Artist Inga Olej was born and raised in Berlin. She trained at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, learning theatre design and painting from the sculptor Michael Jastram. It was, however, in the Algarve that she found a deeper connection with nature that took her on an exciting journey into art and the celebration of the female form and eroticism.
Inga discovered the Algarve after studying social work and completing an internship here, which is when she fell in love with this country.
Inga noticed that her connection to nature was stronger here in the Algarve. Then she became a mother and it no longer felt right for her to live in a big city with a small child, so she moved to the Algarve in 2018. Both motherhood and living here have helped her to ground and stabilise herself, as she explains:
“I tend to get totally lost in making art. I then forget to eat and sleep. And my daughter makes my day much more structured, and the connection to nature also keeps me connected to my body, so I am not totally dissolving into my artwork.”
Her desire to create started at a young age: “Even when I was a little kid, I used to paint a lot. My greatest passions and what brings me the most happiness have always been painting, drawing, crafting, modelling, building and being with animals.”
Today, Inga paints with oils on canvas, designs linocuts and prints and also does commissioned work, such as creating copies of famous paintings or murals.
When asked why she paints, she replies honestly. “I make art to express myself. I am a highly sensitive person (HSP). This means that I am more aware of stimuli such as noises, colours and feelings and need longer to process them. I need a way of releasing all the sensations and experiences from inside me. For me, making art is an opportunity to share my inner world and my perspective on the world. If people are touched by my art, then the artwork represents a bridge between me and the viewer. I believe that art can be a visible representation of the inexplicable connection that occurs between people.”
In 2022, Inga dedicated herself to the topic of female archetypes and painted a series of 12 oil paintings. She described this as a very exciting journey into the different aspects of herself as she painted each piece. She has also created a series of paintings around the theme of Shibari, which is the Japanese art of erotic rope bondage. Her work certainly pushes the boundaries of art and challenges the viewer’s assumptions and beliefs.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s quote particularly resonates with her: “Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
She explains it can be difficult to know when a painting is finished. “You can actually paint an artwork dead, i.e. take away its liveliness, if you miss the point to stop in time.”
Inga loves the work of Vincent van Gogh, Egon Schiele, Rodin, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. She is inspired by courageous, strong women who go their own way: “Not necessarily only artists, but also spiritual teachers who have found their way back to the primal female power. Good films and music also inspire me. I always paint listening to loud music. Contemporary artists like Marina Abramović and Lady Gaga greatly impress me because they are so committed to art and follow their own path.”
Inga’s path is certainly unique. She also creates erotically sensual linocuts of couples, explaining that she enjoys creating “an individual, unique and handmade artwork that immortalises a snapshot of their love”. Linocuts are an interesting medium for an artist. Inga creates her pieces by cutting out all the areas of a linoleum sheet that are later to appear white, leaving only areas of black. Only black and white is possible. There are no nuances or shades of grey. “These contrasts create an abstraction, and the result is very expressive. I can’t afford any mistakes either. If I cut something away, it’s gone. I absolutely love that about it, that absoluteness. There is a special power in a linocut.”
You can view and purchase Inga’s art, and she is also available for commissions. You can contact her via her website or Instagram.
