Elisa Insua
Multimedia Artist
Elisa Insua grew up absorbed with craft-making, and by age 16 started compiling objects into mosaic-like assemblages. Deemed useless to their prior owners, Elisa decided to breathe new life into them through her creative practice. By studying economics and business, as opposed to fine art, enabled the artist to learn more about capitalism and its ramifications on the modern world. This would later prove to be a great inspiration in her work, such as in Big One Dollar Bill, 2013. With her unique perspective and wealth of knowledge, Insua’s work links economic theory with discarded consumers’ objects.
Self-taught, Insua’s practice sits at the intersection of Argentinian Arte Povera and Pop Art. The acts of appropriation and reusing serve as the bedrock of comments on our society, specifically looking at need, greed, trend and obsolescence. Through her practice, Insua thought about sustainability before it became a global awareness and advocated for a more responsible way of consuming. Today, she works in collaboration with cooperatives to collect donated scraps. From financial value to emotional value, Insua is also interested in how we relate to these objects and artefacts and what they might say about us as individuals or as a society.
In line with her education, most of Insua’s projects start with notebooks filled with sketches and diagrams where she brings economic theories to life in visual and embossed forms. All her pieces take up to a month of careful composition and combination. Insua states “I paint with objects”, highlighting her attention to colour and shapes. Inspired by the aesthetics of advertising or the symbols of power, such as gold, shine, and ornaments, she uses their attractive effect as a strategy to trigger questions in the viewer: do we need more? What’s the limit of our satisfaction? What use is (more) gain? Why do we desire wealth?
More recently, Insua has also been experimenting with 3D modelling and augmented reality to continue her conversation about energy and ecology and their effect on the climate. Insua uses irony and playfulness to make us reflect on society’s state and future, with humour working as a way to cope with reality.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2022
‘Sugar Coated Lies’, Kyoto Art Centre, Kyoto, Japan
2021
‘The Path of Least Resistance’, Materials for the Arts, New York, US.
2019
‘Virtual Vanitas’, Usina del Arte, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2018
‘Quid Pro Quo’, APPA Gallery, Madrid, Spain.
2016
‘More is More’, Espacio Modos, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2014
‘Stairway to Heaven’, Plataforma “Site Specific Art”, Córdoba, Argentina.
Selected Art Fairs
2023
Salon ACME No.10, Mexico City, Mexico.
2022
Zona Maco, 2022, Mexico City, Mexico.
2020
Pinta Miami, 2020, Miami, US.
Scope Art Fair, Miami, US.L
2018
The Other Art Fair, London, UK.
Hybrid Art Fair, Madrid, Spain.
2017, 2016, 2015 and 2014
ArteBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2013
Arte Espacio, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Puro Diseño, Buenos, Aires, Argentina.
2012
Arte Espacio, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2011
Arte Espacio, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Selected Group Exhibitions
2022
‘What Matters is the Skin’, Praxis Gallery, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
‘Markets through Contemporary Art’, Museo del Banco de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico.
‘Reflections’, European Cultural Centre, Venice, Italy.
2021
‘Archeology of Desire’ Sívori Museum, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
‘Archeology of Desire’, Perlotti Museum, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2020
‘Drivers for Change’, We Collect, London, UK.
2019
‘Queer Frontiers’, Brewer Street, London, UK.
‘Memento Mons’, Beaux Art Mons Museum, Mons, Belgium.
‘Counterpoints, Once Siete Art Space, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
‘Queer Frontiers’, Brewer Street, London, UK.
2018
‘Lúdica, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo del Sur, Buenos Aires,
Argentina.
‘Omisión Ligera’, Cerquone Projects, Madrid, Spain.
‘Omisión Ligera’, Cerquone Projects, Caracas Venezuela.
‘Art Battalion’, White Lab, Madrid, Spain.
2016
‘Proyecto Vergel’, María Casado HG, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2015
‘Poetic Anthology’, Casa Matienzo, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
‘Premio Fundación Andreani’, Centro Cultural Borges, Buenos Aires,
Argentina.
2014
‘Remake’, Centro de Investigación Cinematográfica, Buenos Aires,
Argentina.
‘La Real’, Museo de Arquitectura, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2013
‘Premio Regina Pacis’, Regina Pacis Escuela de Bella Artes, Buenos Aires,
Argentina.
‘Gruop Uno’, Dock Creativo, Buenos Aires, Argentina.