‘ Good, bad, right or wrong, it’s all relative, art is notoriously ambiguous. The art of challenging conventional semiotics and observing the vast spectrum of strangers reactions and interpretations is highly rewarding ‘ says the artist.
Conceptual neon artist, Olivia Steele uses neon lighting to charge spaces with ironic and spiritual meaning. A native of Nashville, Tennessee and resident of London and Berlin, Steele’s work ranges from small to large installations that employ the traditional commercial medium of neon glass to make intimate statements and to question modern culture. She relishes the idea of contrasr and contradiction, and toys with our innate preconceptions. The juxtaposition of the neon statemnet and the environment it is placed in challenges conventional semiotics and evokes a wide range of interpretation.
In dialogue with mediums such as facades, rivers, taxidermy and photographs she tells short stories that evoke thought while enlightening the scenery with elaborate handwritings in neon glass, Olivia Steele also uses iconic images such as exploding atomic bombs or the seemingly sacred cross along with deep personal sentiments to jar the viewer beyond the everyday. The nature of her content is both provocative and reflective as her works ask viewer to consider the hidden emotions and unforeseen forces in a moment of reflection.
