not for everyone.

not for everyone.
edition 1
I
Intro
II
EDITORIAL
IIi
the top 20
IV
you dropped a bomb on me
v
lIKE night and day
vI
Furniture
VII
urban interventions
vIII
transient in nature
IX
now what?
x
CV
Can YOU handle the
?
This Might All Be Gone Tomorrow
neon, 250 x 50 cm
introduction.
Right now you may be finding yourself thinking: ‘how does a
girl from nashville end up here? From the farm to the round table. From
lock down to ultimate freedom, from handwritten words of the past to
illuminated sculptures of the future?’ These pages are a testament to
what life has shown me in my seemingly short life, this far. This is a
honest reflection of the inter-workings of a girl who was touched with
fire at a young age, a demonstration of the artistic temperament of an individual who has bared witness to mentally ill yet genius, parent[s]. The
normalcy of experiencing these exalted highs and despairing lows on a
constant basis paved the way to transcending inside myself; seeking reason, solace, and coping mechanisms to cure an ocean of turbulent
w
a
t
e
r
s
.
Pain was always uncomfortable
to a point of losing stability - at some point you get tired. Someone once
told me, the world is actually made perfect, nothing’s wrong- its
only our perceptions on things that is
wrong. This really hit
home and put things into perspective
for me. Looking
back, it was a trigger that
m a d e
me think: you
can always seek safety in reason and
rationale.
Of
course, i mustn‘t
forget to add that
laug ter is the best
m e d i c n e .
Now, i’ve come to the conclsion that everything happens - and doesnt happen, for a reason. As cliché as this may sound, my life certainly happened outside the comfort zone; the only thing I‘m sure of is that
you can be sure of nothing. Security is one big
illusion and life is one big game. We all must learn to
play the gam e. My art is simply the reflection of me trying
to make sense of it all. My hope for anyone who holds this paper or comes in contact with my art, is that you are somewhat enlightened as you might find yourself in a moment of reflection. It is my desire to create stunning and powerful installations, that tickle the
soul and nourish the mind.
I Dream of You in
neon 100 x 130 cm
Colors That Don't Exist, 2012
© Olivia Steele, 2013
www.oliviasteele.com
editorial.
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Born to Die
150 x 130 cm / 59 x 51 1/4 in, Series:3
You know,
we must all give up things we hold most dear.
Heart Core
neon on lead, 65 x 40 cm
Uncle sam‘s made up,
but the demons are real
FOR SALE (USA)
NEON ON VINTAGE MAP, 165 X 216 CM
I like it,
I Like it. What is it? 2012
neon on cardboard, 120x110x15cm
what is it?
Lady in the Mud, 2013
neon, photograph on alu dibond, 300 x 226 x 10 cm
dignity rides a tricky pony
... so does curiosity .
Soho House Los Angeles, Curiosity Loves Company, 2012
neon, 25 x 180 cm
lets go get lost
... and start another rumor.
Lets Go Get Lost, 2012
Neon on Ivy, 30 x 130 cm
oh no she didn‘t.
Oh yes she did.
Wahrheit Macht Frei, 2012
Neon on Metal, 500 x 450 cm
Play My Piano, 2012
neon, 22 x 150 cm
Double Cross
neon, 45 x 60 cm
ORDER IN THE COURT, 2012
NEON ON RUSTED METAL BACKBOARD, CHAINS, GLASS, 100 X 80 CM
Fuck, 2011
neon tubing on perspex box, 150 x 180 cm
I Just Want to Be Inside of You, 2012
neon on cardboard, 80 x 120 x 15 cm
By placing neon statements of layered and interpretable
meaning, in contradictory spaces or setting her florescent weave with words
amongst the texture of a confrontational or conciliatory image; Steele inspires a surprising internal dialogue with an individual in response to her art.
The ambiguity and irony of Steele’s personal and lyrical statements are refreshing as the work speaks in a simplistic vocabulary set against a real depth
delivered in layers of philosophical, spiritual and visual inspired meaning.
Steele’s
juxtaposition
of
iconic
photographs
and
symbols
often jars her viewers beyond the everyday. By charging these famous
images with her independent commentary, she attempts to challenge viewers’ assumptions about modern culture and conventional semiotics. Her more sentimental neon statements straddle the line between sincerity and sarcasm, often leaving her viewer intrigued.
