Elisa Pritzker facts for kids

Elisa Pritzker (born in 1955) is an amazing artist from Argentina and the United States. She creates art using many different materials and styles, both flat (like paintings) and 3D (like sculptures).

Elisa Pritzker's Early Life and Education

Elisa Pritzker was born in Mar del Plata, Argentina, in 1955. She loved art from a young age. She studied at the School of Ceramics and became certified in 1976. Later, she earned her Master of Fine Arts degree from the Superior School of Visual Arts in 1987. After finishing her studies, Elisa taught art at both schools for several years. She helped many students learn about ceramics and visual arts.

Today, Elisa lives with her husband, Enrique Rob Lunski, in Ulster County, New York. Their home is called Casa del Arte, which means 'House of Art'.

Elisa Pritzker's Artistic Journey

In 1993, Elisa moved to the United States. She settled in the Hudson Valley area of New York. Here, she started making art about important ideas like love, war, and peace. Over time, her art projects grew. She began using unusual and unexpected materials in her artworks.

The "CD Project"

One of Elisa's interesting projects was the "CD Project." In this project, she used old CDs in new ways.

@Maya

From 2001 to 2004, she created "@Maya." For this artwork, she drew ancient Mayan symbols and signs on the CDs. This connected old Mayan science with modern technology.

Nature versus Technology

In 2005, for the Kingston Sculpture Biennial, she made "Nature versus Technology." She covered the bottom part of a living tree with CDs in a wooded area of Kingston, New York. This artwork made people think about how technology affects nature.

The "Buddha Project"

In 2007, Elisa created the "Buddha Project." This was a special installation for an exhibition called "No East-No West." The project was designed to help people look inside themselves. It had its own room in the gallery.

Exploring Inner Self Through Art

The room featured images of Buddha as silhouettes. There were also small objects for respect, meditation boxes, and other items for quiet thought. The floor was covered with white sand and a bowl of water, which are symbols of purity in Buddhism. There were also meditation cushions and a path made of stones.

The Eyes of the Buddha

The main part of the room was a large, colorful painting called "Eyes of the Buddha." Elisa painted this directly on the gallery wall. Below the painting, she placed incense cones as part of the ritual. When the exhibition ended, Elisa painted over the "Eyes of the Buddha." This was like the Buddhist tradition of mandalas, where beautiful patterns are made with sand and then carefully destroyed.

The "URBA.NATURAL" Project

The "Buddha Project" made Elisa more interested in installation art. She also wanted to create art that connected with nature. Her "URBA.NATURAL" project, from 2010, included four parts: "zippers," "trunks," "birds.dogs.deer," and "antlers.jaws.skin."

Connecting Nature and Humanity

• "zippers": Elisa used zippers to show how nature and humans are connected.
• "trunks": She placed men's underwear or trouser parts on tree trunks. This showed an unexpected link between nature and human life.
• "birds.dogs.deer": This part combined different items like porcelain figures of animals, twigs, painted CDs, and hand-painted photos on aluminum.
• "antlers.jaws.skin": Elisa connected her South American background with nature. She drew lines and shapes, like those of native peoples, on animal bones.

Other Important Art Projects

In 2012, Elisa created the "Eclectica Store/Hudson Valley." She used objects she had collected or made over the years and set them up like a store. This art project showed the many different kinds of things found in the Hudson Valley, both in nature and among people.

Elisa continues to explore how humans and nature interact. Her "Selknam Series" focuses on the Selknam people, who were native to southern Argentina and Chile. This series is a way to remember a rich culture that no longer exists. Elisa wants to remind people about the importance of respecting all cultures. This series was shown in Iceland in 2015-2016 and at the Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art (HVCCA) Museum in 2017.

Besides being an artist, Elisa Pritzker also helps organize art shows as a curator. She co-founded HCC-Arts and has been recognized for her work there. Her interviews and art have been featured in magazines, on PBS, and on the radio. Elisa also writes a column called "La Esquina de las Artes" (The Corner of the Arts) for La Voz at Bard College and ABClatino magazine.

Art Exhibitions and Collections

Elisa Pritzker's art has been shown in many places around the world. She has had both group and solo exhibitions.

Exhibitions in the United States

In New York City, her work has been displayed at famous places like the Museum of Modern Art, Lincoln Center Plaza, and the Sculpture Center. In New York State, her art has been seen at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art and the Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Arts.

International Exhibitions

Around the world, Elisa's art has been shown in Taiwan, Greece, London, Buenos Aires (Argentina), Berlin (Germany), and Jerusalem (Israel).

Her artworks are also part of important art collections. These include Dia Beacon and the Brooklyn Art Library in New York. Her art is also in collections in Paris, France, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, as well as in private collections in the United States, London, Germany, and Israel.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Elisa Pritzker has received many awards for her art and community work.

Notable Awards

She has won two Congressional Awards from US Congressman Maurice Hinchey for her work in community arts and culture. She also received a National Black Prestige Award and was honored by J.P. Morgan Chase as a Working Woman.

Grants and Special Projects

Elisa has also received several grants, which are like special funds for artists. These include grants from the New York State Council on the Arts and the Puffin Foundation.

In 2004, Elisa was chosen to represent the U.S. at an international art project in Greece. This project, called "The Pyramids of Naxos," focused on the environment and waste during the 2004 Olympics. In 2018, she was the featured artist in Sanctuary magazine.