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About

Elly Heise is a Canadian interdisciplinary artist of Norwegian and German heritage. She embarked on her artistic journey at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2015, majoring in Photography. Before graduating she received international recognition for her undergraduate portrait project entitled “Skins” (formerly called #daughterdoesmymakeup) and was published in PetaPixel, DailyMail, Featureshoot, and more. In the spring of 2020, she obtained her Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Victoria.

In 2021 Heise was awarded a Canada Council project grant for her exhibition “Who Am I To You?” with Xchanges Gallery in Victoria B.C. Most recently in 2023 she exhibited her solo show “Inside Skies” with TREX Gallery in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Heise is now dedicated to actively seeking a diverse array of national and international opportunities. She is also a sessional photography instructor at the Medicine Hat College. You can read her artist statement below.

“My current research examines how human perception and self-awareness is shaped, with a focus on the influence of photography, memory, and natural environments. While photography comprises the core of my artistic practice, I often meld this medium with installation, textiles, and drawing. I am interested in showcasing various facets of perception to the viewer so they can situate themselves in relation to the concepts explored. I often show human subjects in my artwork to highlight our literal physicality in relation to the portrayed environments. From skin forms, to x-rays, to retinal scans, the abstracted bodily forms are intended to give a visualisation to how we potentially shape and understand ourselves through subconscious interpretations of what we are exposed to.”

All images copyright ©ellyheise.ca 2024

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