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The body of work of Ely Daou is concerned with questioning and protesting many of the world’s human conflicts and human nature, including their own. As an interdisciplinary artist, Ely often finds ways to visually represent numbers and statistics that they mine from their own life and personal habits. Through durational performances, Ely engages in repeated movements and labor, fostering an awareness of the body and subtle shifts in the surrounding environment. Despite imposing strict rules and structures upon themselves and their routines, the outcome is often expressive, even if at times consciously absurd. These bodily actions expand upon and hint at broader discussions surrounding identity, memory, and the human experience.
For the last decade, as a full-time independent artist, in the sake of not compromising their art practice “job,” Ely has been constantly on the move due to the absence of a fixed base and the lack of a consistent income. A big part of Ely’s work has shifted into searching for artist residency opportunities or periodic exchanges with art institutions and independent art spaces. This pursuit allows Ely to focus on developing their practice while safeguarding their personal time, steadfastly rejecting any form of ‘Bullshit Jobs.’
“It is a form of paid employment that is so completely pointless, unnecessary, or harmful that even the employee cannot justify its existence even though, as part of the conditions of employment, the employee feels obliged to pretend that this is not the case.”
– David Graeber –
Ely makes his residence in Can Serrat during May-June 2021
During 2022 Ely will be at Ca Serrat as part of the retorns program.