Elena Helfrecht (*1992) is a visual artist based in Bavaria. Her practice revolves around the inner space and the phenomena of consciousness, emerging from an autobiographical context and opening up to the surreal and fantastic. Interweaving experience and imagination, she creates inextricable narratives with multiple layers of meaning, characterised by a visceral iconography. Within her work, photography serves as a direct connection between the internal and the external realm. Through this process, she relates individual experiences to a collective history and turns personal involvement into a shared understanding. She is influenced by the folklore and landscapes of her home and her love for Art History and Psychology.

Elena’s work has been shown in group and solo exhibitions internationally, at institutions and festivals such as South London Gallery (UK), Galleria Civica Cavour (IT), The Benaki Museum (GR), Villa Kebbel (DE), Photo Vogue Festival (IT), Encontros da Imagem (PT), FORMAT Festival Derby (UK), and Palácio das Artes (BR).

She is a recipient of the BJP International Photo Award, as well as the Sony World Photo Award, the Camera Work Award and the AOP Student Award. Among others, she was selected as one of the Bloomberg New Contemporaries and nominated for the FOAM Paul Huf Award. Recently, she has been selected as one of the Futures Photography Talents by VOID.

Her images have been featured in numerous publications such as The New Yorker, ZEIT, Financial Times Weekend, The Guardian, and British Journal of Photography.
She has given lectures and talks at institutions such as the London College of Communication, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, and the University of Europe. Elena’s work is held in private and public collections.



Education

2019
Royal College of Art, London | MFA Photography (distinction)
2017
Humboldt-Universität, Berlin | Master Programme Art & Image History
2015
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen | BA Art History & Book Science


Solo & Duo Exhibitions 

2025
Making a Home | EMOP / Galerie Alles Mögliche, Berlin, DE
2024
Plexus | Villa Kebbel, Schwandorf, DE
2023
Předzvěst | Galerie Jiřího Jílka, Šumperk, CZ (with Teri Varhol)
Unternächte | Die Kleinste Galerie, Regensburg, DE
2022
Plexus | Bürgerforum, Wunsiedel, DE
2020
Plexus | Galleria Civica Cavour, Photo Open Up, Padua, IT
Plexus | Palazzo Rasponi 2, Ravenna, IT


Selected Group Exhibitions

2024
Sie sind da! | Villa Kebbel, Schwandorf, DE (Nov 17 – Dec 15)
In the Woods, at the Dead of Night | Blue Raven Gallery, Maine, US
Night of the Year | La Croisière, Les Rencontres d'Arles, FR
Palm* Photo Prize | 1014 Gallery, London, UK &  Melkweg Expo, Amsterdam, NL
Sein Name ist Pferd | Museumsgalerie Rosshaupten, DE
LensCulture New Discoveries | Caelum Gallery, New York, US

2023
As Above, So Below | Hypha Studios, London, UK
Zeitstreifen | Villa Kebbel, Schwandorf, DE
Images Gibellina | Fondazione Orestiadi, Gibellina, IT
In anderem Licht | Stadtmuseum Hofheim am Taunus, DE
Der Greif: Past & Present | Pinakothek der Moderne & ZIRKA, Munich, DE
Matrixial Spaces | Luisa Catucci Gallery, Berlin, DE (Curation)
The Chills | Oigall Projects, Melbourne, AU
Ferdinand | Kulturverein Hotel Kovèl, Oberammergau, DE

2022
In neuem Licht | Villa Kebbel, Schwandorf, DE
BJP IPA Singles Show | Seen Fifteen Gallery, London, UK
Schichtung des Realen | Kunsthaus Sans Titre, Potsdam, DE
Helsinki Photo Festival | The National Museum of Finland, Helsinki, FI
Athens Photo Festival | Benaki Museum, Athens, GR
Mythologien | Cathy Project Space, Furth im Wald, DE
FACT FICTION FANTASY | Peckham 24, Copeland Gallery, London, UK
Collected Tales | Antics Publications, Bungee Space, New York, US

2021
Reframing History | Photo Vogue Festival, BASE Milano, Milan, IT
Photoville | Old Fulton Street and Prospect Street, New York, US
Emergentes | Encontros Da Imagem, Mosteiro de Tibães, Braga, PT
International Photography Festival | Singelpark, Leiden, NL
Photopia | Hidden Galleries, Hamburg, DE
Keep Your Eyes Peeled VII | AFF Galerie, Berlin, DE
Festival Internacional de Fotografia | Palácio das Artes, Belo Horizonte, BR
Togetherness | Portraits Hellerau, Technische Sammlungen, Dresden, DE
In Search of Identity | Künstlerhaus, f2 Fotofestival, Dortmund, DE
FORMAT International Photography Festival | Derby, UK

2020
False Memory | Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, Rugby, UK
Hurry Up Please It’s Time | Seen Fifteen Gallery, London, UK
Sony World Photography Awards | Sony Imaging Gallery, Tokyo, JP
With Monochrome Eyes | Borough Road Gallery, London, UK
Bloomberg New Contemporaries | South London Gallery, London, UK

