Upcoming Exhibitions
Bio
Curriculum Vitae
 Artists: Elena Willis / Isabelle Hayeur Exhibition title: Biophilia Reimagined Curator: Christine Redfern Opening: May 5, 5:30-7:30 Exhibition: May 6 – June 4, 2016 Location: ELLEPHANT 1010 Queen St W. Toronto, Ontario M6J 1H6 Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, noon – 5pm www.ellephant.org |
Elena Willis was born in Banbury, England, in 1979. She studied photography at Concordia University and graduated in 2003. Her work has been exhibited internationally and she has been the recipient of numerous grants and awards namely by the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec. Her work is part of collections in Canada, Europe and the United States. She currently lives and works in Montreal.
----------Née en 1979 Banbury, en Angleterre, Elena Willis a étudié la photographie à l'Université Concordia, où elle a obtenu son diplôme en 2003. Connue pour ses photographies d'inspiration surréaliste, elle a élaboré son propre langage artistique caractérisé par des mises en scène se déployant au cœur de paysages où l'activité humaine a occasionné de substantielles modifications. Son travail a été exposé au Canada, aux États-Unis, en Europe et en Asie. Récipiendaires de plusieurs bourses et prix, ses photographies figurent également au sein de plusieurs collections privées et publiques, notamment celles du Cirque du Soleil, du Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec et du Macdonald Stewart Art Centre.
Education
| 2005 | BFA, Major Photography Concordia University, Montreal, Canada |
Awards & Grants
| 2015 | Canada Council for the Arts, Research and Creation Grant |
| 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 |
Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec |
| 2009 | Canada Council for the Arts, Research and Creation Grant |
| 2008 | Prix du Conseil de la Culture, Laval, Québec |
| 2007 | Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Quebec |
| 2004 | Du Maurier Arts Council Grant |
| 2003 | Du Maurier Arts Council Grant |
Upcoming Solo Exhibitions
| November 2017 | Ellephant Gallery, Montreal |
Solo Exhibitions
| July 2015 | Centre d’Exposition Mont-Laurier, Mont-Laurier |
| May 2014 | Musée du Fjord, Saguenay |
| September 2013 | Maison des Arts de Laval, Laval |
| April 2012 | Galerie D’ Este, Montreal |
| May 2011 | Cirque du Soleil International Headquarters, Montreal |
| April 2010 | Galerie D’ Este, Montreal |
| January 2008 | Eleanor London Côte Saint-Luc Public Library, Montreal |
| November 2007 | Espace F, Matane |
| October 2007 | Darling Foundry, Montreal |
| June 2006 | McClure Gallery, Montreal |
| April 2004 | Espace 306, Montreal |
Selected Group Exhibitions
| May 2016 | Ellephant Gallery, Contact Photography Festival, Toronto |
| June 2014 | Musée d’Art Contemporain des Laurentides, Saint-Jérôme |
| June 2014 | Papier en Mouvement, Place Émilie-Gamelin, Montreal |
| September 2011 | FOFA Gallery, Montreal |
| March 2011 | Galerie D’Este, Montreal | Touring Group Exhibition throughout China organized by the Alliance Française (AF): |
| September 2011 | AF Beijing |
| August 2011 | AF Dalian |
| July 2011 | AF Shanghai |
| May 2011 | AF Tianjin |
| April 2011 | AF Xian |
| March 2011 | AF Jinan (AF) Group Tour, Chongqing |
| January 2011 | Alliance Française |
| December 2010 | AF, Nanjing |
| November 2010 | AF, Hangzhou |
| September 2010 | AF, Guangzhou |
| May 2010 | L’Exposition Universelle Shanghai: Art contemporain Montréal, Shanghai |
| August 2009 | Three Shadows Photography Art Centre, Beijing |
| February 2009 | Nuit Blanche: Movement Art Public, Montreal |
| August 2008 | Galerie Lilian Rodriguez, Montreal |
| June 2008 | Galerie Lilian Rodriguez, Montreal |
