Elan Vital
Abstract Composition #226
2000

About the Item

This vibrant abstract painting is immediately recognizable as the work of Hawaii-based artist Elan Vital. Vital’s art is unique not only in appearance, but in process and materials as well. Vital begins with an aerospace enamel he found used on the U-2 spy plane, then combines it with wonderful, vibrant colors to create exotic patterns. The additional materials employed in this artwork are ground mica, metals and natural elements which impart a beautiful shine and translucence to each piece with no two paintings alike. This particular work has an especially broad and vibrant pallet. It measures 26” x 26”. The painted canvas wraps around the stretcher bars, so it should not be framed. The work is signed on one edge as well as on the reverse. In addition, it bears a Certificate of Authenticity. The work is not titled, but it is numbered #226 on the reverse. It says that the viewer can decide the orientation of the artwork, but I believe this piece is most pleasing when hung as I have illustrated. The work is in very good condition, with one very small blemish, barely visible, on the lower left edge approximately 1 inch long x 1/32 inch wide. Please see my close up picture. As the son of a prominent lithographer and growing up in New York City, Élan was exposed to art and color at a very early age. His discovery of Leonardo DaVinci's renaissance diversity theory first touched him when he was only seven; DaVinci became an influential force in Élan's life, and still is to this day. Élan attended a high school for gifted students and graduated with honors, attaining an equivalency of an Associate Degree in Engineering at age seventeen. After graduation, Élan was hired by the IBM Corporation as a computer diagnostics expert - the youngest on their team. He was later hired by the ITT Corporation as a design engineer for projects such as the Manila airport underground lighting system and the towers for a hydroelectric dam in Pakistan. Élan's personal artistic revolution began after leaving the corporate world and joining a commune of artists in the East Village, Manhattan. It was there, while designing psychedelic lighting equipment, Élan met Andy Warhol. Andy committed the monetary resources for Élan to design the first psychedelic discotechque, located on Saint Marks Place in New York City. This became the springboard for many artistic endeavors for Élan - combining invention with art. Élan moved to Hawaii in 1988. His first major work in Maui was a 49-foot, 10-ton, life-size, humpback whale - the largest sculpture of its kind in Hawaii. Élan donated the whale to establish Maui's Ecology Park, where it is now on permanent display. After completion of the whale, Élan began his signature work - combining aerospace enamel with exotic pigments and finely ground minerals. His inspiration for these meta-realistic paintings comes from the beauty of gemstones, his colorful surroundings, and life itself. Élan's masterpieces, with 30-75 layers of extraordinary color, explode with depth and movement! Like fine studio art-glass and gemstones, light travels through each individual layer of color; this is what makes Élan's work so incredibly luminous! The only artist in the world to use this medium and technique, Élan has captured nature's beauty, creating a unique and compelling style.

Creator:

Elan Vital

Creation Year:

2000

Dimensions:

Height: 26 in (66.04 cm)Width: 26 in (66.04 cm)Depth: 1.5 in (3.81 cm)

Medium:

Oil

Movement & Style:

Abstract

Period:

2000-2009

Condition:

The work is in very good condition, with one very small blemish, barely visible, on the lower left edge approximately 1 inch long x 1/32 inch wide. Please see my close up picture.

Gallery Location:

San Francisco, CA

Reference Number:

Seller: PM12232019-21stDibs: LU66635499522

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