Elena's work is strange, to say the least. She makes mixed media works by combining acrylic paintings and objects in front of them that give a whole new meaning to what is depicted on the canvases behind them. It's strange to see a perfectly painted subject seemingly pulled into ridicule by placing large toothbrushes or inflatable dolls in front of it. But this is Steiner's style of expression, and it's an aggressive way of showing it.

What fascinates us most is how Elena manages to make her works as glamorous as they are, even though she seems to be mocking them. Steiner didn't want her work to have too much in common with something that can literally be found in every living room. Her art needed its own identity.

Elena Steiner's works may at times seem humorous, even juvenile. But don't be fooled, because she knows exactly what she is doing. One fact that will never change is that audiences love controversy, because it fascinates them in a way that few things can. And in that regard, Steiner delivers admirably. But she doesn't do it in a grotesque, attention-seeking way that some artists before her have dabbled in - she does it elegantly, confidently and courageously.