Ela Kurowska

Joined Artfinder: Dec. 2020

Artworks for sale: 59

(4)

Canada

About Ela Kurowska

 
 
  • Biography
    My name is Ela Kurowska and I am a photographer and a biochemist living in London ON Canada. In my artwork, I implement my science background to explore and visualize overpowering forces that compel the natural world to create life. Using an original, science-based technique, I build small compositions from transparent, photoelastic organic gels and other organic materials, and I capture these objects in the cross-polarized light. The resulting images resemble otherworldly life made of light and vivid colors. My works have been exhibited nationally and internationally and have been purchased by many private collectors. Also, my images have won several prestigious awards and have been published in photography magazines. I am very impressed with the quality of work published on Artfinder and I hope the Artfinder would offer me a chance to connect with the global artistic community.
  • Links
  • Education

    1980 - 1984

    Warsaw Agricultural University

    1972 - 1978

    Warsaw University

  • Awards

    2021

    International Color Awards

    Honorable Mention

    Show more awards Hide

    2020

    Tokyo International Foto Awards

    1st Place Award in the professional Science category and Gold Award in the professional Science/Other category

    2020

    Neutral Density Photography Awards

    Honorable Mention

    2020

    International Color Awards

    Nomination

    2020

    International Photography Awards

    2nd Place, Special, Other category

    2019

    Neutral Density Photography Awards

    Honorable Mention

    2019

    Budapest International Foto Awards

    1st Place, Science category

    2019

    Dek Unu Magazine

    Winner, Manipulated Photography contest

    2019

    International Photography Awards

    Honorable Mention

    2018

    Chromatic Awards

    Honorable Mention

    2018

    International Photography Awards

    Honorable Mention

    2018

    Neutral Density Photography Awards

    Honorable Mention

    2018

    Chromatic Awards

    Honorable Mention

    2017

    SONY World Photography Awards

    Winner, 2nd Place, Canada National Award

    2017

    D&AD Next Photographer Award, London UK

    Shortlisted

    2017

    SONY World Photography Awards

    Shortlisted, Nature category of the Open Competition

    2016

    The Artist Project, Toronto

    Winner, UNTAPPED Emerging Artist competition

    2016

    Light Space & Time, All Photography Art Competition

    9th Place, Overall Winning Category and Special Merit Category

    2016

    Photographer’s Forum Magazine

    Finalist

    2014

    International Photography Awards

    Honorable Mention

    2014

    National Geographic, Macro assignment story

    Image selected
  • Upcoming Events

    There are no upcoming events

    Show previous events Hide previous events

    Previous events

    Event: Winners Exhibition

    Dates: 17 Apr 2019 - 23 Apr 2019

    Venue: Tisztit Gallery, Budapest, Hungary

    1st Place, Science Category for the image "Aspargio".

    Event: Light Forms

    Dates: 12 Nov 2018 - 24 Nov 2018

    Venue: TAP Centre for Creativity, London ON

    I am fascinated with the origins of life; especially the moment in Earth’s history when amorphous organic matter transformed into graceful, harmonious, awe-inspiring structures that we recognize as life. In my works, I attempt to mimic and visualize the process of creation of life by sculpturing small, biomorphic forms from soft, solidified, transparent organic gels stained with colors. I then subject these gel objects to gentle deformation and capture them in the cross-polarized light. Because some gels have the ability to show material stress in cross-polarized light, the resulting images resemble otherworldly life forms full of light, vivid colors and rich texture. I call them ‘Light Forms’.
    Generously supported by grants from the London Arts Council and from the Ontario Arts Council.

    Event: Light Forms

    Dates: 21 Mar 2018 - 7 Apr 2018

    Venue: Galerie Luz, Montreal , CA

    I am fascinated with the origins of life; especially the moment in Earth’s history when amorphous organic matter transformed into graceful, harmonious, awe-inspiring structures that we recognize as life. In my works, I attempt to mimic and visualize the process of creation of life by sculpturing small, biomorphic forms from soft, solidified, transparent organic gels stained with colors. I then subject these gel objects to gentle deformation and capture them in the cross-polarized light. Because some gels have the ability to show material stress in cross-polarized light, the resulting images resemble otherworldly life forms full of light, vivid colors and rich texture. I call them ‘Light Forms’.

    Event: Being Scene

    Dates: 1 Mar 2018 - 25 Mar 2018

    Venue: Gladstone Hotel, Toronto

    Life Attractant and other images exhibited

    Event: Segamenis

    Dates: 21 Apr 2017 - 7 May 2017

    Venue: Somerset House, Somerset House

    Segamenis is a small (5cm diameter) composition which I made from soft, translucent organic gels using my expertise in biochemistry. To transform it into the image of a mysterious, alien flower, I utilized unique physical properties of organic gels; their predisposition to form soft, organic shapes and their ability to glow with light and vivid colors when subjected to deformations and photographed in cross-polarized light (this is called a photoelastic effect). The composition was made by arranging thin leaves of moist, brightly colored compact gel and a hydrated ball of a superabsorbent gel on a glass pane.

