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Alex Olson — Untitled
Alex Olson

Untitled

2014

A restrained interplay of oil and modelling paste animates this intimate 2014 work on gessoed paper, in which Alex Olson deploys texture as a primary expressive force. The modelling paste builds subtle topographical relief across the surface, while the oil layer negotiates between opacity and translucency, creating a quiet tension that rewards close attention. At 43.2 by 35.5 centimetres, the format feels deliberately compressed, as though the painting turns inward rather than outward, inviting a meditative rather than monumental encounter. Olson, born in 1978, has earned consistent critical recognition for her approach to abstraction, one that refuses easy categorisation between process-led formalism and intuitive mark-making. Her work engages seriously with the legacy of gestural painting while maintaining a cool, measured sensibility that keeps sentimentality at a remove. This untitled work is characteristic of that position, offering surface incident without spectacle, and material richness without excess. The piece is signed by the artist, and the gessoed paper support reflects Olson's ongoing interest in ground as an active participant rather than a passive substrate. Offered without reserve, this work presents a compelling entry point into a practice that continues to gain institutional and scholarly attention. It arrives unframed, allowing the collector full latitude in presentation.

Medium
Oil and modelling paste on gessoed paper
Overall
Signed
Yes

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About this work

Alex Olson, Untitled, 2014

A restrained interplay of oil and modelling paste animates this intimate 2014 work on gessoed paper, in which Alex Olson deploys texture as a primary expressive force. The modelling paste builds subtle topographical relief across the surface, while the oil layer negotiates between opacity and translucency, creating a quiet tension that rewards close attention. At 43.2 by 35.5 centimetres, the format feels deliberately compressed, as though the painting turns inward rather than outward, inviting a meditative rather than monumental encounter. Olson, born in 1978, has earned consistent critical recognition for her approach to abstraction, one that refuses easy categorisation between process-led formalism and intuitive mark-making. Her work engages seriously with the legacy of gestural painting while maintaining a cool, measured sensibility that keeps sentimentality at a remove. This untitled work is characteristic of that position, offering surface incident without spectacle, and material richness without excess. The piece is signed by the artist, and the gessoed paper support reflects Olson's ongoing interest in ground as an active participant rather than a passive substrate. Offered without reserve, this work presents a compelling entry point into a practice that continues to gain institutional and scholarly attention. It arrives unframed, allowing the collector full latitude in presentation.

Medium
Oil and modelling paste on gessoed paper
Dimensions
overall: 43.2 x 35.5 cm
Year
2014
Signed
Hand-signed by the artist
Seen at
Phillips

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