Arno Elias

Works

Overview

His hand-painted photographs preserve cultural originality and investigate the most fundamental aspects of human experience, nature, and culture, in an effort to counteract the threats posed by globalization and industrialization.

Arno Elias is an artist born in 1977 who creates hand-painted photographs that explore culture, history, and humanity. He captures his subjects, ranging from the Mursi tribe in Ethiopia to endangered animals in Kenya, with spontaneity and delicate artificiality, creating a sense of connection through his incorporation of hand painting. Elias' work aims to preserve cultural originality and indigenous values threatened by globalization and industrialization. He is also known for his "I'm Not a Trophy" campaign, which raises awareness about endangered species. Elias' work has been exhibited globally and he currently resides and works in New York City.

Biography

Photo of Arno Elias

Arno Elias's hand-painted photographs explore the themes of culture, history, and humanity. His work is driven by a desire to preserve cultural originality and indigenous values threatened by globalization and industrialization. Elias creates a sense of connection to his subjects and investigates the most fundamental aspects of human experience, nature, and culture.

Inspired by his diverse experiences and extensive travelling across various continents, artist Arno Elias (b.1977) uses hand-painted photographs to engage philosophical disquisitions on culture, history, and humankind. His photographs reflect the artist's wishes to maintain the cultural originality and indigenous values that are or to be "lost" in the wake of globalization and industrialization. From the faces of the Mursi tribe of Ethiopia to endangered animals in Kenya's savanna, Elias' subjects are captured spontaneous, serendipitous, and in full-length or three-quarter views, evoking a delicate artificiality. His images with fine detail and rich tonality resonate a sense of nostalgia and compelling emotion. By incorporating the act of hand painting, Elias creates a sense of connection to his subjects and multiple layers of narratives, rigorously investigating the most fundamental and intrinsic aspect of human experience, nature and culture. In 2016, He began his global "I’m Not a Trophy" campaign dedicated to fostering awareness of the rapid extinction of endangered species worldwide.

Arno Elias' work has been exhibited widely in New York, San Francisco, Paris, and Dubai. His work has been featured in numerous art fairs throughout North America including Art Chicago, San Francisco Art Market, Art Miami, Art Southampton, Art Silicon Valley, Art Toronto as well as at the prestigious Art Basel Switzerland. He currently lives and works in New York City.

Exhibitions