Paradise is Where I Am.
Neon, 150 x 70
POOR BUT SEXY, 2012
plexiglas and neon, framed, 167 x 125 x 5 cm
1912–2012
celebrating 100 years of neon
EAT ME, DRINK ME. (THE LAST SUPPER) 2012
NEON ON C-PRINT, PLEXIGLAS, FRAMED, 180 X 120 CM
I Saw the Light
I SAW THE LIGHT, 2012
saw, neon, bible from 1898, glass case, 61 x 100 x 40 cm
antique german bible from 1898 cut in half
by matte black saw.
Love will make you
do crazy things.
looking down on desire
DESIRE, 2013
neon on plexi, 300 X 200 cm
the kind of satisfaction
that comes behind bars
Satisfaction Behind Bars, 2012
neon behind metal grids, 30 x 110 cm
“IT IS ONE OF THE SUPERSTITIONS OF THE HUMAM mIND
TO HAVE IMAGINED
THAT VIRGINITY COULD BE
A VIRTUE.”
- VOLTAIRE
old vic tunnels, london
old vic tunnels,
london
The cage maketh
the man.
paradise is believing everything is going to be just fine.
Soho House Los Angeles, Everyday's an Audition, 2012
neon, 100 x 100 cm
hell is thinking everything is meaningless.
You dropped
Wish You Were Here, 2012
neon, photograph on alu dibond, 180 x 80 x 10 cm
a bomb
Playing the role of the provocateur, Steele’s art
dances a line that at the very least wakes the viewer out
of a complacency of looking. The work of art featured
here shows an atomic bomb exploding in the background
and a bright and cheery sign in the forefront proclaiming
“Wish you were here!” reminiscent of an old post card.
The layers of her work show through at numerous levels.
The fascinating beauty and story within itself of a natural
atomic explosion, which in it’s own way contradicts the
horror such an event would unleash.
The loving handwritten neon script ‘Wish you were
here!’, attesting to the emotional abandon, reflection or
neutrality one might feel if metaphorically experiencing
a devastation of that proportion. Delivering also the depiction of a historic devastation the world has previously
experienced and suggesting the contrast of our current
realities against the contemplation of such a future
moment of insanity.
One can understand how in such a real or metaphorical
moment, Steele’s statement might be poignantly accurate
in our desire to connect with that person who captures us
heart and soul in the face of such impending horror. The
bright, cheerfulness of the neon itself set against the grayed and treated image of the explosion sets a tone of irony.
on me.
The End, 2012 (blue)
neon, photograph on alu dibond, 180 x 117 x 10 cm
The End, 2012 (pink)
neon, photograph on alu dibond, 166 x 126 x 10cm
“Aside from the negative connotation of atomic bombs and their impact, i find the explosion itself to be fascinating and beautiful in a twisted kind of way. The sheer scale of something like an
atomic bomb is still hard for me to comprehend, and thats part of the reason i am so fascinated.
The juxtaposition of the bomb next to a familiar and warm phrase, reminiscent of a post card,
is what gives the power to the piece. The contrast is so great, and unexpected, that it catches
You, makes you feel something, and literally takes you on a momentary mental journey as
You try and process the image, which on first glance, looks like a post card.”
Expect the unexpected.
I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW, 2012
neon, photograph on alu dibond, 120 x 190 x 10 cm
[Atomic bomb explosion.
Mushroom cloud produced by the detonation of xx-10 priscilla, a 37-kiloton atomic
bomb, on 24 june 1957. This was part of operation plumbbob at the nevada proving
grounds, usa. Xx-10 priscilla was suspended from a balloon about 200 metres above the
nevada desert before detonation. Atomic or nuclear bombs work by releasing the energy within the nucleus of atoms. Fission bombs contain enriched uranium or plutonium.
When an atom absorbs a neutron, it splits into smaller atoms, releasing energy (in the
form of heat and radiation) and more neutrons, which propagate a chain reaction. ]
That’s all folks!
