Allen Hirsch is an internationally acclaimed artist, entrepreneur, writer and inventor.

As a portraitist, Hirsch created well-known covers for TIME magazine, including Muamma rQaddafi (1986), Rajiv Ghandi (1991), and Drugs: The Enemy Within (1986). In 1993, he was invited to paint President Bill Clinton’s inaugural portrait for the National Portrait Gallery.

As an artist, he has explored the depths of self portraiture, portraiture, figure and landscape painting. His series of views out his window, Up Lafayette Street, is well known and has been exhibited widely. His travels in Venezuela and ties to Dutch painting, led to a special series capturing the life of African slave descendants in their handmade habitats on the coast. He invented several novel painting techniques including "string painting," where the image is broken down and reassembled in the viewer's brain. He did a ground breaking exploration of the duality of the psyche via how the brain hemispheres project on the face and through the painting hand. His awards include the Hitchcock Award for landscape painting from the National Academy Museum and he has exhibited in major galleries and museums in the US.

As an engineer and inventor, Hirsch created and patented HANDL, an ergonomic device for holding and standing mobile phones, based on a desire to align phoning with the artistic freedom of painting with a brush. HANDL is in major retailers and used by top celebrities and athletes.

Hirsch’s extraordinary relationship with a capuchin monkey he rescued was the subject of a New York Times Emmy-winning documentary entitled Long Live Benjamin (2018) that he conceptualized and worked on with his cousin.

Hirsch is also an art collector and authority on the 17th Century Dutch artist Pieter de Hooch. He has written several published articles, including a recent in depth study on the relationship between the artist and Johannes Vermeer. He is also working on a book on the artist.

As a writer, Hirsch has been a contributor to the New York Times and other publications, authoring works on art and current events. Hirsch has several book projects, including 'WIld Together," on his adventures with Benjamin.

As a real estate developer, Hirsch is the conceptual founder and landlord of famed “La Esquina” restaurant in Nolita, which helped change the Petrosino Square neighborhood in Soho/Nolita. He also co-designed and curated Citizens of Soho, a cafe/art gallery/event space he owns in Soho. He is also the founder of The Kaaterskill which is now a top wedding venue and hotel in the Hudson Valley.