    Event: Light Forms

    Dates: 6 Oct 2016 - 5 Nov 2016

    Venue: Akasha Art Projects, Toronto, CA

    Akasha Art Projects Inc. is pleased to present Light Forms, a solo show by photographer and biochemist Elzbieta (Ela) Kurowska. Inspired by photo elasticity, an old visualization technique used by material engineers, Ela discovered a way to combine her science background and her self-taught photography skills to both create and capture a series of life-resembling structures that are unique, graceful, and magical. By manipulating soft, translucent organic gels, Ela reproduces the spectacular bursts of light and vivid colors that result from the unpredictable combination of organic gels and polarized light. Light Forms could be considered an experiment, in which art comes face to face with science to visualize life’s breathtaking capability to develop and evolve into abundance of forms.

    Event: Light Forms

    Dates: 18 Feb 2016 - 21 Feb 2016

    Venue: The Artist Project, Exhibition place, Toronto

    Winner, UNTAPPED Emerging Artists Competition

    Event: Ten. An Exhibition of photo-based work by 10 artists

    Dates: 7 Feb 2015 - 28 Feb 2015

    Venue: Gallery 50, Toronto, Canada

    As a photographer and biochemist, I am fascinated by the origins of life – that moment in Earth’s history when amorphous organic matter started to self-organize and generate increasingly complex structures that made life. In this project, I use a scientific approach in combination with staged photography to visualize and capture the process of transforming inanimate organic matter into simple living organisms.

    To create the images of emerging life, I am implementing a novel technique based on spectacular visual effects displayed by translucent organic gels subjected to deformations and photographed between two polarized filters. Various organic gels are first molded into abstract, three-dimensional, biological shapes. Gel sculptures are subsequently assembled and staged on a light box, illuminated and then photographed in the cross-polarized light.

    Event: Origins

    Dates: 2 May 2014 - 31 May 2014

    Venue: Galleria 814, Toronto, Canada

    CONTACT Scotiabank Photography Festival

    Event: Illumination. An Exhibition of Fine Art Photography

    Dates: 22 Apr 2014 - 13 May 2014

    Venue: Agora Gallery, New York, USA

    The photographs which I am presenting tell a story about my fascination with the mystery of origins and the development of life in its infinite richness of forms. It is life which germinates and stubbornly evolves even in the most hostile environments, the life from which we all originate.

    Event: Light Forms

    Dates: 29 May 2013 - 10 Jun 2013

    Venue: Galeria Schody, Warsaw, Poland

    My first solo exhibition.

Links


Education

1980 - 1984

Warsaw Agricultural University

1972 - 1978

Warsaw University


Awards

2021

International Color Awards

Honorable Mention

Show more awards Hide

2020

Tokyo International Foto Awards

1st Place Award in the professional Science category and Gold Award in the professional Science/Other category

2020

Neutral Density Photography Awards

Honorable Mention

2020

International Color Awards

Nomination

2020

International Photography Awards

2nd Place, Special, Other category

2019

Neutral Density Photography Awards

Honorable Mention

2019

Budapest International Foto Awards

1st Place, Science category

2019

Dek Unu Magazine

Winner, Manipulated Photography contest

2019

International Photography Awards

Honorable Mention

2018

Chromatic Awards

Honorable Mention

2018

International Photography Awards

Honorable Mention

2018

Neutral Density Photography Awards

Honorable Mention

2018

Chromatic Awards

Honorable Mention

2017

SONY World Photography Awards

Winner, 2nd Place, Canada National Award

2017

D&AD Next Photographer Award, London UK

Shortlisted

2017

SONY World Photography Awards

Shortlisted, Nature category of the Open Competition

2016

The Artist Project, Toronto

Winner, UNTAPPED Emerging Artist competition

2016

Light Space & Time, All Photography Art Competition

9th Place, Overall Winning Category and Special Merit Category

2016

Photographer’s Forum Magazine

Finalist

2014

International Photography Awards

Honorable Mention

2014

National Geographic, Macro assignment story

Image selected

There are no upcoming events

Show previous events Hide previous events

Previous events

Event: Winners Exhibition

Dates: 17 Apr 2019 - 23 Apr 2019

Venue: Tisztit Gallery, Budapest, Hungary

1st Place, Science Category for the image "Aspargio".

Event: Light Forms

Dates: 12 Nov 2018 - 24 Nov 2018

Venue: TAP Centre for Creativity, London ON

I am fascinated with the origins of life; especially the moment in Earth’s history when amorphous organic matter transformed into graceful, harmonious, awe-inspiring structures that we recognize as life. In my works, I attempt to mimic and visualize the process of creation of life by sculpturing small, biomorphic forms from soft, solidified, transparent organic gels stained with colors. I then subject these gel objects to gentle deformation and capture them in the cross-polarized light. Because some gels have the ability to show material stress in cross-polarized light, the resulting images resemble otherworldly life forms full of light, vivid colors and rich texture. I call them ‘Light Forms’.
Generously supported by grants from the London Arts Council and from the Ontario Arts Council.