That‘s All Folks, 2011
neon on C print, plexiglass , framed, 155x130cm
Thinking of You (Pink), 2012
neon, photograph on alu dibond, 180 x 146 x 10 cm
The Only Thing Missing Was You, 2012
neon, photograph on alu dibond, 120 x 180 x 10 cm
Like Night and Day,
God Is Present. Called or Not. 2011
neon, 130 x 60 cm
Contrast is the greatest teacher.
See You On The Other Side... 2011
Neon, 302 x 40 cm
If Less is More I Prefer Nothing, 2013
neon, 320 x 50
Ne(NEON)=The Noble Gas
furniture
Coat Stand, circa 1960
neon on metal
60 x 50 x 180 cm
Coffee Table, circa- 1970?
neon on stainless steel
90 x 51 x 35 cm
Wassily Chair by Marcel Breuer , 1925
neon, stainless steele, leather.
78 x 70 x 73 cm
eurti nurF
Helmut Newton Bookstand
neon on metal
54 x 55 x 76 cm
Blaupunkt Musik Schrank, circa 1960
neon on stainless steele, wood
152 x 47 x 67 cm
Barcelona Chairs, Mies van der Rohe , 1929
neon on stainless steel, leather
75 x 75 x 75 cm
urban interventions.
The most exciting things in this world are temporary.
Hurricanes, explosions, loves, lives, bigger explosions and
other lives – all of these things and more and art – but
particularly art. The reason street art has captured so
many imaginations is the brevity of its display – blink
and it will become replaced or removed or faded by the
abrasive city environment. Steele’s outdoor public interventions have catapulted her to notoriety in recent years.
Her cool linguistic and cultural deconstructions, first invite you to look rather than think. Their endearing nature
somehow halts your usual motion and sparks a light contemplation on the connection her instillation has invoked
within.
By placing neon statements of layered and interpretable meaning, in contradictory spaces or setting her florescent weave with words amongst the texture of a confrontational or conciliatory image; Steele inspires a surprising
internal dialogue with an individual in response to her
art. The ambiguity and irony of Steele’s personal and lyrical statements are refreshing as the work speaks in a simplistic vocabulary set against a real depth delivered in layers of philosophical, spiritual and visual inspired meaning.
Vowing to return neon to its roots, the only gallery walls
suitable to contain her work are those of the city and the
nature itself.
Steele has ventured off the beaten path as she has
chosen to display her affection to the public, in public. An
ongoing project of illuminated urban interventions titled
‘Public Display of Affection’ have been put up connected
public spaces around Europe and America , so forming a
trail of art to be sought out and followed by anyone and
everyone who wishes. From a historic landmark building in London’s Shoreditch High Street to the Haus der
Kunst in Munich, her quietly provocative statements have
become beacons spanning the city – a yellow brick road
of vibrant illuminating sculpture. All locations, no matter
how unlikely, no matter how grimy, will briefly host beauty and thought; all people, no matter how divergent their
concerns, no matter how disconnected their lives are, have
been able to experience it. Consider it, her public display
of her affection, a gift to the public. Maybe seeing the
“Truth [,] will set you free.”
“Too Much is Never Enough” London, Shoreditch, 1. 2. 3. building
“If these walls talk...” London, 50 St. James Street
“Die Wahrheit Macht Frei” (The truth shall set you free) Munich, Haus Der Kunst
“Die Wahrheit Macht Frei” Munich, Thomas Mann House
“If these Walls Could Talk...” London, Shoreditch, The Clerk’s House
“Let Me Love You” Berlin, graffitied wall
“See you on the other side...“ Berlin, River Spree
“Trust the Process” London, Royal Academy
“See You on the Other Side...” Hollwood Sign, Los Angeles
transient in nature.
There’s often even an incongruous notion to Steele’s art, born of the varied locations, which become the residence of her works as her installations travel the world. New
and contrasting environments, which recreate the meaning, interpretation and relevance
of each piece. This particular work 'See you on the other side..." has seen locations the
world over. It’s journeyed from three continents as it was born atop a reflecting pool in
the centre of a nature conservancy nestled in the rolling hills of Nashville, Tennessee, and
on to the riverbanks in Berlin, atop a skyscraper over looking the skyline of Frankfurt,
and finally landing above a pool of water in a private residence in Beirut, Lebanon.
