Arturo Elena
Teruel – 1958
CAREER
Arturo Elena began working in the early 1980’s
Arturo Elena began working in the early 1980’s as an assistant designer in Barcelona, designing clothing collections for men and women for brands including Bambú and Daniel G. Later on he moved to Sevilla and continued working as a fashion designer. At that time he received his first commission as a fashion illustrator from designers Victorio & Lucchino, with whom he continued collaborating in graphic projects in the years that followed.
In 1992, Victorio & Lucchino commissioned Arturo to illustrate the press release folders for their first fashion show in the Pasarela de Moda Cibeles in Madrid (now called Mercedes Benz Madrid Fashion Week), and for the launch of their first perfume. These works, seen by the fashion press enabled him to be recognised as an illustrator and from that moment, he stopped working as fashion designer in order to dedicate himself exclusively to being a fashion illustrator.
Arturo has collaborated with designers and brands such as Loewe, Chanel España, Roberto Verino, Lemoniez, Inditex, L’Oreal Paris, Carrera y Carrera, Audemars Piguet, The Extrème Collection, Tejidos Rafael Matías, Benetton and Custo Barcelona amongst others.
Away from the fashion industry, he has worked creating images for advertising campaigns of brands such as Citröen, Lucky Strike, Reynolds, Drambuie and LVMH amongst others. One of his recent works has been for the Swiss watch manufacturer Audemars Piguet, a collection of 12 images that represent ‘The twelve moments of the AP woman’.
From 1992 to 2009 his work has been published monthly by Cosmopolitan España magazine.
Arturo’s illustrations have also been featured in Spanish magazines such as Elle, Telva, Mujer Hoy and Yo Dona, plus in many international magazines. From 1992 to 2009 his illustrations were published in Cosmopolitan (Spain) on a monthly basis.
From 1998 to 2006 Arturo taught as a guest lecturer in illustration in the Istituto Europeo di Design (Madrid, Barcelona), he recently has been giving short workshops in different national institutions teaching his illustration techniques.
In 2009, Arturo was invited by the CIPE Costume Museum of Madrid, to expose fifty-two of his original artwork in a single retrospective titled ‘Arturo Elena: 25 Years of Fashion Illustration’ where you could see the evolution of his work from Its beginnings to the present.
Sydney (Australia)
May 2009
In 2001 the Culture Minister for Spain acquired 15 of Arturo’s original illustrations for the Fashion Museum (Museo del Traje CIPE) in Madrid.
INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITIONS
2013: Instituto CABAÑAS (Guadalajara – México)
2012: Sala Luzán Caja Ahorros Inmaculada (Zaragoza)
2012: Zona MACO (México) Lounge AP – “12 Momentos de la mujer AP” – Audemars Piguet América y Latinoamérica
2012: ARCO (Madrid) Lounge AP-Sala VIP – “12 Momentos de la mujer AP” – Audemars Piguet Iberia
2011: Mercedes Benz Madrid Fashion Week – “12 Momentos de la mujer AP” – Audemars Piguet Iberia
2010: Galería Pepe Rebollo (Zaragoza)
2010: Ayuntamiento de Santa Eulalia del Campo (Teruel)
2009: Museo del Traje CIPE (Madrid). “Arturo Elena: 25 años de ilustración”
2007: ESME Escuela Superior de Moda y Empresa (Madrid)
2006: Istituto Europeo di Design (Barcelona)
2001: Istituto Europeo di Design (Madrid)
1999: Galería Antonia Puyó (Zaragoza)
COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS
Arturo Elena has collaborated in collective exhibitions, including ‘Behind the mirror’ in the Museo de Arte Moderno Reina Sofia in Madrid, dedicated to Spanish fashion, and also the exhibition ‘Paper Chic’ in the Circulo de Bellas Artes in Madrid dedicated to ‘Los mejores ilustradores de moda españoles del momento’ (‘The best fashion illustrators of the moment’).
AWARDS
2012
Art and Creativity Award National Forum on Female Leadership and Business “Tiempo de Mujeres 2012”
2006
Award for creative professional career from Aragón Club de Marketing
2002
Illustrator of the year ‘ARI’ Award from The News Magazines Association
CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS
Since 1998, Arturo has dedicated part of his time as a lecturer at the Istituto Europeo di Design (Madrid and Barcelona), where he has carried out retrospective exhibitions of his work.
He has also carried out master classes, conferences and workshops in the following organisations:
2016: Intervention in Fashion and Beauty Communication Masters Telva and YoDona, organised by the Escuela de Periodismo de Unidad Editorial and the Universidad CEU – San Pablo in Madrid.
2013: Museo del Traje CIPE (Madrid)
2013: Museo ABC (Madrid) – I Semana del Dibujo y la Ilustración.
2013: Instituto CABAÑAS (Guadalajara – México)
2012: Escuela de Diseño y Comunicación CEADE Leonardo (Sevilla)
2012: Universidad CEU San Pablo (Madrid)
2011: UIMP International University ‘Menéndez Pelayo’ (Tenerife)
2011: School of Art (Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz)
2010: Design Centre ‘Hacer Creativo’ (Zaragoza)
2010: Art School and Design High School of La Rioja
2010: Art School of Cádiz (Cádiz)
2010: III Edition of ‘Fashion Meetings’. Cultural Association ‘Zayas’ (Madrid)
2010: EDA Artistic Centre of Fashion and Design (Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz)
2009: I Edition ‘Fashion Palette’ (Sidney, Australia)
2008: ESDEMGA Galicia University (Galicia)
2008: CEU University Saint Pablo (Madrid)
2006 – 2012: Istituto Europeo di Design (Barcelona)
1998 – 2005: Istituto Europeo di Design (Madrid)
For professional queries please contact Sara Castillo Romero sara.castillo@arturoelena.com
For general or shop enquiries please contact info@arturoelena.com or use the contact form
THANK YOU