Elli Rome

I have memories of my upbringing in Israel, a nation entrenched in a state of conflict—a condition that perpetually demands the nation's reconstruction due to the persistent state of war. Israel is a place where modern life creates modern living spaces that stand side by side with the country’s deep, ancient history, from its archeological sites to crumbling ruins.

My paintings exist in a realm of abstraction. The actual act of clipping images from magazines or my own photographs are very important to my art making, a process that involves both creation and destruction. By doing it I am extracting my memories and memories of others, into shapes, lines, and patterns. I build them up layer by layer to form places where I see, smell and feel myself once again. The small, delicately drawn motifs feel at time decorative in places but they are flashes of scenes and experiences. They don’t make much sense in the beginning, where the first tone may be chaotic, but recognition and familiarity may emerge for the viewer. The texture brings about an interplay between the beatific and the aggressive.

I want to make paintings that are vague at first glance, but to grab and hold the audience’s attention. The more the viewers look at them, the ...

Master of Fine Arts, Tufts University/School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Post-Baccalaureate certificate in Fine arts, School of Arts Center International, Florence, Italy
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Communications Arts, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

2017 WeRart, Java Studios, Brooklyn, NY
2016 All in One, Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY
2014 The Blue and White Thread, Cyclorama, Boston, MA
2013 Multimedia Show, Capturing the Moon, Forth Wall Gallery, Boston, MA
2011-13 School of the Museum of Fine Art Show, Boston, MA
2010 Coming to America, La Corte, Florence, Italy
2010 Multimedia Show, Memories, La Corte, Florence, Italy
2008 Biblical Heroine, Artworks, Richmond, VA
2008 Group Show, Hot-locks, Artworks, Richmond, VA
2008 Group Show, Fish Day, Artworks, Richmond, VA
2007 Group Show, Summer Time, Petersburg Art center, Petersburg, VA