Ben Hagari creates films, video installations, video sculptures, kinetic environments, animations, photographs, and exhibitions. His tragicomic work conjures unique absurd environments and wondrous worlds, blurring the boundaries between reality and imagination, between theatrical illusion and behind-the-scenes exposure. His work results from extensive research in literature, theater, art history, and scientific curiosity, seeking to rethink the relationships between object and creator, and between raw material and its production process, through play and role reversals.

He holds a BEd.F.A degree from the School of Art at the Midrasha, Beit Berl College (2008), and an MFA from the School of the Arts at Columbia University, New York (2014).

Selected solo exhibitions include shows at Gordon Gallery, Tel Aviv-Jaffa (2024); Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art (2023); The Boiler, New York (2022); Fundación CALOSA, Mexico (2021); Tel Aviv Museum of Art (2016); Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts (2016); Flora Ars+Natura, Bogotá, Colombia (2015); Be’eri Gallery, Kibbutz Be’eri (2012); Rosenfeld Gallery, Tel Aviv-Jaffa (2011).

His works have been displayed in numerous group exhibitions worldwide, including: Museum on the Seam, Jerusalem (2022); High Line Art, New York (2021); Israel Museum, Jerusalem (2020); HESSE FLATOW Gallery, New York (2019); Museum of Contemporary Art Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia (2018); Genia Schreiber Art Gallery, Tel Aviv University (2018); Richmond Center for Visual Arts, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan (2017); Neiman Gallery, Columbia University, New York (2017); Haifa Museum of Art (2017); Science Museum, Jerusalem (2016); Expo Milano, Italy (2015); SculptureCenter, New York (2015); Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow (2015); Whitechapel Gallery, London (2012); KIT, Düsseldorf (2012); Total Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul (2012); Istanbul Museum of Modern Art (2012); City Gallery Wellington, New Zealand (2012); Petach Tikva Museum of Art (2012); Tel Aviv Museum of Art (2011); and the Herzliya Biennial of Contemporary Art (2008).

Grants, awards, and scholarships include: Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, New York (2024); Lauren and Mitchell Presser Contemporary Art Grant, Herzliya Museum (2022); Discount Award for Artistic Encouragement (2022); Exhibition Grant for an Israeli Artist, Artis Grant (2021); Exhibition Grant, Foundation for Contemporary Arts, New York (2021); New Art Work Grant, Lottery Council for Culture and Arts (2020); Hami Fruchter Prize for Israeli Video Artist, Tel Aviv Museum of Art and Rose Art Museum (2016); Study Scholarship, David Berg Foundation, New York (2013); Agnes Martin Scholarship for Art Studies at Columbia University, New York (2013); KIT Prize, RolfsPartner, Düsseldorf, Germany (2012); Young Artist Prize, Ministry of Culture and Sport in the field of Art and Design (2011); New Video Work Grant, Center for Contemporary Art (CCA), Tel Aviv-Jaffa (2009); Rafi Lavie Award, School of Art at the Midrasha, Beit Berl College (2008).

Ben Hagari teaches at the School of Art at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; and in the MFA program for Video, Photography, and Media at the School of Visual Arts (SVA), New York.