Olivia Coeln (BMKÖS)

Olivia Coeln is interested in the forms of projection and mystification between human and non-human beings, as they emerge from folklore, fables, fairy tales, comics and films. Her ongoing series Carps shows photographs of koi carp taken in aquariums and zoos, with the post-production of the original images forming a central part of Coeln's working process. The Dutch fish auctioneer Adriaen Coenen illustrated a book in the middle of the 16^th century in which he combined lifelike studies of different types of marine life as well as imaginary beings, such as dragons and sea monsters. Following this interplay of natural, fantastic and animistic fragments, Coeln condenses these differing elements into psychedelic picture montages.

Olivia Coeln graduated 2019 from the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna (Martin Guttmann, Michael Höpfner, Saskia Te Nicklin). During her studies she took part in an exchange semester at Zokei Art university in Tokyo. Her works have been recently shown at Ve.Sch Kunstverein and Georg Kargl Gallery Vienna.