Born in Israel in 1931, Engel graduated from the renowned Beaux-Arts Bezalel in Jerusalem and later received a diploma in theater design from the Centre dramatique de l’Est in Strasbourg, France. He moved to Paris in the mid-1950s, where he painted and also worked on a variety of stage designs and costume projects; he had the first of many successful painting exhibits starting in 1960 at the Galerie Weil. In 1965 he moved to New York City.

In a prolific career spanning nearly four decades, Engel has developed a unique form of expression – rich, complex, highly personal – that defies easy classification. An artist of international stature, he is perhaps best known for his work in mixed media, in which he manipulates disparate elements to create harmonious, lyrical compositions. His body of work reflects a continual evolution, a constant seeking of new arenas in which to play out his ideas – painting, drawing, collage and printmaking. As he masters each new technique, he incorporates it into his work to achieve his ultimate artistic goal: harmony.