2019
Bloomberg New Contemporaries | Leeds Art Gallery, Leeds, UK
New Talents | The Photographic Exploration Project, Tête Space, Berlin, DE
Statement of Being | Deptford Does Art, London, UK
RCA Show | Royal College of Art, London, UK
In Repeat | Ginnel Foto Fest, Frameworkshop & Gallery, Ipswich, UK
Hot Sheet | Downstairs at The Department Store, London, UK
Alarum | Ardesia Projects, Landesvertretung Baden-Württemberg, Berlin, DE
Intro:spective | Revolv Collective, Seen Fifteen Gallery, London, UK
Envisioning Other Worlds | Bow Arts, London, UK

2018
RCA Secret | Royal College of Art, London, UK
Family of No Man | Cosmos Books, Arles, FR
One Year Revolv | Revolv Collective,  Safe House 1, London, UK

2017
Trash cans for hearts and people have no soul | Fotofestiwal, Łódź, PL
La peau de l'ours | Galerie Marie Demange, Brussels, BE


Awards & Grants

2024
Arles Book Awards | Shortlist
Fotobus Library Award | Shortlist
2023
Futures Photography Talent | Selected by VOID
Lensculture Critics’ Choice Award | Winner
2022
Stiftung Kunstfonds – Work Grant
2021
British Journal of Photography International Photo Award | Single Image Winner
Stipend of the State of Bavaria – Junge Kunst und neue Wege
Boņuks – Latgalian Culture Annual Awards (for Vysta smierts with Marija Dzeisla)
Lensculture Black & White Awards | Jurors’ Pick
Portraits Hellerau Photography Award | Finalist
2020
British Journal of Photography International Photo Award | Series, Joint runner-up
Sony World Photography Awards | Professional Still Life, 2nd Place
FOAM Paul Huf Award | Nominee
Camera Work Award | Winner
HSBC Prix pour la Photographie | Finalist
a-n Time Space Money Bursary
The Aftermath Project Grant | Finalist
2019
Le Bal Award for Young Creation | Finalist and Jury Favourite
Bloomberg New Contemporaries | Selected by Rana Begum, Sonia Boyce & Ben Rivers
Travers Smith CSR Art Programme
Ginnel Foto Award | Winner
The Association of Photographers – Student Awards | Winner


Selected Lectures & Talks

2024
Fotografika – Academy of Art and Documentary Photography | St. Petersburg, RU
Nearest Truth | Podcast by Brad Feuerhelm, Ep. 349
2023
Bildband | Artist Talk with Maria Sturm, Berlin, DE
Ewigkeitstage | Kulturmontag, Regensburg, DE
Nearest Truth Year-Long Photobook Program | Berlin/Athens, DE/GR
2022
Fotografika – Academy of Art and Documentary Photography | St. Petersburg, RU
London College of Communication | MA Photojournalism & Documentary Photography, UK
2021
Deutsche Fotografische Akademie | Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Mannheim, DE
University of Europe | BA Photography, Berlin/Hamburg, DE
Arts University Bournemouth | BA Photography, UK
2020
Deutsche Fotografische Akademie | with Boris Eldagsen, DE
University of Brighton | MA Photography, UK
Bauhaus-Universität | BA Photographic Storytelling, Weimar, DE
Brighton Photo Fringe | First Monday, UK
With Monochrome Eyes | Borough Road Gallery, London, UK
2019
London College of Communication | MA Photography Symposium, UK
Corpus Christi College | Photography Module, Oxford, UK


Works in Collections

District of Upper Palatinate | Permanent Collection, Villa Kebbel, Schwandorf, DE
Fondazione Orestiadi | Permanent Collection, Gibellina, IT
Palazzo Rasponi 2 | Permanent Collection, Municipality of Ravenna, IT
The Museum of Modern Art | Special Collections Library, New York, US
Vogue Italia Collection | Permanent Book Collection, Milan, IT
Private Collections | in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, UK, US, Japan, Thailand


Memberships

Deutsche Fotografische Akademie
VG Bildkunst
VG Wort


Books & Anthologies



Magazines & Newspapers

2024
Die ZEIT |  #22/2024
Philosophie Magazin | Kafka, Sonderausgabe #29
2023
Granta | #165: Deutschland, UK
Schwarzweiss Magazin | #153, DE
2022
ZEIT Magazin | 53/2022, DE
Financial Times Weekend | The State of Mind Special, UK
Der Freitag | Krimibeilage, 10 Nov, DE
Hot Potato News | #04, UK
2021
The British Journal of Photography | #7903, UK
Schwarzweiss Magazin | #142, DE
Source Magazine | #104, UK
Grandmama’s Print | #2, RU
Directions: The Magazine by Design Hotels | #17, DE
2020
Gaze Magazine | #1, FR
GUP Magazine | #65, Euro, NL
2019
The British Journal of Photography | #7889, UK
HANT – Magazin für Fotografie | #12, DE


Selected Online Publications