The bare neon statement ‘See you on the other side...’ installed on the stone wall guiding Berlin's River Spree, fronting one of the oldest cemeteries for invalids in Berlin.
The clean stone riverbank sits in stark contrast to the heavily grafittied wall that lines the
cemetery, already setting the stage for a classic irony that shines through many of Steele's
instillations. This piece embodies her usual, thoughtful signature of layered meaning. There’s
the obvious interpretation depicted through this statement, giving prominence to the transformation that death imparts on us all, where our human expression of consciousness would
pass to the other side of light, the other side of life which death provides. The emotionally charged history of the Berlin Wall that once ran through this cemetery separating
lives and worlds giving a contrasting meaning to her message through location. Written
in the foreground of a cemetery built to commemorate the German Liberation wars from
1813 to 1815, the setting is a space dedicated to the loss of life en-masse and intended.
“see you on the other side…“
berlin, river spree
Where soldiers awareness of their impending end may well have made light of the inevitable with exactly such an expression as ‘See you on the other side’. Steele’s light , lyrical
or whimsical statements often have a pin-pointed accuracy in her ability to cut through to
a persons most natural gentle response to what life would bring in such a moment in time
that her work describes. The ‘See you on the other side...’ installation has an even more
personal element to it’s creation in that the handwritten script is that of Olivia’s father.
The man who imparted the wisdom and beauty of life’s simple idioms to her throughout
her early years and taught her to look for the deeper meaning of life and it’s complexity.
The thoughtful reflections of such statements stuck with her and formed the basis of her
desire to express the works of art that she now creates today. If ‘See you on the other side...’ was in
it’s simplest form, a statement of a certain energy and connection between two people, for Steele
this work would represent her father’s feeling of letting go of a daughter determined to self discover and express her creative agenda in the world for people to muse, marvel or misinterpret.
Frankfurt, Nextower
Nashville, Owl’s Hill
Berlin, River Spree
Los Angeles, Hollywood Hills
Nashville, Graveyard
Los Angeles, Soho House
in loving
memory of
William Alexander Steele II
1949 - 2012
...IN HIS OWN HANDWRITING
„SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE“
GRAVESIDE INSTALLATION
The William Alexander Steele Memorial, 2012
Nashville, Tennessee
„TAKE ME WITH YOU“
cv
2013
Art Karlsruhe, Art Fair, Circle Culture Gallery, Karlsruhe
Ephermeral, Circle Culture Gallery, Berlin
2012
exhibition of neon artworks, solo show, circle culture gallery at The Corner Store, berlin
Acquired Taste, solo show, circle culTure gallery at soho house wesT hollywood
Save The best for last, solo show, circle culture gallery at Pret a diner (Pad) Berlin
In The mix, circle culture gallery at Pret a diner (Pad) Berlin
Berlin gallery Weekend, circle culTure gallery at Pret a diner (Pad) Berlin
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
Culinary Journey, PAD, Berlin, The Tree House, PAD, Frankfurt
The Minotaur, Lazarides Gallery, London, Public Display of Affection, Public Project at
Frieze Art Fair, London The Directors Cut, Andreas Binder Galerie, München Your Love Is My
Drug, Atrium for Art Basel, Miami
publications
Slanted c/o MAGMA Brand Design.
BRIGHT! – Typography between Illustration and Art. Bonn: DAAB Media GMBH, 2012. print
Cover: God is a Curator. Kunst Magazine, May 2012. print.
credit
PHOTO CREdits:
Ralf Werner, openeyeffm.de, nela koenig, Pocketbook
Collective, ginteriors.de, Paul Khera. Dennis Wile,
Yonathan Baraki, Geoff Stern Art Space, Muriel
liebmann, Robert Skazel.
where credit is due
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
THE WHOLE CIRCLECULTURE GALLERY FAMILY,
STUDIO HAUShERr, PRET A DINER, GERT JAN AKERBOOM,
polly gregory, DEJAN MARKOVIC,
STEFAN JOVANOVIC, STEFAN STRUMBEL, MANEX IBAR, GOD.
Clever Tyrants Are Never Punished (Gobblestone), 2012
engraved tombstone on metal pedestal, 74 x 53 x 5 cm