (2020)
Chairs Beyond Right and Wrong, R & Company, Miami, USA (2019)
The Chair, Future Perfect, New York, USA (2019)
Kipsy, Culture Corps “Off The Wall” and Hudson Yards, New York, USA (2019)
Ceci N’est Pas Une Chaise / This Is Not a Chair, Plant Seven, High Point, USA (2018)
100 Sculptures, Anonymous Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico, Paris, France, New York, USA (2018)
In Good Company Edition 2, Fernando Mastrangelo Studio, Brooklyn, New York, USA (2018)
Oread, Pop Up Installation, 198 Bowery, New York, USA (2017)
No Comission Art Fair, Swizz Beatz, New York, USA (2016)
OFF X OFF Furniture Designs by J McDonald and Serban Ionescu, Sena Space, New York, USA (2016)
Things With Claws, Knockdown Center, Queens, New York, USA (2015)
Destroy, She Said, Pierogi Gallery / Boiler, Brooklyn, New York, USA (2015)
All The Best Artists Are My Friends, Mana Contemporary, New Jersey, USA (2014)
Headscapes, Warehouse, Long Island, New York, USA (2013)
To The Stars On The Wings Of An Eel, Gowanus Ballroom, Brooklyn, New York, USA (2012)
Ship Of Fools, Bridge Gallery, New York, USA (2011)
Pretty Vacant, Warehouse, Brooklyn, New York, USA (2011)
OBJECT CITY, The Objectionists’ Bridge Gallery, New York, USA (2011)

ART FAIRS
DESIGN MIAMI, R & Company, Miami, USA (2021)
OBJECTS U.S.A., R & Company, Miami, USA (2021)
DESIGN MIAMI, R & Company, Miami, USA (2020)
THE ARMORY SHOW, R & Company, Miami, USA (2020)
NADA ART FAIR, SAFE Gallery, Miami, USA (2018)
NADA ART FAIR, SAFE Gallery, New York, USA (2018)

PUBLICATIONS
“148 Oblique Drawings”, published by Apartamento Publishing (2023)
“A Thing On A Table In A House”, works by Serban Ionescu and a play by James English Leary, published by Apartamento Publishing (2021)
“Objects: U.S.A.”, published by Monacelli Press (2020)
“Small Homes, Grand Living”, published by Gestalten Press (2017)