Born in 1982 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Lives and works between Rio de Janeiro and South of France

David Elia investigates the intersections of art, science, and cultural history through works that explore plants, landscapes, and archival material. A central pillar of Elia’s practice is the application of Werner’s Nomenclature of Colour (1814). The standard scientific manual used by Charles Darwin. Elia utilizes this historical index as a conceptual tool to bridge early scientific taxonomy with the legacies of historical trade. His practice examines the histories of botanical exchange, industrialization, colonial trade, and cultural hybridization, constructing new narratives that connect ecology with collective memory. Educated at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and the Domus Academy in Milan, Elia recently developed research on Rio de Janeiro’s urban forests during the TAL Residency (2026). His work is held in the collections of the Nouveau Museé National de Monaco (NMNM), the Museé des Arts Deć oratifs in Paris, the Museum of Arts & Design in New York, the François Pinault Collection, and the Elton John Art Collection.

Exhibitions at Espace_L gallery: Flora Incognita