Lauren Elzbieta Radziejewska, “Early Riser”

b. 1973, New York City

Better known by the professional name “Early Riser",” Lauren Elzbieta Radziejewska is a Polish-American photographer and mixed media artist. After completing a bachelor’s degree in printmaking, she emerged in the late teens, gaining notoriety for her expressive paintings on metal street signs which depict simultaneously florid and reductionist figures engaged in ordinary, everyday activities. These are frequently based on, or include her photographs which are characterized by a cinematic and ethereal tone. She is especially known for her ability to weave storytelling into her images, wringing emotion, history and gravitas into the most subtle elements. She is also heralded for her portraiture, especially of animals, which are known for subtle way she captures the subject’s unique personality. In all her work there runs an underlying thread of resiliency in trauma, particularly through an LBGTQ lens. “I am constantly trying to capture the subtle, bruised resiliency of people like myself, who have suffered deep trauma due to their marginalized identities. There is a powerful essence that pushes people forward; it’s not misplaced optimism, nor is it simple acquiescence. There is something so much more that drives us to wake each day and try again, even while the marks and scars of this life are raw and recurring. This is what I’m desperately trying to share.”

Radziejewska is a lifelong New Yorker, born in Queens. She maintains a studio in E. Harlem where she works and frequently hosts guest artists and classes open to the public. Her work is exhibited throughout the US and Europe. She is a passionate advocate for animal welfare and conservation.