1. Biography of Elsa Dax
2. Early Life and Education
3. Career
4. Stuckism and Artistic Achievements
5. Artistic Process and Inspiration
6. Personal Life

Biography of Elsa Dax

Introduction

Elsa Dax is a French artist and a supporter of Stuckism, an art movement founded by Billy Childish and Charles Thomson. Her work revolves around myths, legends, and fairy tales, as she believes that reality is painfully sad and cruel. Dax's style is reminiscent of the works of Marc Chagall.

Early Life and Education

Elsa Dax was born on May 14, 1972, in Paris, France. She obtained her education at Sorbonne University, where she earned a master's degree in film, Russian culture, constructivism, and suprematism.

Career

Dax began her career as an assistant producer for the film "Beyond the Clouds," Michelangelo Antonioni's farewell masterpiece, in 1994. The following year, she worked as a librarian at the Pompidou Centre. In 1996, she assisted in the production of the film "Whistler, an American in Paris." Dax continued working in the film industry in 1997 and became an editor at Xtreme Information Ltd in 1998. During this period, from 1997 to 1998, she lived in a small room in a women's monastery, where she had only a bed, a small wardrobe, and a tap. Here, she painted and found great happiness.

Stuckism and Artistic Achievements

In 2000, Elsa Dax joined the Stuckism movement, and she presented her works alongside Billy Childish and Charles Thomson at the exhibition "The Real Turner Prize Show" at the Pure Gallery in London. She also participated in Stuckist demonstrations near Tate Britain in protest against the Turner Prize. Dax's involvement in the Stuckist movement led her to organize the "Paris Stuckists" program in 2001 and the "Stuckist Vernissage," the first Stuckist exhibition in Paris at the Musee d'Adzak. Her involvement in these projects helped promote the work of various artists, including Stella Vine, who gained recognition from the renowned Charles Saatchi.

In 2004, Dax became one of the fourteen founders and participants of the first national Stuckist exhibition, "The Stuckists Punk Victorian," held at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool as part of the Liverpool Biennial. She acted as a promoter for the second "Paris Stuckists" show in 2005. Additionally, Elsa illustrated a children's book in the same year. In October 2006, she was named one of the "Top 10 Stuckists" at the "Go West" exhibition in Spectrum London. In 2008, she became the first person to sign a petition addressed to the Prime Minister, urging the rejection of Sir Nicholas Serota's candidacy for the position of head of the Tate, the institution housing the national collection of British and international modern art.

Artistic Process and Inspiration

Elsa Dax's creative process involves a combination of studying academic books and children's fairy tale illustrations. She spends several weeks preparing herself psychologically to select the key elements of her paintings. She starts by drawing the central figure, around which other images materialize in a burst of creativity. Typically, Elsa spends about three months working on a single piece. Her goal is to depict all the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses. She has worked on this series for eight years and expects it to take another eight to complete. Dax attempts to penetrate the essence of the god or goddess with her imagination. Once they are depicted, she feels spiritually protected by these deities. For instance, when she painted Venus, she felt happy and relaxed, while Mars made her feel like Churchill – a warrior and fighter.

Personal Life

Elsa Dax is married to architect John Kerr.

Painter