Drawing

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

Like most children, he was fascinated by animation; then came an interest in the religious iconography of Christianity and Hinduism. By the end of the 80s he found himself gravitating toward the bold, graphic designs of the burgeoning metal and skateboard cultures. As a teenager in the 90s he found inspiration in the subcultures of the time, and the visual devices of punk, graffiti, anime, and rave culture began to make their way into his art.

He took his first life drawing class in the late 90s; shortly thereafter he began to show his work in group exhibitions. During that time, he learned the art of mehndi (henna), from which he gained an appreciation for ornamental forms. As the 00s came to a close he began tattooing, traveling, and falling in love with the ornamental art he found wherever he went. 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 gracefully emerge.

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, esoteric mystique, ornamental aesthetics, and subtle homage to his subcultural influences, all in the graphic vehicle of our 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.