Elena Rose Ailes

Bio:
Elena Ailes was born on the fourth floor of Presbyterian hospital in Albuquerque in September in 1981. Elena’s mother reports being unable to reach the television mounted at the ceiling, and thus spent much of her labor watching reruns of Kung-Fu.  Simultaneously, thousands of miles away, Simon and Garfunkel were performing at a free concert in Central Park attended by half a million people.  This was the first concert they performed together in a decade, overcoming conflicts in their friendship and artistic process.

Elena received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of New Mexico in 2004. She had the great honor of working closely with photographers and artists such as Patrick Nagatani, Jim Stone and Joyce Neimanas. Elena has continued to work in the arts as a curator, exhibit designer and production assistant for a number of nationally and internationally exhibiting artists. She has also been working in the wine industry as a Sommelier since 2010. She recently relocated from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Brooklyn, NY. Although she is thrilled with the move, this is probably why she keeps making work about grey skies.

Artist Statement:

In my work I create physical structures that allow an idea to organize itself within a specific form.  I allow the natural patterns of the materials used and the physical act of ‘making’ to inform the evolution of the work.  I like to think of my work as a conversation between two systems, the first of which is myself as an organism with a specific history and set of values, the second system being a set of physical limitations, rules and materials that have been decided beforehand.  My motivation as a maker--and, well, as a person--is to impart ‘of myself’; to challenge the parts of my intellect or spirit that seem tight or underused, to provide a place for wonder, play or exploration for viewers and collaborators.

My newest work is of felted cloud-like structures. Grey, black and white wool are blended together to create ‘storm clouds’, each one distinct and perfect.  I hand stitch together these clouds into larger tapestries and further embellish them with embroidery. These tapestries are intended to be low hanging skies within the gallery itself; hung low, manipulating the viewer into a hunched or stooped position.  Eventually, I’d like to create ‘atmospheric pressure’ though the use of sound, light and physical space.

Clouds and light are the evolving features of our daily skies. I have begun to explore how my manufactured clouds interact with light.  As a record these interactions, I’ve started cataloging each of my felted clouds as a cyanotype photogram.

This body of work mixes the visual language of science and craft. It is informed by the most personal struggles and desires, as well as arcing philosophical inquiries and the purity of form, light and space.