Olivia Sterling
Overview
Sterling has carved out a distinctive niche in using paint to address questions of blackness and whiteness in twenty-first century Britain.
Born in Peterborough in 1996 and graduating from the RCA in 2020, Sterling has carved out a distinctive niche in using paint to address questions of blackness and whiteness in twenty-first century Britain. Her paintings present scenes of colourful mayhem with a nostalgic twist and signature ‘slapstick’ style, combining joyous celebration with a subtle critique of racialised ways of seeing.
Blending pointed references like this into her depiction of ordinary scenes and subjects, Sterling’s work reflects on how we are confronted by racialised discourse everywhere in the everyday. Even happy or anodyne spaces are encoded with structures of othering and difference; every object, every skin tone, is assigned its place in a drama that continues beyond the edges of the canvas.
Works
Biography
© Brynley Odu Davies
B. 1996, Peterborough, England. Based in London, UK.
Education
2015-2018 BA Fine Art, University of Derby
2018-2020 MA Painting, Royal College of Art
Solo Exhibitions
2021 Solo Show, Guts Gallery, UK (forthcoming)
2021 White Bread, Cob Gallery, London, UK
2021 Episodes, CCA Goldsmiths, London, UK (forthcoming)
2020 Clutching at Straws, Volt, Eastbourne
2020 It Clings like a Leech, Guts Gallery, London
2020 A Cure for Nose Bleeds, Marriots Way, Reepham Norfolk
2018 Who is civilised? Gallery No.1, Repton
Group Exhibitions
2021 Universes 4, Galerie Droste, Paris (forthcoming)
2021 A New Art World, Guts Gallery, London
2021 'Introducing' at the Shop, Sadie Coles x Guts Gallery, London
2021 Citizens of Memory, The Perimeter, London
2021 Summer Show, Karen Tronel Gallery, London
2021 Safe as Milk, Arusha Gallery, Edinburgh
2021 Selfhood, Berntson Bhattacharjee Gallery, London
2020 Curated for Christmas, All Mouth x Bowes-Parris Gallery, London
2020 RCA Black History Online, David Lisbon, Online
2020 Love your symptom, but not too much, Blank Projects, Cape Town
2020 A Rudimentary Education, Art Lacuna, London
2020 London Grads Now, Saatchi Gallery, London
2020 Right Back at You, The Function Suite, London
2020 Begin Again, Guts Gallery, Online
2020 BLACK & WHITE, The Orange Garden, Online
2020 50/50, FOLD Gallery, London
2020 London’s New Contemporaries, A Space for Art, Hari Hotel London
2020 Materiality and Connection, curated by Joe Hill, RCA, Online
2020 Optimistic, Singular and New, curated by Jony Ive, RCA, Online
2020 Urgency, Wit and Rigour, curated by John Bloomfield, RCA, Online
2020 I Graduated From My Bedroom curated by Victor Wang, RCA, Online
2020 Slivers and Remnants curated by Esther Leslie, RCA, Online
2020 RCA2020, RCA, Online
2020 Tomorrow: London, White Cube, Online
2020 Without a Painter, Fitzrovia Gallery, London
2020 Snapshot, RCA Hockney Gallery, London
2019 Meet Me in the Kitchen, UCA Farnham, Surrey
2019 Got it for Cheap, House of Vans, London
2019 Painting from the Other Side, Dyson Gallery, London
2018 WIP, Sackler, RCA Battersea
2018 Britannia Mill, Derby
2017 Smoke and Mirrors, Riverlights, Derby, England
2016 Ilam, Staffordshire
2014 Earth without Art, Spalding, England
Residencies
2021 Fores Residency
2020 HQI Summer residency, London
2016 Extended Contexts, National Trust IIam, England
Artist Talks
2021 In-conversation: Olivia Sterling and Sam Kindon for Volt Wastbourne
2021 Drawing Around Food: A Socio-political & Cultural Exploration, Drawing Room, London
2020 HoP Around with Alexandria Smith, RCA, London
