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Elaine Cameron-Weir

Elaine Cameron-Weir’s work is informed by the array of systems and structures that humans have created to deal with the unknown – be that through scientific inquiry, religion, modes of governance or creative practices. Her sculptures incorporate part-objects repurposed from their scientific, medical, military or faith-giving functions into reliquaries or representations of larger systems of belief and power. Her installations combine these found fragments with definitively handmade elements, using techniques as varied as vitreous enamelling, glass casting, metalworking and leather tooling. Together these arrangements are often suspended from the ceiling, seemingly levitating from the ground, yet being simultaneously held in tension by gravity and an architectural framework of pulleys and cables. Materials can also be ephemeral, incorporating heat, light and scent, suggesting transformations of solid matter into dust or diffusion into atmosphere. Cameron-Weir’s sculptures often form uncanny mirror images, through symmetrical details that emphasise the dualistic nature of any narrative or narrator. Although her practice resists straightforward characterization or iconographic interpretation, Cameron-Weir’s works offer the possibility of passage through a portal or beyond a threshold, further facilitating the transition from one state to the next.

Elaine Cameron-Weir was born in 1985 in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada; she lives and works in New York. Past solo exhibitions at institutions include: Dressing for Windows (Exploded View), SCAD Museum of Art, Savannah, USA (2022); STAR CLUB REDEMPTION BOOTH, Henry Art Gallery, Seattle, USA (2021); exhibit from a dripping personal collection, Dortmunder Kunstverein, Dortmund, Germany (2018); Outlooks, Storm King Art Center, New Windsor, USA (2018) and viscera has questions about itself, New Museum, New York, USA (2017). Her work has featured in major group exhibitions including The Milk of Dreams, curated by Cecilia Alemani at the 59th Venice Biennale, Italy (2022); New Time: Art and Feminisms in the 21st Century, BAMPFA, Berkeley, USA (2021); Present Tense, Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA (2019), as well as the Belgrade Biennale, Serbia (2021); the Montreal Biennial, Canada (2017) and the Fellbach Triennial of Small-Scale Sculpture, Germany (2016).

pupil of couture / 4horsemen hairshirt (SS 2024 apocalypse collection)

Elaine Cameron-Weir
pupil of couture / 4horsemen hairshirt (SS 2024 apocalypse collection)

2023
leather trench coats, stainless steel, dyed calf leather, studs
Installed: 396.2 x 589.3 x 127 cm
Installed: 156 x 232 x 50 in

the pest of affectation - fleas have fleas

Elaine Cameron-Weir
the pest of affectation - fleas have fleas

2024 steel fire door, leather trench coat, meat hook, vitreous enamel on copper, magnets, horseshoe nails, steel grit
208.3 x 83.8 x 30.5 cm
82 x 33 x 12 in
 

MY WAY MY LIFE

Elaine Cameron-Weir
MY WAY MY LIFE

2024
glass display case, soot, varnish, aluminum, steel, neon tubing,
electrical components
97.2 x 121.9 x 53.3 cm
38 1/4 x 48 x 21 in

Installation view of Exploded View / Dressing for Windows

Elaine Cameron-Weir
Installation view of Exploded View / Dressing for Windows

Hannah Hoffman, Los Angeles, CA, November 12, 2022 - January 14, 2023

World Stage Town Crier (detail), 2022

Elaine Cameron-Weir
World Stage Town Crier (detail), 2022

speakers, spotlights, electrical components, drop tank nose cone, paint, meat hooks, conveyor belt, pulleys, hardware
dimensions variable

Installation view The Milk of Dreams

Elaine Cameron-Weir
Installation view The Milk of Dreams

59th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, Venice, IT, April 23 - November 27, 2022

Right Hand Left Hand, Grinds a Fantasizer’s Dust, 2021

Elaine Cameron-Weir
Right Hand Left Hand, Grinds a Fantasizer’s Dust, 2021

concrete textile, funerary backdrop stand, neon tubing, transformers, spot lights, silk gauze
85.5 x 112 x 24 inches
217.2 x 284.5 x 61 cm
 

Low Relief Icon (Figure 1) (detail), 2021

Elaine Cameron-Weir
Low Relief Icon (Figure 1) (detail), 2021

US military body transfer cases, aluminum, flicker bulbs, electrical wiring, conveyor belt, pewter, chain, pulleys, aircraft cable, hardware
dimensions variable

Low Relief Icon (Figure 1) (detail), 2021

Elaine Cameron-Weir
Low Relief Icon (Figure 1) (detail), 2021

US military body transfer cases, aluminum, flicker bulbs, electrical wiring, conveyor belt, pewter, chain, pulleys, aircraft cable, hardware
dimensions variable
 

A toothless grin. A STAR EXPANSION! GLOBE OF DEATH A graveyard orbit, 2018

Elaine Cameron-Weir
A toothless grin. A STAR EXPANSION! GLOBE OF DEATH A graveyard orbit, 2018

steel, concrete, aircraft cable, decommissioned S-250/G military shelter
314 square feet

A toothless grin. A STAR EXPANSION! GLOBE OF DEATH A graveyard orbit (detail), 2018

Elaine Cameron-Weir
A toothless grin. A STAR EXPANSION! GLOBE OF DEATH A graveyard orbit (detail), 2018

steel, concrete, aircraft cable, decommissioned S-250/G military shelter
314 square feet

