36" x 50"
Limited Edition Archival Giclée Print 2022
@pauleliaart
Paul Elia is a graduate of The Ontario College of Art and Design where he began integrating Drawing and Painting with Digital Media. He has since exhibited work in various notable galleries all over Southern Ontario and has worked closely with Toronto filmmaker Judith Doyle who together formed Reading Pictures: an innovative multi-media organization providing consultation and production services. Elia also worked on art direction and design with the modern abstract painter, Ben Woolfitt.
In 2007, Elia moved back to his hometown of Hamilton, ON and began creating his large format cityscapes that have captivated the hearts and imaginations of the local community. In addition to showing in many galleries and museums in Hamilton and Toronto, his works can be seen all over the city.
In 2012, Elia opened a studio gallery in his unique mid-century modern home in West Hamilton. With the towering escarpment as a backdrop, it was a stunning setting for viewing the large panoramic prints. Recently, Elia took on an ambitious project converting a large industrial style building in Hamilton’s East End into an incredible new gallery, Paul Elia Gallery, that currently showcases his work and hosts rotating exhibitions of other artists in the Hamilton community.
THE STORY:
The United Stage of America Part 1:
When They Go Low We To High
Behind the masks of partisanship and propaganda is a tribal urge to celebrate the sublime destruction of the dreaded "other". False polarities and ‘fake news’ build grotesque idols that embody our greatest fears and inadequacies. Our hatred and resentment become justifiable, weaponized morals, where we justify the parts of ourselves, we don’t recognize. We hate from the good side, failing to see that our altruistic in-group bias may become the next target of the roaring crowd; our own names dragged down in that roar of “Scum! Filth!”
In the early summer of 2015 I had just finished reading Atlas Shrugged. The next day Donald Trump announced his candidacy for President and it felt like a deranged version of John Galt had become reality. At this same time my husband had accepted a job in Denver, CO and I started to spend half my time in the states and half in Canada. My husband had to travel to different universities all over the states as part of his job. So I started to tag along with him.
As my husband worked all day I had no plans but to go out and wander and talk to strangers. I would also sometimes find a protest, or a rally happening at the university or in town and would hang in the background and take pictures. Sometimes I would talk with people from both sides and just listen to their arguments.
This is an illustration of what it feels like to sit on the sidelines watching the United Stage of America.
My aim was to illustrate something that walked along the fine line between the sublime and the grotesque. This is highlighted further by the clash of illustration styles from the crude pop aesthetic to the classic, baroque composition.
HST# 822459483 RT0001
*Please note: Purchased works are available for pickup on Sat. Oct 5th from 12-3pm, otherwise, arrangements will be made between collectors and buyers directly following the Art Circuit.