Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Olga Plamper moved to Berkeley, California, at the age of five. That would be the first of tree international migrations—Moscow, Berlin, and Tübingen were to follow in the next seven years, resulting in a very multicultural upbringing. To deal with the loss of her homes, friendships, and identity, Olga turned to art to express the attendant conflicting emotions.

At the age of 18 she started working and studying in Tübingen as a theatre painter. In 2009 Olga moved back to Berlin, where completed a BA degree in social work and focused her energy on offering people in dire circumstances, such as unaccompanied minor refugees and underprivileged youth, the opportunity to express themselves artistically. Meanwhile Olga developed her own artistic body of work. In 2022 Olga co-founded an art collective together with six other femme artists.

Olga Plamper addresses a wide range of topics in her multifaceted body of work. With a background in art therapy, theater painting, and social work, Olga has developed a huge appreciation for the evocative power that lies in combining a surrealist style with complex topics relating to feminism, gender identity, sexuality, mental health, and death, often grounded in the mundanity of quotidian life.

Olga invites her audiences to connect with her themes and her subjects, encouraging them to form their own interpretations and engendering political discussions. Her work employs a free and unrestricted painting technique that embraces imperfection. Specializing in contemporary figurative surrealism and portraiture, she aims to challenge social norms and stereotypes, exploring questions of identity, intimacy, and relationships.

Exhibitions

Feb 2022
“Ways Of Seeing”, Holy Art Gallery, London

Nov 2021
“Layers Of Them”, Pop-Up, Retramp Gallery, Berlin

May 2021
“Faces Of Depth”, Pop-Up, ReTramp Gallery, Berlin

Sep 2020
„Übergangsraum”, Parkklinik Weißensee, Berlin

2017
Hochschule Mittweida, Mittweida

2016
Cafe M, Berlin

Feb 2014
Kulturzentrum Maxim, Berlin