Elena Altshul

Year of birth: 1985.
Describe your art in three words: I create paper collages from my photographs, magazines, newspaper clippings, and old notebooks. It is paper collage that combines the uniqueness of each piece and the energy of handmade work.
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Can you tell us about your journey from photojournalism to collage art? What inspired this transition?

I initially studied mining engineering, but I never worked in that field. After the birth of my children, I became seriously interested in photography and pursued a second degree in photojournalism. I often photographed travels and my children, and in 2018, I even had a solo exhibition dedicated to children, titled “Present Continuous,” at the Omelchenko Gallery in Moscow. Later, I studied at the Fotografika Academy in Saint Petersburg, where I became acquainted with project-based photography and learned to “think in projects.” One of the lectures was dedicated to the art of collage, and it was love at first sight.

Elena Altshul | Delete 6 | 2020

Your work often explores themes of family, corporeality, and memory. How do you approach these themes in your collages?

I believe that an artist can only talk about what truly concerns or deeply disturbs them. Probably, this is the only way to create sincere and compelling projects. Currently, the themes of memory, family, and corporeality remain a priority in my work. I enjoy the process of rethinking my own life experiences through the creation of artistic statements.

You mentioned that your work serves as a therapeutic process for you. Can you elaborate on how creating art helps you deal with past and present traumas?

When creating a piece, it’s as if I separate a certain experience from myself, “live” it on paper from different angles, forms, and colors. I then independently transform it until it becomes something cohesive that reflects my specific emotion. This is probably where the therapeutic effect of art lies for me.

Elena Altshul | Delete 5 | 2020

Your collages often combine your own photographs with elements from magazines, newspapers, and old notebooks. How do you decide which elements to include?

Initially, I created collages exclusively from my own photographs. Now, I enjoy finding interesting details in magazines, newspapers, and books. This results in more diverse combinations. This way, I have more opportunities to express thoughts through images.

Who are some of the artists or movements that have influenced your work the most?

I can’t say that any specific artist had a huge influence on me. I enjoy the work of various artists: Salvador Dali, Henri Matisse, Jackson Pollock, René Magritte, and so on. Among collage artists, I would mention Hannah Höch, again Henri Matisse, Robert Rauschenberg, and probably David Hockney.

Elena Altshul | Delete 2 | 2020

What advice would you give to emerging artists who are just starting out?

I have Pablo Picasso’s words printed above my desk: “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” So, don’t wait for the Muse to decide to visit you! You need to monotonously, in small steps, but every day, move forward on your own.

Elena Altshul | Delete 1 | 2020