Lilli Elsners artworks are statement pieces. They are challenging, wild and slightly provocative. Her twin sister, Lea Elsner, mentions the fact that Lili has always had a need to express herself. The exhibition title “Verkündung”, translating to declare and emphasize, could not be more appropriate.
She finds no role models in the history of art, stating there was “no new knowledge to be gained from it”. The 1993 born artist began her studies at the Universität der Künste in Berlin; though they remain incomplete after she chose to discontinue her education five semesters in. When asked about her lack of artistic idols, a sly smile is her only answer.
Lilli Elsner creates her work in mixed media technique using textiles and canvas, they are formatted at 183 x 245 and stretched on wooden frames. The textiles and prints that Elsner uses are custom made. She decides on specifications of the textiles before having them printed. She sticks to recurring themes on her prints. While one may feature a parrot print, the other a dear, the use of animal devices however remains. Over, and around, these static, printed elements lie colourful interconnected lines, creating figures and physique. It is the idea of industry produced art that she wishes to challenge through this. By creating a type of discourse she hopes to compose individual statements in a place where there are generally only prevailing opinions.
In a world full of conventional beings and thoughts, Elsner gets rid of clichés (such as ‘women are the weaker sex’or the German proverbial ‘stupid chicken’). Her opinions remain as multidimensional as her art.
“If the painting is on fire don’t ever extinguish it", Lilli Elsner