Artist statement
Expectations can often be unrealistic in a world dominated by images of perfection. Elena’s art reflects a paradox of perfection and rebellion, exploring the contradiction of external perceptions vs internal desires, and reflects her continued need to assess emotional responses. Looking at you, looking at me, looking back at you.
This introspective art considers how mental health can manifest in different ways – how someone who appears externally to have it all can still have a sense of hopelessness, some to such a degree there is a desire to end it. The art unmasks human vulnerability through graphic imagery to highlight expectations of perfection, contrasted with loose, expressive marks to unveil the imperfections that make you who you are. The collection aims to encourage the viewer to be part of the conversation around mental health and break down the stigma towards it.
Artist biography
Born in Cambridge, Elena spent her early childhood living in Austria and Mexico, then returned to Cambridge and finally settled North of London. After completing an art foundation course, Elena graduated with a BA Hons. Degree in Fashion with Marketing, which led to working in the fashion industry and design agencies for many years. Now able to dedicate time to consolidating ideas and achievements in the development of her new style as an artist. During her life, she has been in close contact with and has supported, several people with those varying degrees of challenging mental health issues which are so little understood by many. This led her to depict, through current works, the violent contrast between pain and inherent creativity expressed by the sufferers – the distinction between fearful and beautiful – and the need for understanding. Elena’s work reflects a graphic, figurative, stylistic approach complemented with expressive brush marks and use of skeletal, ominous and thought-provoking imagery, combined with uplifting, vibrant, neon colours. Inspired by multi-disciplinary artists from Kahlo and Basquiat to Rauschenberg and Hirst, she has established her own unique cross-disciplinary style through the use of mixed media, complimenting fine art with conceptual art.