| February 2008 | Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, Guelph |
| January 2008 | Eli Klein Fine Art, New York City |
| September 2007 | Galerie Lilian Rodriguez, Montreal |
| May 2007 | Théâtre de la Photographie et de l’Image, Nice |
| May 2007 | Gladstone Hotel, Contact Photography Festival, Toronto |
| May 2007 | Toronto Image Works Gallery, Contact Photography Festival, Toronto |
| August 2005 | Galerie Thérèse Dion, Montreal |
| April 2004 | Leonard & Bina Ellen Gallery, Montreal |
| April 2004 | Art Mur Gallery, Montreal |
| February 2004 | VAV Gallery, Montreal |
| September 2003 | Stewart Hall Art Gallery, Montreal |
Art Fairs
| October 2015 | Art Toronto, Toronto |
| April 2014 | Papier14, Montreal |
| March 2011 | Scope Art Fair, New York City |
Public Art Installations
| April 2014 | Art Souterrain, Montreal |
| February 2011 | Art Souterrain, Montreal |
| September 2006 | Project Plan Large, Darling Foundry, Montreal |
Public Art Auctions
| March 2016 | Les Impatients ‘Parle-moi d’amour’ 18th edition, Montreal |
| October 2015 | Casey House Foundation ‘Art with Heart’ Auction, Toronto |
| November 2011 | Casey House Foundation ‘Art with Heart’ Auction, Toronto |
| November 2010 | esse benefit auction ‘Vendu-Sold’, Montreal |
| November 2010 | Casey House Foundation ‘Art with Heart’ Auction, Toronto |
| May 2007 | Village Galleries Auction, Toronto |
| January 2007 | Houston Center for Photography, Houston |
| November 2005 | Casey House Foundation ‘Art with Heart’ Auction, Toronto |
| March 2003 | Observatoire 4, Montreal |
Artist Residency
- Centre Sagamie, Alma, Quebec 2016
- ‘Centre de dynamiques artistiques’, Point Éphémère, Paris 2008
Publications
- ‘Cohesion’, Co-Published by SODEC, Maison des Arts de Laval & Elena Willis, 2013
- ‘Spectacle + Artifice’, Published by Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, Guelph, Ontario, 2008
- ‘Enfants de Cartier, photographie canadienne contemporaine’, Published by Théâtre de la Photographie et de L’image, Nice, France, 2007
- ‘Carte Blanche’, Published by Magenta Foundation, Toronto, Canada, 2006
Bibliography
- Redgrave, Veronica: ‘La nature de l’art et l’art de la nature à travers les yeux de deux artistes’, 01/08/15
- Naubert-Riser, Constance : ‘L'essor artistique du Mile-End’, 15/11/14
- LeBlanc, Benoit : ‘La nature au cœur de l’art d’Elena Willis et Jeffrey Poirier’ Courrier Laval, 10/09/13
- St-Amoure, Danielle: ‘Movement: From One Side of the Picture to the Other’, Sidestreet Review, 06/15/10
- Mavrikakis, Nicolas: ‘Elena Willis - Image-enquête’, Le Voir, 06/05/10
- Dewolfe, Stacey: ‘Illustrious illusions illustrated’, Montreal Mirror, 06/05/10
- Wolff, Rachel: ‘Artist Elena Willis’s Cloudy Classroom’, New York Entertainment, 22/1/08
- Redfern, Christine: ‘Noise Makers 2008: Dark Dreamer’, Montreal Mirror, 03/01/08
- Redfern, Christine: ‘Interpretation of dreams in a most concrete manner’, The Gazette, 24/11/07
- L’Heureux, Guy: ‘Révolution et Onirisme à la Fonderie Darling’, Le Délit, 06/11/07
- Redfern, Christine: ‘Night Visions’, Montreal Mirror, 25/10/07
- Madsen, Bjarke: ‘Contact Photography Festival: Elena Willis’, NOW, 3/05/07
- Mavrikakis, Nicolas: ‘Sanchez et Willis’, Le Voir, 10/12/06
- Redfern, Christine: ‘Sweet Dreams’, Montreal Mirror, 06/29/06
- Recurt, Elizabeth: ‘Elegance’, ETC Magazine, 01/09/05
- Musgrave, Sarah: ‘Au Naturel’, Montreal Mirror, 01/04/04
- Mavrikakis, Nicolas: ‘Survol de la Photo Actuelle’, Le Voir, 11/09/03
Collections
- Centre d’Exposition Mont-Laurier
- Maison des Arts de Laval
- Claridge Collection
- Cirque du Soleil
- Macdonald Stewart Art Centre Collection
- Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec
- Alcan Inc.
- Leonard & Bina Ellen Gallery
- Private collections in Canada, United States and Europe