Sundy is happy to present Reflexivity, a solo show by Swedish artist Olga Pedan. Pedan’s practice revolves around processes and systems underlying human communication and their increasing abstraction. Her paintings are populated by symbols, words, icons that form chains of information often within a spatiality reminiscent of digital environments.
The paintings in Reflexivity are densely populated by plants and mysterious figures giving the impression of snippets of dreams or of outpourings of a rich inner life.There is a rebus-like quality to the works that seems to suggest they can be solved by trying to decode their floating sequences of words, symbols and goofy characters. At the centre of the show are two tall paintings of dogs in heraldic postures mirroring each other while also towering over the viewer. They are breaking with the otherwise dreamy and ambiguous atmosphere of the show quite resolutely. Traditionally meant to be the supporters of a coat of arms or a battle cry, there is a feeling of misplacement in their vigour and focussed attention within the calm domestic setting. A contrast that feels humorous and perhaps familiar after a year spent in a bubble of reduced activity and introspection.
OLGA PEDAN
*1988 in Kharkov, Ukraine. Lives and works in London.
2009-2014 Study of Fine Art, HfBK Städelschule, Frankfurt am Main
2008-2009 Fine Art and Critical Studies, Goldsmiths University, London
Selected solo and two person exhibitions:
Managing Emotions’ Neuer Essener Kunstverein, Essen (2020); ‘Self Conscious’ with Sam Siwe, Kunstbuero, Vienna (2019); ‘Central Fantasy’ with Charlie Froud at Schiefe Zähne, Berlin (2019); ‘Epistlar’ Issues, Stockholm (2017); ‘Residual Living’, Montague, London (2017); ‘Schemes’, DREI, Cologne, (2016); ‘Howl said the Wolf’ with Sif Hedegård, Shanaynay, Paris (2016); ‘Can into Space’ Neoterismoi Toumazou, Nicosia (2015); ‘Catwoman’ with Zoe Barcza, DressMan, Stockholm, (2013).
Selected group exhibitions:
2020 ‘Wir Blumen’ Kunstverein Hannover, Hannover (2020); ‘Schau…6’ Kunsthaus Kollitsch, Klagenfurt (2019); ‘Roots on wheels’ Root Canal, Amsterdam; ‘Solna Centrum’ The Loon, Toronto (2018); ’Original Character’ DREI, Cologne (2018); ‘#Issues6’ Humlegårdsgatan 14, Stockholm (2018); ‘Neuro Tribes’, Loyal, Stockholm (2017); ‘Zoe Barcza, Alfred Boman, Karl Norin, Olga Pedan, Emanuel Röhss & Jim Thorell’, Issues, Stockholm, (2017); ‘Rootless rocks and drifting stones’ Superdeals, Brussels (2017); ‘Ichts’ Dortmunder Kunstverein, Dortmund (2017);‘Kampus der Kröten’ Oslo10, Basel; ‘Considered Living’ with Charlie Froud and Jack Brennan, Swimming Pool, Sofia (2016); ‘White SLR’ Belle Air, Essen (2015); ‘My home is my castle’ JazzBar at Tbilisi Triennial, CCA, Tbilisi (2015).
