Olivia Strange's multi-disciplinary practice spanning sculpture, painting, installation, moving image and poetry, is characterised by a layered narrative and a highly visceral aesthetic. Historical hetero-patriarchal narratives are dismantled through re-writing ancient mythologies via a queer feminist lens. As a practicing witch herself, the persecution of witches or ‘wise-women’ throughout time is a recurring theme in Strange’s work as well as the landscape of fantasy and other worldly dimensions. Themes of pleasure, jouissance, desire, power, and escapism are explored by subverting universal codified objects, gestures and icons to portray an empowering image of queer subjectivity with the hope of cultivating empathy for continuingly othered experiences.
Since graduating with Distinction from Chelsea College of Art- MA Fine Art (2017) having received the Vice Chancellor Scholarship, Strange has exhibited at Annka Kulty’s Gallery presenting an ambitious large scale immersive installation as part of the inaugural Cacotopia show, Southwark Park Galleries, Shoreditch Modern, ArtOn Istanbul, Unit 1 Gallery, Liminal Gallery (Solo Show), Every Woman Biennial, Basis Projektraum and had a solo presentation at London Art Fair (curated by Gemma Rolls-Bentley) with Liminal Gallery in 2024.
Strange was selected for the 2021 cohort of the SPACE Studios X London Creative Network Artist Development Programme and the Ellipsis Prints 2021 Commissioning Project and Shortlisted for the prestigious Ingram Collection Purchase Prize 2021. More recently Strange was selected for the Radical Residency 2022 at Unit 1 Gallery in London, longlisted for the Robert Walters UK New Artist Award 2022, co-curated the group exhibition ‘Bag, Pedestal, Rabbit, Potato’ which centered around Ursula. K. Le Guin’s seminal text The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction at Staffordshire Street Gallery, London and shortlisted for the GIRLPOWER Residency 2023.
In 2024 Strange was awarded 'Critics Choice' for her stand with Liminal Gallery at London Art Fair's PLATFORM section curated by Gemma Rolls-Bentley and consequently was interviewed by FETCH magazine discussing her practice, background and inspiration. Strange has since shown with Shoreditch Modern Gallery in the group show ‘Pleasures’ which was featured in Hunger magazine.
Strange presented her first Solo Show at Liminal Gallery in Margate in July 2024 titled ‘It Softens the Blow, That Deep Melodic Bliss’ consisting of nine new painting and sculpture works which explore notions of escape and survival through snapshot moments of euphoria, and pleasure as an act of resistance.
Strange lives and work in East London.
S E L E C T E D E X H I B I T I O N S
2024, It Softens the Blow, That Deep Melodic Bliss, (Solo Show), Liminal Gallery, Margate
2024, PLEASURES, Shoreditch Modern Gallery, London
2024, PLATFORM curated by Gemma Rolls Bentley in partnership with Charleston Museum,, London Art Fair, (Solo Presentation) Liminal Gallery — UK
2023, Sweet Garden of Vanishing Desires — ArtOn, Istanbul — Turkey
2023, Take My Hand — Unit 1 Gallery, London — UK
2022, Bunch — Liminal Gallery x Hotel Michele, Margate — UK
2022, Fair Art Fair x Auction Collective — works selected by Marcelle Joseph & Tabish Khan — online auction
2022, Bag, Pedestal, Rabbit, Potato — Staffordshire St. Gallery, London — UK (exhibited + curated)
2022, Radical Residency Show — Unit 1 Gallery, London — UK
2022, Womxn II — Unit 1 Gallery, London — UK
2022, I Took My Power In My Hand, POW Thanet, Margate — UK
2022, Solo Show — The Pleasures We Feel — Liminal Gallery — Online
2022, Art On A Postcard, International Womens Day Hepatitis C Trust
2021, Ingram Collection Purchase Prize - Unit 1 Gallery & Workshop, London — UK
A W A R D S , G R A N T S & R E S I D E N C I E S
2024
Critics Choice, PLATFORM London Art Fair
2023
GIRLPOWER residency (shortlisted)
2022
Robert Walters UK New Artist Award (Longlisted)
Radical Residency VII - Unit 1 Gallery + Workshop, London
Zabludowicz Collection Masterclass
2021
Ingram Collection Purchase Prize (shortlist)
Ellipsis Prints Commissioning Project for womxn + non binary artists, London — artwork displayed on billboards across London
2020-21
London creative Network x SPACE Artist Development Programme
2016
Space Studio Award (shortlist), London
2015
Vice Chancellor Scholarship 2015 MA Fine Art Chelsea College of Art
P A N E L D I S C U S S I O N S , A R T I S T T A L K S & P O D C A S T S
2024, PLEASURES, panel discussion, Shoreditch Modern Gallery, London— UK
2024, Girl, Get A Real Job podcast, Pursuit of Pleasure live panel with Sara Karpanen, London— UK
2024, LOVE & LIFE – SHINING A LIGHT ON CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS RESPONDING TO QUEER LIFE IN THE UK- panel discussion chaired by Gemma Rolls Bentley, , London Art Fair, London — UK
2023, Panel Discussion chaired by curator Charlotte Leez-Smith , Take My Hand — Unit 1 Gallery, London — UK
2022, Artist Q&A interview with curator Louise Fitzjohn, I took my Power in my Hand, Liminal Gallery, Margate— UK
E D U C A T I O N
2016, MA Fine Art, Chelsea College of Art (Distinction) — London
2007, Falmouth College of Art (BA Hons) — Falmouth
2002, Chelsea College of Art (Foundation) — London
P R E S S
2024, HUNGER magazine
2024, Fetch Magazine
2024, Wired Up Magazine
Hypebae — review 'Take My Hand' (2023)
Seb's Art List — review Take My Hand (2023)
Wide Walls, 2021
Hero Magazine- Ingram Prize, 2021
Fad Magazine- Ingram Prize, 2021
The Art Newspaper, 2021
Aesthetica, 2018
GalleriesNow, 2017
ArtRabbit, 2017
AQNB, Annka Kultys Gallery, 2017
The Organ, 2017
Dream Idea Machine ART VIEW, 2017