2020 Without a Painter in Conversation with Bolane Tajudeen, London
2019 Artist Talk, UCA Farnham
Awards
2018 Pro Vice-Chancellor / Dean's Award 2018 Degree Show Exhibition
Press
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Begin Again: The online exhibition challenging austerity and racial oppression
Scarlett Baker , Love Magazine, 13 Aug 2020 -
Scrap that, lets begin again
TJ Sidhu, The Face, 13 Aug 2020 -
Begin Again is the virtual art exhibition tackling racial inequality
Gunseli Yalcinkaya, Dazed , 14 Aug 2020 -
IT’S 2020 FOR F*CK SAKE
ART PLUGGED, ART PLUGGED, 30 Sep 2020 -
Olivia Sterling paints nostalgia-filled pieces to deconstruct complex issues of othering
Lucy Bourton, It's Nice That, 6 Nov 2020 -
ON VIEW BY FLASH ART: “It’s 2020 For F*ck Sake” Guts Gallery and Soft Punk / London
Flash Art , 11 Dec 2020 -
OLIVIA STERLING INTERVIEW ON SHE CURATES
MOLLIE E BARNES, SHE CURATES, 13 Jan 2021 -
Top Ten Shows from the UK and Ireland
Mimi Chu, Frieze, 12 Feb 2021 -
DATEAGLE ART INTERVIEWS OLIVIA STERLING
Laurie Barron, DATEAGLE ART, 22 Feb 2021 -
DATEAGLE ART STUDIO VISIT WITH OLIVIA STERLING
Laurie Barron, DATEAGLE ART , 22 Feb 2021 -
PURPLE MAGAZINE REVIEWS “WHITE BREAD” AN EXHIBITION BY OLIVIA STERLING AT COB GALLERY, LONDON
Jethro Turner, PURPLE , 30 Mar 2021 -
ELEPHANT FEATURES SOPHIE VALLANCE AND OLIVIA STERLING
Madeleine Pollard , ELEPHANT , 2 Apr 2021 -
FRIEZE REVIEWS OLIVIA STERLING 'WHITE BREAD' EXHIBITION
Leanne Petersen , FRIEZE, 20 Apr 2021 -
OLIVIA STERLING FEATURED IN SIXTH FINCH
Sixth Finch , 13 May 2021 -
Olivia Sterling featured in Wallpaper* ‘CITIZENS OF MEMORY’: NOSTALGIA AND THE BLACK EXPERIENCE EXPLORED
Oyin Akande , Wallpaper*, 26 May 2021 -
Guts Gallery featured in The New York Times 'Gallery Weekend Brings London's Art Scene Back to Life '
Scott Reyburn, The New York Times , 7 Jun 2021 -
Olivia Sterling in GQ
Sophie Hastings, GQ , 24 Jun 2021 -
Olivia Sterling in conversation at the Drawing Room
Drawing Room , 4 Jul 2021 -
DAZED features latest Guts exhibition, REALITY CHECK
Emily Dinsdale, DAZED, 21 Sep 2021 -
Creative Boom feature Olivia Sterling Goldsmiths CCA
Katy Cowan , Creative Boom , 22 Sep 2021 -
FAD Magazine feature Guts latest exhibition REALITY CHECK
Mark Westall , FAD Magazine , 23 Sep 2021
Exhibitions
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REALITY CHECK
23 Sep - 3 Oct 2021Opening: Thur 23 Sept 6-9pm Exhibition Location: Anderson Contemporary, Carpenter’s Wharf Studios, 4b Roach Road, London E3 2PA Via Monier Road Footbridge Regular Opening Hours: Wed - Sun 11-6pm Guts Gallery is pleased to present REALITY CHECK, the inaugural exhibition at Anderson Contemporary, a new artist-led gallery space in London....Read more -
CCA Presents Really Rough Scrubbing Brush by OLIVIA STERLING
17 Sep - 31 Oct 2021Private View: Sep 17 6-9pm Address: Goldsmiths CCA, St James’s, New Cross, London, SE14 6AD Opening Times: Wednesday–Sunday, 12–6pm Sterling’s graphic paintings and prints zone in on racist micro and macro-aggressions perpetuated on a daily basis in the UK, through slap-stick, absurdity, and the language of cartoons. Brightly saturated canvases...Read more -
A NEW ART WORLD
A NEW ART WORLD IS POSSIBLE. 22 - 29 Jul 2021Private View: Thursday 22 July 6-9pm Opening Hours: Tues - Sun 11am - 6pm Location: 147 Stoke Newington High Street, London, N16 0NY No RSVP's required BUY THE MANIFESTO PRINT NOW Picking up where Guts Gallery’s online show, When Shit Hits the Fan Again (Feb, 2021) left off, A New...Read more -
GUTS GALLERY INTRODUCING
