Elena Urucatu

Currently lives and works in: Madrid (Spain), (Berlin) Germany

Practice: Visual artist

Curiously, I come from a completely different world, professional sport, high jumping. I trained in
physical education between Bucharest and Madrid and it was in 2010 that I specialised in
industrial design and little by little I took the path of art. In 2012, together with Carlos Maté we
formed Carlos Maté Estudio. Thanks to the Portuguese artist Juliao Sarmiento, who has counted
on me to carry out one of his artistic proposals in Madrid, I discovered a direct interest in
performance art.

My interest in understanding the consequences of our actions on the planet and the urgency to
explore the role of art in the socio-environmental crisis, led me to embark on master’s studies with
the aim of finding theoretical and plastic answers, exploring current and past artistic movements.
In 2017, I made the decision to delve into fine art through the Carlos III University’s Master’s
programme.

My art projects have a strong conceptual basis, focusing on the human experience and exploring
our connections to nature, culture and the wider social system. They seek to transform the way
we interpret experience, how we remember it and understand culture and history. I am interested
in what we inherit, how we receive heritage, honour it and pass it on, how we create our own
identity as well as our relationship to our environment. I firmly believe in the power of art to raise
awareness, provoke reflection and generate innovative solutions to the environmental challenges
we face as a society. My latest works seek to be a bridge of connection between the individual
and nature, inviting a re-evaluation of our relationship with the natural environment.

My artistic approach is characterised by its open-ended nature, focusing primarily on the creation
of installations and performances. Each project I undertake is unique, and I am always willing to
investigate, experiment with new techniques and embrace various artistic disciplines, such as
photography, video, sculpture or drawing. In addition, I do not hesitate to collaborate with other
artists or artisans, when the occasion calls for it.

I had the possibility to collaborate with international artists such as Juliao Sarmento, Shahar Dor,
Jiri Skala, Brad Butler and Mirtza Karen, Jaime Vallaure, Esther Ferrer at the Centro Atlantico de
Arte Moderno, Centro Centro Centro, Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo, Fundación Dados Negros,
Museo La Neomudejar and Fundación Luis Seoane.