Untitled - Olivia Steele

OLI VI A STEELE
W O R K S & IN S TA LLAT IO N S
BIOGRAPHY
Contemporary visual artist Olivia Steele uses neon light to
charge spaces with ironic and spiritual meaning. Proving
that nothing is (really) what it seems, Steele has created
a body of contrasting works ranging from small to large
installations and urban interventions that employ the
traditional commercial medium of neon glass to make
intimate statements which address the artist’s deep pondering on the uncertainty of life and the reality of modern
culture.
Steele relishes the idea of contrast and contradiction and
plays with our innate preconceptions. The juxtaposition
of the neon statement and the environment is placed in
challenging conventional semiotics and evokes a wide
range of interpretations.
In dialogue with media such as facades, rivers, photographs and found objects, she tells short stories that
evoke thought while the illuminating our perception
with acumens formed in neon glass. Like Henri Nannen
stated: "Art has to be provocative, it has to stimulate our
thoughts." Therefore Olivia Steele uses iconic images
such as exploding atomic bombs or the seemingly sacred
cross along with deep personal sentiments to jar the viewer beyond the everyday. The nature of her content is both
provocative and reflective as her work asks the viewer to
consider the hidden emotions and unforeseen forces in a
moment of reflection. Another level of Steele’s contemplative works is transformation, inspired by the otherworldly nature of divine inspiration and consciousness.
"Good, bad, right or wrong, it’s all relative. Art is notoriously ambiguous. The art of challenging conventional
semiotics and observing the vast spectrum of strangers’
reactions and interpretations is both filled with lessons
and highly rewarding," says the artist. Yet she holds true
to the belief that it is the spectator; and not life that art
really mirrors.
Olivia Steele (* 1985 Nashville, Tennessee) lives and works
in Berlin, London and Tulum.
In der Tradition der Neonkunst erschafft die US - amerikanische Künstlerin Olivia Steele vielfarbige Interpretationsspielräume. Kontrastreiche Stilmittel wie Ironie und
Spiritualität werden transportiert im vorwiegend kommerziell verwendetem Medium des Neonglases. Steele
komprimiert persönliche Eindrücke und Ansichten in
Statements und setzt dabei gesellschaftliche Verhältnisse
in ein kritisches Licht. Sie spielt mit der Idee des Kontrasts und der Gegensätzlichkeit und bezieht dabei unsere
eigenen Vorurteile geschickt mit ein. Im Kontext mit dem
Schriftträger kreiert Steele Dialoge zwischen ihrer Kunst
und dem öffentlichen Raum, ferner auch Fotografien oder
einem „objet trouvé“. Diese Inszenierungen erlangen
unsere Aufmerksamkeit nicht nur formal durch die aufwendig in Szene gesetzten Neonglasschriften, die ihre
Umgebungen erleuchten lassen, sondern auch inhaltlich.
Wie Henri Nannen postulierte: „Kunst muss anstößig
sein, sie muss zum Denken anstoßen.“ - so verbindet die
Künstlerin scheinbar provokant christliche Ikonographie
mit explodierenden Atombomben oder unterstreicht
diese mit persönlichen Empfindungen. Auf diese Weise
schafft Steele es immer wieder, den Betrachter jenseits
des Alltäglichen zu irritieren, Dinge in Frage zu stellen.
Ihr Oeuvre ist zugleich provokant als auch reflexiv, da ihre
Werke den Betrachter dazu auffordern, versteckte Emotionen und unvorhersehbare Kräfte in dem Moment der
Reflektion aufzufassen.
„Gut, schlecht, richtig oder falsch, alles ist relativ. Kunst
ist notorisch mehrdeutig. Die Kunst unkonventionelle
Bedeutungen zu schaffen und daraufhin das enorme
Spektrum der Reaktionen und Interpretationen des fremden Betrachters zu beobachten, ist absolut belohnend.“,
sagt die Künstlerin.
Olivia Steele (* 1985 Nashville, Tennessee) lebt und arbeitet in Berlin und London.
