Straddling sculpture and art with Elena Mahno
people • makers
Elena Mahno, a ceramic artist dividing her time between Toronto and NY, hails from Moldova and traversed Eastern Europe and the Caucasus before settling in Canada in the late 1990s. Her sculptural forms, imbued with expressive vigor, draw inspiration from the diverse visual languages of her upbringing. Exploring themes of identity, womanhood, and transformation, Mahno delves into hidden narratives, rendering them palpable through the enduring medium of clay.
WEBSITE: elenamahno.com INSTAGRAM: @byelenamahno
Words: designeers
September 2018
designeers
Describe what you do:
elena mahno
I merge my backgrounds in visual arts, science, and design to create works in clay as my preferred medium.
designeers
How would you describe your style?
elena mahno
My work straddles sculpture and craft, often looking to form to represent conceptual themes with a bit of sneaky utility. I immigrated to Canada from Moldova early in life and lived in the Caucasus before that. I am inspired by motifs from both past and present, making sense of historical influences on the aesthetics of these cultures whenever I can. Aesthetically, my works are biomorphic and suggestive of feminine forms yet lean towards abstraction.
designeers
The most important object you have designed so far:
elena mahno
Important (to me) was my series of vessels inspired by silhouettes of pinafores - a symbol of women's labour. At first glance, they are simple and beautiful forms to live in a home. Conceptually they explore women's increasing role as our societal safety net often at a personal cost. I was happy to find that this message was important to my collectors as well. Currently, I'm in the throws of creating a few pieces that are a departure from my usual works, in terms of scale and form. One is a large bas relief and another is a lamp prototype. Their importance is tbd, so stay tuned - hindsight is always 20/20!
designeers
Sources of creative desire:
elena mahno
My need to create comes from equal parts curiosity about how everything works, the inherent need to make beautiful things real, and the wish to share nuanced stories beyond the dichotomies we are increasingly being fed in our busy lives. These often land me somewhere on the spectrum between a nerd and a visual storyteller.
“I don't come from a traditional creative background, so any chance I get to witness and make sense of how other creatives develop their voices, and what they are contributing to today's conversation, is a welcomed opportunity for me to learn. ”
elena mahno
designeers
What do you do when you’re not in the studio?
elena mahno
I'm probably looking at other people's design and art. I don't come from a traditional creative background, so any chance I get to witness and make sense of how other creatives develop their voices, and what they are contributing to today's conversation, is a welcomed opportunity for me to learn.
DESGINEERS
Favourite hotel in the world:
elena mahno
This one's tough. I've had the fortune of traveling a lot in my previous professional lives. The two that stand out in my mind are likely an indication of the extremes I gravitate towards: one is Hvidøre House at Klampenborg, Denmark. It's not a hotel per se, but it does host guests. This summer house belonged to sisters Dagmar, Alexandra and Thyra aka Dowager Empress of Russia, Queen of Great Britain, and Duchess of Cumberland, respectively. In its current state, it's the epitome of Danish restraint and elegance. The second one is the complete opposite, The Siren in Detroit, Michigan. It's housed in the iconic Wurlitzer Building (of the piano maker fame) and there's something about it being a vintage-filled gem amidst the renaissance of a city that's been both a cornerstone of American wealth and its demise that I find alluring.
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