Drawing

Emmanuel Hele has been drawing pictures as far back as he can remember.

As a young child, he was fascinated by animation and the religious iconography of Christianity and Hinduism. As the 80s came to a close he found himself gravitating toward comics and the bold, graphic designs of the burgeoning metal and skateboard cultures.  

As a teenager in the 90s he found inspiration in hip hop and other subcultures, and the visual devices of graffiti, anime, and rave culture began to make their way into his art.

In the late 90s he took his first life drawing class and began to put the pieces together. Throughout the 00s he got serious about his craft and began showing work in group exhibitions. During that time, he learned the art of mehndi (henna), from which he gained a deep appreciation for ornamental art forms.

As the 00s came to a close and he began tattooing and traveling, Emmanuel became enamoured by ornamental art. He saw an organic universality in the ornament - in the curves, the links, the flourishes, the way it fills space, frames subjects, tells backstories, provides an environment from which a subject can be born.

Emmanuel’s drawings are an ever-evolving record of where he’s been, what he’s seen, and who he’s become along the way. They bring together organic forms, an esoteric sense of wonder, ornamental aesthetic, and subtle homage to his influences, all in the graphic vehicle of their time.

Emmanuel solely uses secondhand frames. Additionally, he uses post-consumer mat boards in much of his framing.

If you would like to know more about a specific work, please reach out!

Custom drawings are available upon request.

Also available for commissions in other mediums.