London Gallery Weekend at The Shop at Sadie Coles HQ 4 - 6 Jun 2021London Gallery Weekend 4-6 June 2021 11am - 8pm (Opening day) 11am - 6pm (Regular hours) The Shop at Sadie Coles HQ, 62 Kingly Street, London W1B 5QN Directions > Guts Gallery is excited to announce our exhibition for this year's London Gallery Weekend. 'INTRODUCING' presents a new and...Read more -
WHEN SHIT HITS THE FAN AGAIN
FOR ARTISTS BY ARTISTS, 1 NIGHT ONLY. 4 Feb - 4 Mar 2021Through the invitation extended to established artists into the exhibition. We are hoping to reinstate a balance of power. Allowing established artists to shoulder emerging artists. 50% of sales of works sold by an established artist, will be distributed entirely to all the emerging artists involved. This redistribution of wealth offers a new outlook and model that is fundamentally for artists, by artists, creating an alternative system of support.Read more -
IT CLINGS LIKE A LEECH
A Debut Solo Show by Olivia Sterling | It's 2020 For F*ck Sake – A Thirteen Artist, Back-to-Back Solo Exhibition Marathon 22 - 26 Oct 2020A Debut Solo Show by Olivia Sterling as part of the It's 2020 For F*ck Sake Exhibition MarathonRead more -
BEGIN AGAIN
As society shifts, the art world shifts. We are on the cusp of change. 13 - 27 Aug 2020This is a time to stop, reflect, create dialogue, and put our words into positive action. To begin again we must shoulder each other, listen to each other, work together and collectively change together. As the newest generation of art collectors, we urge you to collect from this exhibition. The revenue made will support The Free Black University and the newest generation of artists.Read more
Begin
to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of some action; commence; start
Again
once more; another time; anew; in addition
With many thanks to Lotte Andersen for her continuous support throughout this exhibition, and to Pallas Citroen, Director of The Bomb Factory Art Foundation. Who is kindly providing a free gallery space as part of The Guts Prize.
Video
https://mpembed.com/show/?m=PoBpx1vkuGc&mpu=855&mpv=olivia1%27
Enquire
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Related content
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FAD Magazine feature Guts latest exhibition REALITY CHECK
FAD Magazine 23 Sep 2021MAYBE ITS TIME FOR A REALITY CHECKRead more -
REALITY CHECK
23 Sep - 3 Oct 2021Opening: Thur 23 Sept 6-9pm Exhibition Location: Anderson Contemporary, Carpenter’s Wharf Studios, 4b Roach Road, London E3 2PA Via Monier Road Footbridge Regular Opening Hours:...Read more -
Creative Boom feature Olivia Sterling Goldsmiths CCA
Creative Boom 22 Sep 2021Olivia Sterling's satirical paintings look at race and body image in Britain todayRead more -
DAZED features latest Guts exhibition, REALITY CHECK
DAZED 21 Sep 2021“We came to the idea from discussing the current state of the world, through all facets – politically, environmentally, socially – and thought that the...Read more -
CCA Presents Really Rough Scrubbing Brush by OLIVIA STERLING
17 Sep - 31 Oct 2021Private View: Sep 17 6-9pm Address: Goldsmiths CCA, St James’s, New Cross, London, SE14 6AD Opening Times: Wednesday–Sunday, 12–6pm Sterling’s graphic paintings and prints zone...Read more -
A NEW ART WORLD
A NEW ART WORLD IS POSSIBLE. 22 - 29 Jul 2021Private View: Thursday 22 July 6-9pm Opening Hours: Tues - Sun 11am - 6pm Location: 147 Stoke Newington High Street, London, N16 0NY No RSVP's...Read more -
Olivia Sterling in conversation at the Drawing Room