ARTWORK LEFT: THE END, 2012
hand blown and colored neon tubes on photographic print on aluminium dibond
115 x 90 x 12 cm
ARTWORK RIGHT: WISH YOU WERE HERE, 2013
hand blown and colored neon tubes on photographic print on aluminium dibond
115 x 90 x 12 cm
previous page :
HEART CORE, 2012
hand blown neon tubes on lead
45 x 66 x 16 cm
WE‘R ALL IN IT TOGETHER (YOU, ME, US, THEM), 2015
INSTALLATION VIEW, WILLAIMSBURG SAVINGS BANK, NY
Bamboo Cage, hand blown neon tubes
115 x 40 x 40 cm
previous page:
PORTRAIT 81HOURS, 2013
Next Page:
TRUST THE PROCESS, 2012
INSTALLATION VIEW ELISABETHEN KIRCHE BASEL, SWITZERLAND
hand blown and colored neon tubes
400 x 81 cm
I DREAM OF YOU IN COLORS THAT DON‘T EXIST, 2012
I DREAM OF YOU IN COLORS THAT DON‘T EXIST (INFINITY RAINBOW), 2015
hand blown and colored neon tubes
100 x 130 cm
hand blown and colored neon tubes, aluminium, infinity mirror
120 x 155 x 10 cm
I JUST WANT TO BE INSIDE OF YOU, 2012
hand blown and colored neon tubes on chalkboard
105 x 185 x 10 cm
previous page:
GOD IS PRESENT CALLED OR NOT, 2011
hand blown and colored neon tubes
100 x 40 cm
I LIVE IN A WORLD OF FANTASY, 2013
hand blown and colored neon tubes in plexiglass box
190 x 90 x 20 cm
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MIND OVER MATTER, 2013
hand blown and colored neon tubes and antique sword
65 x 100 x 10 cm
BIRDCAGE, 2011
INSTALLATION VIEW HOTEL DE ROME LOBBY, BERLIN
neon and birdcage
118 x 54 cm
next page:
IT ALL CAME OUT IN THE WASH, 2013
hand blown and colored neon tubes on metal clothing line
150 x 260 x 90 cm
IF TIME IS MONEY I HAVE NO TIME, 2014
sign letters, wood, LED
110 x 199 x 4,5 cm
THINKING OF YOU, 2013
hand blown and colored neon tubes and antique rifle
40 x 186 cm
previous page:
THIS MIGHT ALL BE GONE TOMORROW, 2013
hand blown and colored neon tubes
60 x 235 x 4,5 cm
CONFLICT & INTEREST, 2014
hand blown and colored neon tubes and broken mirror glass
next page:
PLENTY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH, 2014
INSTALLATION VIEW, SCRAP METAL YARD, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Scene from film "Nothing is What it Seems" 2013
IF LESS IS MORE I PREFER NOTHING, 2013
INSTALLATION VIEW ALTE OPERNWERKSTÄTTEN BERLIN
LET ME LOVE YOU, 2011
INSTALLATION VIEW BERLIN STREETS
hand blown and colored neon tubes
50 x 320 cm
hand blown and colored neon tubes
170 x 40 cm
EAT ME DRINK ME, 2013
neon tubes on Diasec on diabond, floating frame
180 x 120 x 10 cm
previous page:
I MISS THE PERSON I WANTED YOU TO BE, 2014
INSTALLATION VIEW OWL‘S HILL NATURE RESERVE, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Scene from film "Nothing is What it Seems" 2013
IF LESS IS MORE I PREFER NOTHING, 2013
INSTALLED AT ELISABETHEN KIRCHE BASEL, SWITZERLAND
hand blown and colored neon tubes
50 x 320 cm
previous page:
BUILD ME A BRIDGE SO I CAN GET OVER YOU, 2014
INSTALLATION VIEW, DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Scene from film "Nothing is What it Seems" 2013
next page:
PLAY MY PIANO, 2012
hand blown and colored neon tubes
22 x 150 cm
NOTHING IS WHAT IT SEEMS, 2014
INSTALLATION VIEW OWL‘S HILL NATURE RESERVE, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Scene from film "Nothing is What it Seems" 2013
LETS GO GET LOST, 2012
hand blown and colored neon tubes
30 x 130 cm
PARADISE IS WHERE I AM, 2014
channel letters, hand blown and colored neon tubes
89 x 284 cm
next page:
BEHIND THE SCENES, 2012
Soho House Los Angeles, USA
SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE, 2011
INSTALLED AT THE RIVER SPREE & INVALIDEN CEMETERY, BERLIN
TRUST THE PROCESS, 2012
INSTALLED AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY LONDON
hand blown and colored neon tubes
40 x 300 cm
hand blown and colored neon tubes
81 x 400 cm
