Luke Elwes

Biography

Elwes (pronounced "El-wez") was born in London, where he now works and lives with his wife, Anneke Elwes and two sons Jake Elwes and Toby Elwes. His early years were spent in Teheran, Persia, where the light and space of the desert were a formative influence.

Between 1979 and 1985 he studied History at Bristol University and Painting at Camberwell School of Art.

While working at Christie's, he began to travel and write, and after meeting Bruce Chatwin in 1987 he went to the central Australian desert to explore the landscape and its use in aboriginal storytelling and artforms.

Since then he has continued to travel extensively, discovering and revisiting remote locations in India, Asia Minor and North Africa.

In 1998 he was artist in residence on an expedition to Mount Kailash, a holy mountain in western Tibet.

Since his first exhibition in 1990 he has had twelve one man shows in London, Paris and New York.

His work was inspired by the landscapes of Osea Island where he rented a cottage with his family for many years.

He also writes about contemporary painting for journals including Modern Painters, Galleries and the Royal Academy magazine, and is currently undertaking postgraduate research at Birkbeck, University of London.

Selected collections

Collections include the Bayer Collection; Chelsea and Westminster Hospital; Christie's Contemporary Art Collection; Deutsche Hypo Bank; Luther Pendragon Collection and The National Trust Foundation for Art.

Solo exhibitions

Selected group shows

Publications