ABOUT

ABOUT
Thor Elias is a Norwegian Australia based photo media artist whose work has been featured in several publications such as a cultural History of fashion in the 20th century, French Photo, Lino, Art World, Australian Art Review, Oyster, Camera Arts, Capture and Australian Photographer.

The recipient of grants, and international prizes, including those of the Norwegian government, the Queensland Arts Council, the International photography Awards and The Centre for Fine Art Photography.

He is also involved in many diverse art projects and commissions.Thor Elias has had several solo exhibitions, Feeling Cambodia, to name one, at the Queensland Centre for Photography as well as being represented in many group shows world wide.

He also has a permanent exhibition in Siem Reap, Cambodia where the revenue goes to a local orphanage, supporting the children’s education.

Thor Elias is represented as an artist by United Galleries, Australia.

Artist statements from personal projects:

Project One: Just A Moment, Please.
'Just a Moment, Please' explores the phenomenon of Japanese Harajuku fashion, in which a youth sub-culture uses bizarre extremes of costume and make-up to rebel against uniformity and norms of Japanese society. This behaviour appears to be driven by a superficial desire to create an individual identity, rather than making a political or philosophical statement.

Project Two: The North Series.
This new personal project is an ongoing process of rediscovering the North, where I come from. For me after living five years in Australia, the north has become exotic. Ironically, most other Norwegians would normally associate that word with tropical islands, rainforests, beaches and sun!

The series studies what I once took for granted growing up there, both in the rich human history of Scandinavia, as well as the more immediately tangible features of this part of our planet, such as the unique and striking landscapes resulting from natural forces.

I have tried to capture some of the moods, atmospheres and ambience, while attempting also to incorporate experienced feelings. The cold, the solitude, the remote emptiness, the darkness in winter, and the sun that never sets in summer.

AWARDS

2010 Finalist HumanKind Exhibition, New York Photo Festival, Powerhouse Arena, NY, USA
2010 Finalist Moran Contemporary Photographic Art Prize, Sydney, Australia
2008 IPA, 5 Honourable mentions in Professional
Categories fine art, fashion & advertising,
Los Angeles, USA
2008 Finalist Moran Contemporary Photographic Art Prize,
Sydney, Australia
2007 International Photography Awards, 3 Honourable
mentions in Professional Categories, LA, USA
2007 Cover Art Challenge Award Winner, Queensland
Arts Council, Brisbane, Australia
2007 Finalist ACMP Trampoline 07 Projections,
Sydney,Australia
2006 International Photography Awards Honourable
mention, Fine Art Professional, LA, USA
2006 International Photography Awards, Two Honourable
Mentions, People/lifestyle, Prof., LA, USA
2006 Finalist On The Edge The Center for Fine Art
Photography, Fort Collins, USA
2006 Finalist Project 30 June exhibitions, New York, USA 2006 Finalist ACMP Trampoline 06 Projections,
Sydney, Australia
2006 Premiere selection, PHOTO ‘Le Plus Grand
Concours Photo Du Monde’, Paris, France
2006 Finalist Project 30, May and June
exhibition, New York, USA
2005 Finalist Thiess Art Prize, Dell Gallery,
Brisbane, Australia
2005 Capture Magazines ‘Exposed’ competition in
March 2005, Sydney, Australia
2005 The annual F-Stop Imaging Director’s Choice Award,
Brisbane, Australia