Event: Light Forms

Dates: 21 Mar 2018 - 7 Apr 2018

Venue: Galerie Luz, Montreal , CA

I am fascinated with the origins of life; especially the moment in Earth’s history when amorphous organic matter transformed into graceful, harmonious, awe-inspiring structures that we recognize as life. In my works, I attempt to mimic and visualize the process of creation of life by sculpturing small, biomorphic forms from soft, solidified, transparent organic gels stained with colors. I then subject these gel objects to gentle deformation and capture them in the cross-polarized light. Because some gels have the ability to show material stress in cross-polarized light, the resulting images resemble otherworldly life forms full of light, vivid colors and rich texture. I call them ‘Light Forms’.

Event: Being Scene

Dates: 1 Mar 2018 - 25 Mar 2018

Venue: Gladstone Hotel, Toronto

Life Attractant and other images exhibited

Event: Segamenis

Dates: 21 Apr 2017 - 7 May 2017

Venue: Somerset House, Somerset House

Segamenis is a small (5cm diameter) composition which I made from soft, translucent organic gels using my expertise in biochemistry. To transform it into the image of a mysterious, alien flower, I utilized unique physical properties of organic gels; their predisposition to form soft, organic shapes and their ability to glow with light and vivid colors when subjected to deformations and photographed in cross-polarized light (this is called a photoelastic effect). The composition was made by arranging thin leaves of moist, brightly colored compact gel and a hydrated ball of a superabsorbent gel on a glass pane.

Event: Light Forms

Dates: 6 Oct 2016 - 5 Nov 2016

Venue: Akasha Art Projects, Toronto, CA

Akasha Art Projects Inc. is pleased to present Light Forms, a solo show by photographer and biochemist Elzbieta (Ela) Kurowska. Inspired by photo elasticity, an old visualization technique used by material engineers, Ela discovered a way to combine her science background and her self-taught photography skills to both create and capture a series of life-resembling structures that are unique, graceful, and magical. By manipulating soft, translucent organic gels, Ela reproduces the spectacular bursts of light and vivid colors that result from the unpredictable combination of organic gels and polarized light. Light Forms could be considered an experiment, in which art comes face to face with science to visualize life’s breathtaking capability to develop and evolve into abundance of forms.

Event: Light Forms

Dates: 18 Feb 2016 - 21 Feb 2016

Venue: The Artist Project, Exhibition place, Toronto

Winner, UNTAPPED Emerging Artists Competition

Event: Ten. An Exhibition of photo-based work by 10 artists

Dates: 7 Feb 2015 - 28 Feb 2015

Venue: Gallery 50, Toronto, Canada

As a photographer and biochemist, I am fascinated by the origins of life – that moment in Earth’s history when amorphous organic matter started to self-organize and generate increasingly complex structures that made life. In this project, I use a scientific approach in combination with staged photography to visualize and capture the process of transforming inanimate organic matter into simple living organisms.

To create the images of emerging life, I am implementing a novel technique based on spectacular visual effects displayed by translucent organic gels subjected to deformations and photographed between two polarized filters. Various organic gels are first molded into abstract, three-dimensional, biological shapes. Gel sculptures are subsequently assembled and staged on a light box, illuminated and then photographed in the cross-polarized light.

Event: Origins

Dates: 2 May 2014 - 31 May 2014

Venue: Galleria 814, Toronto, Canada

CONTACT Scotiabank Photography Festival

Event: Illumination. An Exhibition of Fine Art Photography

Dates: 22 Apr 2014 - 13 May 2014

Venue: Agora Gallery, New York, USA

The photographs which I am presenting tell a story about my fascination with the mystery of origins and the development of life in its infinite richness of forms. It is life which germinates and stubbornly evolves even in the most hostile environments, the life from which we all originate.

Event: Light Forms

Dates: 29 May 2013 - 10 Jun 2013

Venue: Galeria Schody, Warsaw, Poland

My first solo exhibition.


 

Biography

My name is Ela Kurowska and I am a photographer and a biochemist living in London ON Canada. In my artwork, I implement my science background to explore and visualize overpowering forces that compel the natural world to create life. Using an original, science-based technique, I build small compositions from transparent, photoelastic organic gels and other organic materials, and I capture these objects in the cross-polarized light. The resulting images resemble otherworldly life made of light and vivid colors. My works have been exhibited nationally and internationally and have been purchased by many private collectors. Also, my images have won several prestigious awards and have been published in photography magazines. I am very impressed with the quality of work published on Artfinder and I hope the Artfinder would offer me a chance to connect with the global artistic community.