Drawing Room 4 Jul 2021Drawing Around Food: A Socio-political & Cultural Exploration Huma Kabakcı, Independent Curator and Development Manager at Drawing Room, will be in conversation with artists Bobby...Read more -
Olivia Sterling in GQ
GQ 24 Jun 2021Aindrea Emelife's Citizens Of Memory looks at black artists' relationship to nostalgia Aindrea Emelife's new show brings together seven artists to explore the complicated relationship...Read more -
Gallery Weekend Brings London’s Art Scene Back to Life
Guts Gallery featured in The New York Times for London Gallery Weekend 7 Jun 2021Pennick, who describes herself as a “working-class, queer Northerner with no art background,” was one of more than 130 London-based dealers holding live exhibitions during...Read more -
Guts Gallery featured in The New York Times 'Gallery Weekend Brings London's Art Scene Back to Life '
The New York Times 7 Jun 2021Pennick, who describes herself as a “working-class, queer Northerner with no art background,” was one of more than 130 London-based dealers holding live exhibitions during...Read more -
GUTS GALLERY INTRODUCING
London Gallery Weekend at The Shop at Sadie Coles HQ 4 - 6 Jun 2021London Gallery Weekend 4-6 June 2021 11am - 8pm (Opening day) 11am - 6pm (Regular hours) The Shop at Sadie Coles HQ, 62 Kingly...Read more -
Olivia Sterling featured in Wallpaper* ‘CITIZENS OF MEMORY’: NOSTALGIA AND THE BLACK EXPERIENCE EXPLORED
Wallpaper* 26 May 2021‘Citizens of Memory’ – a new group show at The Perimeter, London – sees seven artists explore memory, nostalgia and the Black experience. 'Olivia Sterling’s...Read more -
Olivia Sterling in Drawing Biennial 2021
13 May 2021Olivia Sterling will be a part of Drawing Biennial 2021 exhibition and auction, featuring new and recent works on paper by leading international artists. Contributing...Read more -
OLIVIA STERLING FEATURED IN SIXTH FINCH
Sixth Finch 13 May 2021Olivia Sterling featured on Sixth Finch. LIKE A TIGHT RING ON A FAT FINGER , 2020 Acrylic on canvas 55 x 45 cmRead more -
FRIEZE REVIEWS OLIVIA STERLING 'WHITE BREAD' EXHIBITION
FRIEZE 20 Apr 2021'For her latest exhibition, ‘White Bread’ – a series of 12 acrylic-on-canvas works (all 2020) – Olivia Sterling depicts quintessential scenes from the ostensibly innocuous...Read more -
ELEPHANT FEATURES SOPHIE VALLANCE AND OLIVIA STERLING
ELEPHANT 2 Apr 2021'The Food Chain: Lockdown and the Culture of Consumption' Madeleine Pollard tucks into the connection between art and appetite during the pandemic.Read more -
PURPLE MAGAZINE REVIEWS “WHITE BREAD” AN EXHIBITION BY OLIVIA STERLING AT COB GALLERY, LONDON
PURPLE 30 Mar 2021'Olivia Sterling’s ‘White Bread’ at Cob Gallery features an oblique riot of social commentary coded through ‘slapstick’ imagery of British children’s parties. Subtle critiques of...Read more -
Olivia Sterling's Virtual Reality Studio Visit
24 Feb 2021We are excited to release the first Guts virtual reality studio visit of 2021 at Olivia Sterling's art studio, which is located in a colossal...Read more -
DATEAGLE ART INTERVIEWS OLIVIA STERLING
DATEAGLE ART 22 Feb 2021'In a figurative tradition extending from Boschian absurdity, to Rococo fleshiness, Sterling’s action-full, painterly and realist aesthetic brings together the humour and social commentary of...Read more -
DATEAGLE ART STUDIO VISIT WITH OLIVIA STERLING
DATEAGLE ART 22 Feb 2021'The adage ‘life imitates art and art imitates life’ came to mind on a visit to the shared White City studio of artist Olivia Sterling...Read more -
Top Ten Shows from the UK and Ireland
