Elise EL YOUSFI
Lives and works in Antwerp, Belgium
Artist statement
Freshly graduated with a master's degree in sculpture at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, BE. Coming from dreams and drawings she explores the intersection between sculpture and poetry. Installations can become immersive experiences, where sculpted forms interact with poetic verses to create multisensory narratives that speak to the complexities of identity and belonging. Born into a world of cultural diversity and artistic inspiration, she has emerged as a sculptor and poet, seamlessly weaving her mixed roots and boundless dreams into evocative installations that transcend conventional boundaries. Raised in a household where Moroccan, and French influences intertwined, she was immersed in a rich blend of traditions, languages, and perspectives. It was during her formative years that she discovered her passion for sculpture. Enrolling in fine arts, she discovered clay and the way her hands could shape raw material into various shapes from abstract to more figurative. Inspired by her multicultural heritage and fueled by her dreams, she embarked on a journey of self-discovery through her work. She delved into studying various sculpting techniques and exploring innovative approaches to her craft.
Artwork
- Only Tears and Baby Powder, Sculpting in a Foreign Language., 2024. mixed media
- Babillages, 2024. steel, glazed ceramic, doily, steel beads.
- I used to have a balcony, 2024. steel, steel flower from Morocco, lace, found wood balcony chairs and table, technical materials.
- Dissonances, 2024. baby powder, ceramics, steel, steel beads
- The Book: Only Tears and Baby Powder, Sculpting in a Foreign Language., 2024. A personal archive made in collaboration with Angela Xu. 74 pages of poems, writings, and archive pictures, all hand-bound and sewn with archive lace.
- Sofia Hermens Fernandez X Elise El Yousfi, 2024. Set of 20 handmade glazed ceramic buttons engraved with Sofia's name for her master collection "SEMIOTICS OF GIRLHOOD" part of the Fashion department of Royal Fine Arts Academy Antwerp.
- Window Washers, I lost myself in the waves of their wings., 2024. An invitation by Delta Van Melle for their Window Washers series in T-SPACE, an artist-run space. Site-specific project.
- Beads swirls, 2024. hand-bended steel, glazed ceramics
- The Presence of The Absence, 2024. aluminium, aluminium mesh, metal string, burned tulle, lead and tin dates.
- Studio drawings, 2023. charcoal
- (Up) Rooted Angel, 2023. heavy metal structure, plaster, separating funnel, satin, water, baby powder
- Freeing the birds, doves from the Arabic language., 2023. Plaster, glazed ceramic, hand-carved wood, antique lace, baby powder.
- Cry babies, 2023. ceramics, baby powder, antique lace pillow, carved wood, glazed ceramic, antique lace
- Les pleureuses, 2022. ceramics, orange blossom essence, underglaze
- Douceur indélébile ou la nature empathique, 2022. Underglazed ceramic, plaster, mallard duck egg.
- Lead dates, 2022. lead
- Mixed lace, 2022. embossed paper
- Chalice's bath, 2022. cotton sheets, handkerchiefs, water glasses, sugar, antique lace.
- Tmar O Lahib, 2021. glass, cow's milk