Élysée Skayzoo
ELVIS
2016
Spray paint and acrylic on vinyl record, cut-out
30.5 × 30.5 × 0.3 cm
Unique
Location: Paris, France
About the artwork
A portrait of Elvis Presley is depicted on a circular, cut-out vinyl record, rendered in a style reminiscent of Pop Art and stencil graffiti. The composition features a profile view of the musician, with his gaze directed toward the viewer. The color palette consists primarily of black, white, various shades of beige, and accents of green and red, applied using a spray-paint technique that includes splatters and drips across the surface.
The artwork makes use of the circular shape of a vinyl record, which has been further modified with a cutout on the right side, suggesting the iconic silhouette of Presley’s hair. A brass-colored stud is placed in the center, likely marking the record’s original spindle hole. The layering of colors—from the dark background to the lighter tones of the face and hair—creates a sense of depth and texture characteristic of aerosol application.
The choice of Elvis Presley as a subject places the work within a tradition of artists engaging with icons of popular culture. The medium of the vinyl record itself carries cultural connotations, linking the visual art to music history and mass media. The fragmented and layered application of paint, combined with the distinctive cutout, transforms the functional object into a sculptural and painterly representation.
Expert opinion
This work operates within the contemporary art landscape, drawing on the aesthetics and methodologies of street art and Pop Art. The use of a vinyl record as a substrate, combined with spray-paint techniques, aligns it with practices that emerged from urban environments and countercultural movements. The artist’s engagement with an iconic figure like Elvis Presley places the piece within a broader art-historical dialogue concerning celebrity, mass media, and consumer culture, echoing themes explored by artists such as Andy Warhol.
In the current market, works that bridge the gap between street art and fine art—especially those featuring recognizable cultural figures—often find an audience among collectors seeking accessible yet conceptually informed pieces. The artist’s background in graffiti provides a foundation of authenticity within the street art genre, while the transition to more refined studio practices and diverse materials—such as vinyl records—indicates an evolving artistic trajectory that can attract a wider range of buyers.
About the artist
ÉLYSÉE SKAYZOO, born Elisée in Lille, France, began his artistic career in 1998 within the graffiti scene. His early work involved writing and aerosol illustrations in urban environments, particularly abandoned sites in the Lille suburbs. This period established his graphic approach, focusing on speed, volume, and light, and exploring the interplay of graphic textures to achieve visual harmony. Skayzoo initially utilized spray paint as his primary medium, extending the spirit of graffiti into his evolving practice. Over time, he transitioned towards more traditional painting techniques, discovering watercolor and the paintbrush as significant tools in his artistic development. His work often navigates between abstraction and figuration, examining the relationships between forms, textures, and lines. His current practice reflects a dialogue between raw energy and graphic precision, demonstrating a continuity from his street art origins to contemporary pictorial expression.
Additional info
Signed
Dated
Certificate
3x
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