Episode
30,000 Flowers and Lives Changed – Zadok Ben-David on Installation Art at Scale
- Podcast
- The Installation Art Podcast
- Published
- Jan 6, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 4640
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Summary
Try Descript: https://get.descript.com/s8kjemvu79fz An in-depth conversation with award-winning sculptor and installation artist Zadok Ben-David, whose practice spans delicate miniature work to large-scale public installations. From his early beginnings in Yemen and Israel to representing his country at the Venice Biennale, Zadok shares the philosophical and practical journey behind his internationally acclaimed work. Discover how he transforms metal into poetic metaphors exploring human nature, evolution, and our relationship with the natural world (and how one installation changed a stranger's life forever). Key insights from this episode: • The path from abstract expressionism at St Martin's School of Art to creating massive figurative installations • How 30,000 hand-painted flowers became one of the world's most travelled installations and the team of assistants who helped create them • Behind the scenes of installing work across five continents, from prisoners in Germany to 70 assistants in Uzbekistan • The commercial strategy that funds large-scale installations through smaller original works • Why Zadok turned down a $1 million public art commission to maintain artistic integrity • The profound moment when his Blackfield installation helped a Holocaust survivor find hope again Zadok Ben-David is based in London and Portugal. You can find out more about his work on his website https://www.zadokbendavid.com/ and follow him on Instagram @zadokstudio https://www.instagram.com/zadokstudio/ Exhibition “FLOWERS. Art from the Renaissance to Artificial Intelligence” in Rome until 22 February 2026: https://www.chiostrodelbramante.it/post_mostra/flowers-flowers-art/ 03:27 Work-Life Balance Insights 06:15 Journey to Art and Family Influence 09:17 Art School Challenges and T…