Artist
Steve Ellis
Artist
Part of events on ArtRabbit in: New York
One of New York’s finest Pop Realist painters, Ellis is well known for his technically virtuosic paintings. His dynamic representational technique uses pop culture iconography to explore various issues emerging from contemporary consumerism, often favoring the depiction of single objects rendered with near fetishistic focus. Previous series have investigated the death of print media and the damaged, transitory beauty of American popular culture, featuring consumer detritus such as torn magazines, cigarette lighters, knives, broken high‐heeled shoes, and crashed cars. Following the tradition of Pop‐art masters, Ellis employs a wide range of media, including silk screens, wallpaper, light boxes and mixed media installations. The colorful, satirical works communicate narrative with concision and economy, and frequently feature wordplay. Born in Washington D.C., Ellis was raised in various cities within the United States. In 1989, the artist moved to New York City to study at the prestigious School of Visual Arts, where he excelled in realism. Following his graduation, Ellis lived and worked in downtown New York, cultivating his aesthetic by immersing himself in the vibrant subculture of the city’s nightlife. Ellis has exhibited extensively throughout the U.S. in addition to several international shows. These include exhibitions at the AC Institute, the Gershwin Hotel, the Studio @ 620, SoHo House, American Fine Arts and the Lexington Armory. Ellis’ works are held in private collections in Tokyo, Rome, Seoul, Moscow, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Auckland (New Zealand), Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, New York, Dallas, and Philadelphia. gallery nine5 has represented Steve Ellis since the gallery’s opening in 2008. Ellis has had four solo exhibitions with gallery nine5, and recently completed a commissioned installation at the Condé Nast Building at 4 Times Square in collaboration with chashama and the Durst Organization.
Exhibitions and Events
2021