[12] His early years in Odessa were characterized by famine, pogroms, war and factional fighting in the Russian Empire, prompting him to explore Utopian themes, the classics and deepen his studies in the Bible, Talmud and Gemara.

He established the Ha-Tomer artists' cooperative along with the art patron Jacob Pereman, the painters Judith and Joseph Konstantinovsky Had Gadya and the sculptor Lev Halperin.

[9] Frenkel then studied in Paris at the École des Beaux-Arts and at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière[15] at the studios of the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle and painter Henri Matisse.

He was evicted from his room and forced to live in the streets and under the bridges, leading a life seeking only art and basic necessities.

He lived in Montparnasse and exhibited his work with his contemporaries and friends, Chaim Soutine, Michel Kikoine, Jules Pascin, Streling, Kostia Terechkovitch along with other Jewish artists of the École de Paris.

[10] Frenkel would participate in long sessions with his fellow Jewish artists; he described thus their art: "members of the minority characterized by restlessness whose expressionism is therefore extreme in its emotionalism".

[12] "Remarkable in every respect: Picasso, Braque, Leger... and among the youngsters, Soutine, Frenel and Mane Katz"[26] Frenkel returned to Palestine in 1925, where he revolutionized the visual arts.

[9] His students included Shimshon Holzman, Mordechai Levanon, David Hendler, Joseph Kossonogi, Genia Berger and Siona Tagger.

[9] Frenkel's work and studio was one of the major factors in the cultural shift in importance in respect to Jewish art, from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv.

[19][32] Furthermore, Frenkel in his rencounter with the mystical city of Safed, one of the great subjects of his art, feeling thus: "To paint here, is possible only through the direct contact with the landscape, like Russian songs attached to the Volga".

[33][34] He first encountered Safed after his Aliya to Mandatory Palestine in 1919, the ancient city left a deep impression on the young artist.

This is evident in his portrayal of Safed, mystic and spiritual, things unseen and hidden from the naked eye which the artist attempts to reveal.

[8] Frenkel painted the ancient synagogues, narrow lanes, rabbis and their students, scenes of Jewish life, local residents and the landscape of Mount Meron.

He like the other artists and writers such as Alterman, Shlonsky, Castel and others with whom he sat, struggled economically and thus frequented cheaper establishments whence they paid with paintings or other means.

These include the writer Avraham Shlonski, the actress Hanna Rubina, the poet Yehuda Karni, the painter Miriam Einsfeld, the director Moshe Halevy and more...[30] Frenkel was also commissioned in the 1930s to decorate the Belgian Pavilion in the Levant Fair.

[30] In 1938, Frenkel reopened a studio in his Tel Aviv home where he taught mostly young students, among these were Ori Reisman, Dadi Ben Yehuda, Claire Yaniv and others.

[30] Two of his art works, Torah Ark and The Country and its Fruits; were chosen to represent the Jewish Palestine Pavilion in the 1939 New York World's Fair.

[30] In 1942 he organized the first art exhibition in Safed, the entrance fee a symbolic one penny, allowing a diverse crowd to attend.

[40][41] Whilst Frenkel was commissioned to create a monumental work (8x6 meters), which would have portrayed 150 people including the entire First Knesset, Israel's President and Prime Minister, diplomats, journalists and other dignitaries.

[7] His art was well received for not messaging propaganda and instead focusing on the picturesque and or human subjects of Israel and its attaining of international standard without attempted glorification.

[55][46] In May 1954, Frenkel presented in Cape Town expressionist watercolors and pastels of South African landscapes as well as lively colorful sketches of Zulu figures.

[29][67][21][68][69] Furthermore, in reference to his June 1955 exhibition at the Marcel-Bernheim gallery, some of his art was noted to resemble 12th century vitrages and his colour choices as Byzantine.

[65][75] Frenel continued the bohemian tradition of sitting different Cafes, frequenting the Café Le Select and other locations, where the local intellectuals and the interested would gather and strike up conversations.

He painted clowns, the circus, sailors, boatmen as well as the landscapes of France, especially the coast of La Rochelle, Cote d'Azur, Bretagne and Paris.

[83] He painted more frequently still life and nature, his art, especially his coloring technique receiving acclaim in several French press journals.

[75][86] In 1959, the French Government bought one of Frenel's works "Port en Méditerranée"', The Hôtel de Ville of Paris acquired a lithography for 7,500 Francs .

However, being outcast due to false rumours and the antagonism the traditional artistic establishment held toward him, he would be almost unable for a time to exhibit his works in Israel.

In one such case, the director of the Tel Aviv museum, Moshe Kaniok refused to answer Frenel when the latter inquired if he could hold an exhibition, not having held one there since 1949.

[9] Frenel even published a notice in Israeli news, informing his admirers that he is forced in great regret to move his paintings overseas: "Due to reasons out of my control, I cannot properly display some of my most important work to the wider public in Tel Aviv and Haifa (Due to the refusal of the museums) - therefore I am forced to move my work outside the country.

[9] In 1979 he had a solo show at the famous "Orangerie" of Paris, in celebration of his 80th birthday; inaugurated by the President of the French Senate, Alain Poher.