As a little boy of Portuguese and Indian heritage in his hometown of Iturama, Minas Gerais, far into the interior of Brasil, Elson de Faria dreamed of a world of true democracy.  Moving to Rio de Janeiro to attend university, he demonstrated against the military regime, often risking his own life.  He obtained a degree in Architecture & Design and began exhibiting sculptures and installation art.  Though his country had become democratic, he found the process moved exceedingly slow and he soon set out for the United States.  In New York, he created Design de Faria, an interior design firm that garnered many celebrity clients, many of whom became collectors of his work.  He moved into Greenwich Village and began putting together sculptures that were composed of ancient artifacts, antiques, and contemporary objects.  When asked to describe his work, he states that "Art is born from the fragments of all time."

He is influenced by the readymades of Duchamp, as well as the art of Calder, Magritte, Warhol, and the film images of his friend, the late Glauber Rocha.  He has received encouragement from internationally famed sculptor Louise Bourgeois and his work has been purchased by the likes of Patrick McMullan, New York magazine celebrity photographer.  In 2003, he received great acclaim at the Salon Internationale des Artistes Contemporains in St. Tropez.  Elson and his wife are co-founders of NY Artists Unlimited, soon to open as and at Downeast Arts Center, 203 Avenue A, a space granted to them by the City of New York.  Though he treasures his freedom of expression, he is concerned about any country becoming all-powerful and people being oppressed, especially children.  He would not want to revisit the dark times he experienced in his own land.

Below are examples of Elson's work which will be on display in St. Tropez, France.  To visit Elson's website in french, click here.   Pour visiter le site de Elson en francais, cliquez ici.

Democracy	Bird of Peace	Daily Grind	Leap of Faith
Previous			Next