TAKE ME WITH YOU, 2012
INSTALLATION VIEW OWL‘S HILL NATURE RESERVE, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
hand blown and colored neon tubes on missile
220 x 320 cm (missile)
Next page:
THERE ARE FAR BETTER THINGS AHEAD THAN ANY WE LEAVE BEHIND, 2013
hand blown and colored neon tubes, fabric, cement ball and chain
360 x 460 cm
THE ONLY THING I CAN BE SURE OF IS THAT YOU CAN BE SURE OF NOTHING, 2014
INSTALLATION VIEW OWL‘S HILL NATURE RESERVE, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Scene from film "Nothing is What it Seems" 2013
CAN YOU SEE HOW MUCH I LOVED YOU ?, 2013
hand blown and colored neon tubes, framed
175 x 150 x 24 cm
NO SUCH THING AS COINCIDENCE, 2014
hand blown and colored neon tubes
95 x 200 x 6 cm
next page:
HEAVEN AND HELL ARE TWO PLACES ON EARTH, 2013
INSTALLATION VIEW OWL‘S HILL NATURE RESERVE, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Scene from film “Nothing is What it Seems“ 2013
hand blown and colored neon tubes
480 x 25 cm
STAY PRESENT, 2015
URBAN INTERVENTION, PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION PROJECT, TULUM, MEXICO
ALL I EVER WANTED WAS EVERYTHING, 2014
INSTALLATION VIEW, 19TH & COLLINS AVE. MIAMI, FLORIDA
diamond grade reflective aluminium
76.2 x 76.2 cm
hand blown and colored neon tubes
160 x 394 cm
YOU ARE EXACTLY WHERE YOU NEED TO BE, 2015
INSTALLATION VIEW, BURNING MAN, BLACK ROCK DESERT, NEVADA
hand blown and colored neon tubes
110 x 579 cm
THE LITTLE HOUSE, 2015
INSTALLATION VIEW, BURNING MAN, BLACK ROCK DESERT, NEVADA
STAY PRESENT (DETAIL), 2015
INSTALLATION VIEW, BURNING MAN, BLACK ROCK DESERT, NEVADA
collaboration with Moral Turgeman
neon on polished stainless steel
60 x 60 x 20 cm
THAT‘S ALL FOLKS, 2011
hand blown and colored neon tubes on diasec on dibond, framed
130 x 155 x 10 cm
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2015
SUMMIT SERIES: SUMMIT AT SEA, Exhibition of
Artworks, Miami – Bahamas
COLLABORATION WITH STEFAN STRUMBEL
Circle Culture Gallery at PAD, Art Basel, Basel
HELLO DARKNESS, DAY OF THE DEAD, Oaxaca
EPHEMERAL,
Circle Culture Gallery, Berlin
SOME PLACE LIKE HOME, Rumney Guggenheim,
New York
2012
BERLIN ART WEEK, Group Show, Circle Culture Gallery, Berlin
EXHIBITION OF NEON ARTWORKS, Solo Show,
Circle Culture Gallery at Corner Store, Berlin
YOU ARE EXACTLY WHERE YOU NEED TO BE,
Installation for Burning Man, Black Rock City
ACQUIRED TASTE, Solo Show,
Circle Culture Gallery at Soho House West Hollywood
THE LITTLE HOUSE, Collaboration with Moral Turgeman, Burning Man Arts, Black Rock City
SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST, Solo Show,
Circle Culture Gallery at PAD, Berlin
STAY PRESENT AND CONTROL YOURSELF, Urban
Intervention, Public Display of Affection series, Tulum
Highway, Tulum, Mexico
IN THE MIX
Circle Culture Gallery at PAD, Berlin
GALLERY WEEKEND
Circle Culture Gallery, Berlin
2014
NOTHING IS WHAT IT SEEMS, Solo Show,
Circle Culture Gallery, Hamburg
SOLO SHOW
Circle Culture Gallery at Hotel de Rome, Berlin
VIENNA FAIR, Art Fair,
Circle Culture Gallery, Wien
ALL I EVER WANTED WAS EVERYTHING,
Solo Exhibition, Atrium, Miami
2011
THE MELTING POT
Ulf Saupe Galerie, Berlin
UP AGAINST THE WALL
with Maximillian Weidemann at PAD, Berlin
WELCOME TO CASHVILLE
Private Collection, Nashville, Tennessee
THE TREE HOUSE
PAD, Frankfurt
2013
POTSE 68.,
Circle Culture Gallery, Berlin
THE TRUTH HURTS [BUT THEN IT WILL SET YOU
FREE], Solo Show, Circle Culture Gallery, Berlin
THE MINOTAUR
Lazarides Gallery, London
PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION
Public Project at Frieze Art Fair, London
THE DIRECTORS CUT
Andreas Binder Galerie, München
TRUST THE PROCESS, Installation for Pret A Diner
(PAD), Art Basel, Basel
YOUR LOVE IS MY DRUG
Atrium for Art Basel, Miami