Snake 12, 2020

Elaine Cameron-Weir
Snake 12, 2020

copper, enamel, stainless steel, sandbag
168 x 16 x 60 inches
427 x 41 x 152 cm

Snake 12 (detail), 2020

Elaine Cameron-Weir
Snake 12 (detail), 2020

copper, enamel, stainless steel, sandbag
168 x 16 x 60 inches
427 x 41 x 152 cm

it thought you were someone else it thought you were me bounded by strings in the distorted phases of a topological superfluid a mysterious density half-speed vortices and long walls, 2019

Elaine Cameron-Weir
it thought you were someone else it thought you were me bounded by strings in the distorted phases of a topological superfluid a mysterious density half-speed vortices and long walls, 2019

concrete, liquid candles, glass, stainless steel, leather, neon
45.5 x 32 x 31 inches
115.5 x 81 x 79 cm
 

it thought you were someone else it thought you were me bounded by strings in the distorted phases of a topological superfluid a mysterious density half-speed vortices and long walls (detail), 2019

Elaine Cameron-Weir
it thought you were someone else it thought you were me bounded by strings in the distorted phases of a topological superfluid a mysterious density half-speed vortices and long walls (detail), 2019

concrete, liquid candles, glass, stainless steel, leather, neon
45.5 x 32 x 31 inches
115.6 x 81 x 79 cm

the witnesses turned away he signed the moon out of bed and fact folded back yielding a crumpled up smile a discarded face finally familiar it was setting the sun it was waiting for you, 2019

Elaine Cameron-Weir
the witnesses turned away he signed the moon out of bed and fact folded back yielding a crumpled up smile a discarded face finally familiar it was setting the sun it was waiting for you, 2019

stainless steel, pewter, rawhide, neon, whip antenna, chandelier parts, liquid candle, leather
72 x 35.5 x 10 inches
183 x 90 x 25 cm

the witnesses turned away he signed the moon out of bed and fact folded back yielding a crumpled up smile a discarded face finally familiar it was setting the sun it was waiting for you, 2019

Elaine Cameron-Weir
the witnesses turned away he signed the moon out of bed and fact folded back yielding a crumpled up smile a discarded face finally familiar it was setting the sun it was waiting for you, 2019

stainless steel, pewter, rawhide, neon, whip antenna, chandelier parts, liquid candle, leather
72 x 35.5 x 10 inches
183 x 90 x 25 cm

Installation view,III: HeavyShield, Knowles, Cameron-Weir

Elaine Cameron-Weir
Installation view,III: HeavyShield, Knowles, Cameron-Weir

Remai Modern, Saskatoon, 2018
August 31, 2018 - January 20, 2019

newly laid test route on which ruts are already worn, 2023

Elaine Cameron-Weir
newly laid test route on which ruts are already worn, 2023

stainless steel rod, laboratory lattice connectors, wet-formed calf leather, WWII era American silk parachute section, hardware
61 x 36 x 7 inches
154.9 x 91.4 x 17.8 cm
 

newly laid test route on which ruts are already worn (detail), 2023

Elaine Cameron-Weir
newly laid test route on which ruts are already worn (detail), 2023

stainless steel rod, laboratory lattice connectors, wet-formed calf leather, WWII era American silk parachute section, hardware
61 x 36 x 7 inches 
154.9 x 91.4 x 17.8 cm
 

Metaphor, 2016

Elaine Cameron-Weir
Metaphor, 2016

stainless steel, lead, sand
108 x 78 x 27 inches
274.3 x 198.1 x 68.5 cm

Metaphor, 2016

Elaine Cameron-Weir
Metaphor, 2016

stainless steel, lead, sand
108 x 78 x 27 inches
274.3 x 198.1 x 68.5 cm

MY LIFE MY WAY

Elaine Cameron-Weir
MY LIFE MY WAY

2024
glass display case, soot, varnish, aluminum, steel, neon tubing, electrical components
97.2 x 121.9 x 54.6 cm
38 1/4 x 48 x 21 1/2 in

western procession of oldest wounds (hit parade) wrecked high altar of buying tears

Elaine Cameron-Weir
western procession of oldest wounds (hit parade) wrecked high altar of buying tears

2024
aluminum horseshoes, conveyor belt, horseshoe nails, stainless steel, barrels, lead, steel grit, liquid candles
Installed: 396.2 x 1319.5 x 429.3 cm
Installed: 156 x 519 1/2 x 169 in

dance macabre / waste management

Elaine Cameron-Weir
dance macabre / waste management

2024
cast iron, steel pallet, lead, steel grit, liquid candles
34.3 x 106.7 x 153.7 cm
13 1/2 x 42 x 60 1/2 in

stage makeup / vanitas

Elaine Cameron-Weir
stage makeup / vanitas

2024
cast iron, steel pallet, lead, steel grit, liquid candles
34.3 x 106.7 x 153.7 cm
13 1/2 x 42 x 60 1/2 in
 

marginalia (5)

Elaine Cameron-Weir
marginalia (5)

2024
White bronze, enamel, hardware
Four wall mounted metal plaques
14 x 16.5 x 1.9 cm Each
5 1/2 x 6 1/2 x 3/4 in Each
 

marginalia (2)

Elaine Cameron-Weir
marginalia (2)

2024
White bronze, enamel, hardware
Five wall mounted metal plaques
14 x 16.5 x 1.9 cm Each
5 1/2 x 6 1/2 x 3/4 in Each

marginalia (1)

Elaine Cameron-Weir
marginalia (1)

2024
White bronze, enamel, hardware
Five wall mounted metal plaques
14 x 16.5 x 1.9 cm Each
5 1/2 x 6 1/2 x 3/4 in Each
 

Exhibitions

  1. Elaine Cameron-Weir: A WAY OF LIFE - past exhibition

    Elaine Cameron-Weir: A WAY OF LIFE

    7 March – 13 April 2024

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