Michaela Rapp has made jewellery since 2006, in 2021 she adopted the artist name Ela Nord. Since the beginning, the use of a wide variety of materials in her work has been a consistent fascination. She has a particular interest in the processing of stones, many of which have been collected over a long period of time. And by making ongoing experiments with found objects, in combination with precious metals, she has developed an affinity for base materials.

Due to her intensive and often long-term interest in specific themes, their work is formed into several series. However, individual pieces also occasionally become expressions of a spontaneous idea. She finds a great deal of inspiration in her artist friends’ work who also use diverse forms of media and materials. Through this, she has initiated collaborations with a number of these artist friends, where they have started producing jewellery together, becoming a constantly evolving and precious project for her.

“Most of my series are triggered by everyday and industrial materials that I deal with, with associations that a particular structure or shape evokes in me, or even a texture that fascinates me to the touch. The concept for a piece of jewelry often arises from the need to bring a material that is not intended for use as jewelry at all (for example, shrink tubes) or in the existing original form has no real existence or even use at all (for example, silk cocoons), in a wearable texture.”

After studying art history and archaeology in Vienna and Salzburg, she worked in various institutions and galleries such as Museumsquartier Wien; Werkstatt für Kunstsiebdruck Andreas Stalzer, Vienna; architects Jabornegg & Pálffy, Vienna; Neue Galerie der Stadt Linz e.g. 2004-2016 she was Heimo Zobernig's artistic assistant.

In 2019 she received official recognition as an artist from the Berufsverband Bildender Künstler Österreichs.

Shows (selection) 2023 „Fake Forest“, Gallery V&V, Wien 2021 “One Gram”, Plattform Schmuckkunst, Graz 2020 „Mulberry Tubes“, solo show, Gallery Göttlicher, Krems-Stein 2020 „Ela Nord“, solo show, Berchtoldvilla, Salzburg 2018 „Brazil“, solo show and performance, KAYIKO Vienna 2015 „Flatnubs“, solo show, KAYIKO, Vienna

Awards 2023 „Autor Awesome Award“, Bucharest