Elena Gileva

Artist Statement

Fascination with history and culture contained in objects is expressed throughout my work. Observing and studying formal aspects of artefacts as well as finding their meanings and histories drives me to create their contemporary renderings. I am interested in the material culture, in its expression and interpretation. Decoration and surface are my main basis for the transmission of a concept. Abandoning current trends of minimal, modern/postmodern and purely conceptual I take ORNAMENTAL as a subject and symbol of the old and new; the spiral movement of history. The object as a power tool is crucial to communicate ideas. The narratives created through the agency of relics are a base of our collective consciousness, however in the contemporary world the axis of histories has been shifted through the displacement of historical objects. Acting as a ‘collector’ of surfaces, ideas and shapes I seek to assemble an alternative universe.

Bio

Elena Gileva is a Russian born, London based artist fixating on the decorative, historical and ornamental through the medium of ceramic, sculpture and installation. Elena’s background is  both in ceramics and fine art, having graduated from MA Royal College and BFA  Parsons Paris School of Art& Design. She combines various historical and personal narratives, references and processes, with hand-built ceramic objects taking centre stage in her practice. Recent and upcoming exhibitions  and projects include: Centre céramique contemporaine , La Borne. France 2021; COSMOSCOW , Fabula gallery. Moscow 2020; White Conduit Projects London Art Fair 2020 ; Kleureyck. Design Museum Ghent, Belgium 2020; Nakanojo Biennial 2019,Gunma, Japan 2019.