Frieze 12 Feb 2021‘When Shit Hits the Fan’, Guts Gallery , until 4 March Since founding Guts Gallery in 2019, Ellie Pennick has worked on a number of...Read more -
WHEN SHIT HITS THE FAN AGAIN
FOR ARTISTS BY ARTISTS, 1 NIGHT ONLY. 4 Feb - 4 Mar 2021Through the invitation extended to established artists into the exhibition. We are hoping to reinstate a balance of power. Allowing established artists to shoulder emerging artists. 50% of sales of works sold by an established artist, will be distributed entirely to all the emerging artists involved. This redistribution of wealth offers a new outlook and model that is fundamentally for artists, by artists, creating an alternative system of support.Read more -
OLIVIA STERLING INTERVIEW ON SHE CURATES
SHE CURATES 13 Jan 2021“The paintings have elements of humour/slapstick and I have maintained this because othering is an absurd act and therefore I wish to reflect that in...Read more -
ON VIEW BY FLASH ART: “It’s 2020 For F*ck Sake” Guts Gallery and Soft Punk / London
Flash Art 11 Dec 2020Guts Gallery and Soft Punk Magazine are proud to collaboratively present “It’s 2020 For F*ck Sake”, a thirteen artist, back-to-back solo exhibition marathon, running from...Read more -
Olivia Sterling paints nostalgia-filled pieces to deconstruct complex issues of othering
It's Nice That 6 Nov 2020' More recently, her thoughts have focused in on “how a marginalised person processes becoming an adult with internalised negative thoughts about their identity,” in...Read more -
IT CLINGS LIKE A LEECH
A Debut Solo Show by Olivia Sterling | It's 2020 For F*ck Sake – A Thirteen Artist, Back-to-Back Solo Exhibition Marathon 22 - 26 Oct 2020A Debut Solo Show by Olivia Sterling as part of the It's 2020 For F*ck Sake Exhibition MarathonRead more -
IT’S 2020 FOR F*CK SAKE
ART PLUGGED 30 Sep 2020'Guts Gallery and Soft Punk Magazine are proud to collaboratively present “It’s 2020 For F*ck Sake”, a thirteen artist, back-to-back solo exhibition marathon, running from...Read more -
Begin Again is the virtual art exhibition tackling racial inequality
Dazed 14 Aug 2020'Guts Gallery, a platform supporting underrepresented contemporary voices in the arts, has kicked off its Instagram exhibition showcasing artists with proceeds going to the Free...Read more -
Begin Again: The online exhibition challenging austerity and racial oppression
Love Magazine 13 Aug 2020'With the turn of a new decade came an intersectional crossroad. Following the murder of GEORGE FLOYD and the outbreak of a global pandemic, the...Read more -
Scrap that, lets begin again
The Face 13 Aug 2020'It was at the peak of the UK ’s lockdown when Ellie Pennick, founder of Guts Gallery, rounded up 38 artists to produce When Shit...Read more -
BEGIN AGAIN
As society shifts, the art world shifts. We are on the cusp of change. 13 - 27 Aug 2020This is a time to stop, reflect, create dialogue, and put our words into positive action. To begin again we must shoulder each other, listen to each other, work together and collectively change together. As the newest generation of art collectors, we urge you to collect from this exhibition. The revenue made will support The Free Black University and the newest generation of artists. Begin to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of some action; commence; start Again once more; another time; anew; in addition With many thanks to Lotte Andersen for her continuous support throughout this exhibition, and to Pallas Citroen, Director of The Bomb Factory Art Foundation. Who is kindly providing a free gallery space as part of The Guts Prize.Read more