Elena Helfrecht
Photographer
Elena Helfrecht (b. 1992 in Marktredwitz; based in Bavaria) is a visual artist working with photography. She completed her MA in Photography at the Royal College of Art in London in 2019 with Distinction, after studying Art and Image History at Humboldt-Universität in Berlin from 2016 to 2017 and receiving her BA in Art History and Book Science from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität in Erlangen in 2015.
Elena’s work revolves around the inner space and the phenomena of consciousness, emerging from an autobiographical context and opening up to the surreal and fantastic, at times grotesque. Interweaving memories, experiences, and imagination, she creates inextricable narratives with multiple layers of meaning characterized by a visceral iconography.
Within her practice, she regards photography as a performative action and an extended form of procreation. Engaging in experimentation and play becomes a direct connection between the internal and the external realm. Through this process, she relates individual experiences to a collective history and turns personal involvement into a shared understanding.
Growing up in the Bavarian countryside, the folklore and landscapes from her childhood are rooted in her heart and continuously influence her work, as does her love for Art History, Literature, and Psychology.
Elena’s work has been exhibited and published internationally. In 2020, she was nominated for the Foam Paul Huf Award and awarded the 2nd place in the Professional Stil life category at the Sony World Photography Organisation Awards. She was a winner of Camera Work, and a finalist for the HSBC Prix pour la Photographie, the PHmuseum Photography Grant, and The Aftermath Project Grant. Her work was also selected by the Bloomberg New Contemporaries in 2019, shown at South London Gallery and Leeds Art Gallery, and as a Jury Favorite for the Le Bal Award for Young Creation, as well as a winner of the AOP Student Awards, Magenta Flash Forward, and the Ginnel Foto Award. Elena’s images have been featured by numerous publications such as the British Journal of Photography, GUP Magazine, HANT Magazin, Der Greif, and ‘On Death’ by Kris Graves Projects and the Humble Arts Foundation.
Elena Helfrecht
Photographer
Elena Helfrecht (b. 1992 in Marktredwitz; based in Bavaria) is a visual artist working with photography. She completed her MA in Photography at the Royal College of Art in London in 2019 with Distinction, after studying Art and Image History at Humboldt-Universität in Berlin from 2016 to 2017 and receiving her BA in Art History and Book Science from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität in Erlangen in 2015.
Elena’s work revolves around the inner space and the phenomena of consciousness, emerging from an autobiographical context and opening up to the surreal and fantastic, at times grotesque. Interweaving memories, experiences, and imagination, she creates inextricable narratives with multiple layers of meaning characterized by a visceral iconography.
Within her practice, she regards photography as a performative action and an extended form of procreation. Engaging in experimentation and play becomes a direct connection between the internal and the external realm. Through this process, she relates individual experiences to a collective history and turns personal involvement into a shared understanding.
Growing up in the Bavarian countryside, the folklore and landscapes from her childhood are rooted in her heart and continuously influence her work, as does her love for Art History, Literature, and Psychology.
Elena’s work has been exhibited and published internationally. In 2020, she was nominated for the Foam Paul Huf Award and awarded the 2nd place in the Professional Stil life category at the Sony World Photography Organisation Awards. She was a winner of Camera Work, and a finalist for the HSBC Prix pour la Photographie, the PHmuseum Photography Grant, and The Aftermath Project Grant. Her work was also selected by the Bloomberg New Contemporaries in 2019, shown at South London Gallery and Leeds Art Gallery, and as a Jury Favorite for the Le Bal Award for Young Creation, as well as a winner of the AOP Student Awards, Magenta Flash Forward, and the Ginnel Foto Award. Elena’s images have been featured by numerous publications such as the British Journal of Photography, GUP Magazine, HANT Magazin, Der Greif, and ‘On Death’ by Kris Graves Projects and the Humble Arts Foundation.
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Genko Genkov: Beyond The VisibleJun 14 – Nov 12, 2023In 2006, the Sofia City Art Gallery presented Genko Genkov with an exhibition featuring works created mostly over the period between 2002 and 2006. This was the artist’s last solo exhibition. Seventeen years later, the gallery team has come up with a couple of exhibitions commemorating the 100th anniversary of the artist’s birth, (more…)
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Rencontres d’ArlesPhotography FestivalEvery summer since 1970, over the course of more than forty exhibitions at various of the city’s exceptional heritage sites, the Rencontres d’Arles has been a major influence in disseminating the best of world photography (more…)
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Senta SimondPhotographerAfter studying aesthetic and theory of cinema at the University of Lausanne, Senta Simond completed an M.A. in Photography at ECAL, University of Art and Design in Lausanne, Switzerland. (more…)
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The Unspoken ThingsPhoto SeriesThe Moravian folk costume (kroj) is a traditional clothing ensemble that originates from the Moravia region of the Czech Republic. This costume reflects the cultural heritage and history of the Moravian people. The Moravian folk costume typically consists of various garments and accessories that vary depending on the specific region within Moravia. (more…)
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Boros Collection / Bunker Berlin #4OngoingWe have rarely been as aware of the vulnerability of our physical bodies as in recent years. As a society, we are constantly upgrading our bodies through artificial enhancements to immunize ourselves against infections and maximize our performance. (more…)
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Skin In The GameSep 14, 2023 – Jan 7, 2024Skin In The Game presents seminal prototypes from the personal archives of internationally acclaimed artists, dating back to the 1970s and crossing over into the present. The exhibits include experiments never previously shown, from paintings to sculptures, to banners, video performances, photographs, collages, drawings, books, and concept notes. The works focus on that moment of professional and existential emancipation when these artists threw their skin in the game, and gave their all to art. (more…)
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Things That Were Are Things AgainMay 13, 2023 – Oct 20, 2024This year comes the 25th anniversary of the GfZK at Johannapark. Against the background of the political and social changes that took place after 1989, social and ecological sustainability was already a central topic when the GfZK was founded in 1990. (more…)
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Cy TwomblyIn the Studio / OngoingCy Twombly was a North American artist who spent much of his career in Italy. He was fascinated by the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome. In his paintings he often referred to historical or mythological figures, or included fragments of classical poetry. (more…)
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Lasciare Libero GraziePhoto SeriesSince 2021 I have started a story about a group of girls and teenagers growing up in one of Palermo’s most historically complex and problematic neighborhoods: Danisinni. A neighborhood of Arab origin, it stands on a natural depression, as it was once the bed of the Papireto, one of the rivers that ran through Palermo. (more…)
