Elena Cescon is 23 years old, from Padova - Italy, based in Paris.
“I love contrasts of things, contrasts of rules and things that make no sense. My art correlates different aspects of the world and emphasizes them with irony. For example, in Paris, I see all these high fashion stores where people spend 800 euros for a pair of shoes, but when those shops close I also see homeless people sleeping outside (many of which, I now know, are homeless by choice). That used to make me feel anxious, but after some time I realized that the world is beautiful because of its variety and juxtapositions. I always loved going to art exhibitions, you know. My mom is an artist, so from a very young age I was already drawing a lot and going to art galleries. These exhibitions and galleries always made me happy because afterwards I just felt such a pleasing sense of satisfaction and happiness. It completed my day, like I could end the day happy by just going to an exhibition. I studied History of Art and Archeology at La Sorbonne in Paris, and am about to start a two-year program in Communications that focuses on creative advertising and photography. This city is absolutely perfect for art—it’s taught me that there are different lifestyles, some of which are completely opposite, but I’ve found that this contrast is what makes the world beautiful. I love that people here appreciate art in general too, so whenever there are events going on, almost any person I ask is keen on coming and checking them out with me. My biggest inspirations are street artists like Clet, Gregos, Space Invaders, and Fabrice Minel. Minel does sculptures of dead rats and I think it’s amazing. Her concept of Paris through her art is this same idea of contrasts; that although it is an extravagant city, both fancy people and rats live joyously together.”
How would you describe yourself?
“I am an energetic, stimulating person who always needs to do something even if it is in tranquility where I find peace. I’m a cheerful person, I make myself and others laugh and when I am low in morale, and I am also happy when sad because I know that pain is important and allows us to grow. In a nutshell, I’m a girl of just over twenty years old who loves life and all its facets. For me, the important things in life are hanging out with my friends and meeting people who are different from me. I also love learning new things and talking about many subjects. I love horse riding and kitesurfing; both these sports helped me become a better person and to respect Mother Nature to the fullest. Kitesurfing taught me to take advantage of nature without owning it. It taught me that the wind becomes our engine and takes you where you want but the important thing is to ask it with kindness. ‘The free man will always love the sea perhaps because in another life he/she was a pirate.’”
What advice do you have for young womxn considering this type of career?
“Be sincere to others and to yourself. In my opinion there is a major difference between people that are in the art world: There’s those that want to show their memorized knowledge about art history/authors, and there’s others that just like it and express themselves through it however they want. You don’t necessarily have to know a bunch from the past in order to be part of this environment. Concentrate on the emotion more than facts and theory. You don’t necessarily have to study in order to appreciate a work of art. Stay true to yourself. At the end of the day, people will always appreciate your genuinity.”