Drawn to the landscape of her childhood, Therése Olsson lives and works in relation to the forests where she grew up. This return functions as a form of homecoming, echoing the cyclical movement of the pike that repeatedly seeks its natal bay to spawn. From this place, her practice explores questions of identity, belonging, and place, as well as the fluid states that emerge in the spaces between them.
The performative element runs as a continuous thread throughout her work, where her body and personal memory intersect with other voices, materials, and narratives. Grounded in a rural perspective, Olsson is particularly drawn to that which is obscured, displaced, or marginalized — geographically, historically, and existentially.
Therése Olsson (b. 1988) is a multidisciplinary artist based in Hagfors, Värmland. Her work spans sculpture, photography, video, performance, and installation, often taking shape through site-specific and context-responsive processes.
EDUCATION
2009-2012 Bergen Academy of Art and Design, BAF, specialised within Photography, NO
2011 International Academy of Art Palestine (IAAP), exchange, PS
2009 Sopockie Szkoly Fotografii, exchange, PL
2008-2009 Lofoten Folkehögskole, Photography NO
EXHIBITIONS (selected)
2024 Värmlands Höstsalong, Kristinehamns konstmuseum SE
2024 Mistress of the lake, Åmåls Konsthall SE
2023 Vandrestaven- Att älska en plats, Lysvik SE/NO
2023 Falnande Språk- Ur Finnskogen, Värmlands Museum, SE
2023 Inget gör människan så ont som dess längtan efter perfektion, Kaivanto - studio och galleri, Ivarsbjörke, SE
2022 Falnande Språk- Ur Finnskogen, Konsthallen MEKEN, Dalarna, SE
2022 Athens Photo Festival, Photobook Exhibition at Benaki Museum GR
2022 Falnande Språk- Ur Finnskogen, Länsmuseet Gävleborg SE
2021 MIASMA, Konstfrämjandet Värmland, Karlstad, SE
2021 Transformation, Hagfors Library, SE
2020 Grant exhibiton, Värmlands Höstsalong, Rackstadmuseet, Arvika, SE
2020 Ruralitet centrum-periferi, Rackstadmuseet, Arvika, SE
2019 100, Galleri CC, Malmö, SE
2019 Övre Frykens Konstrunda, Galleri Södra Ås, SE
2018 Winter Solstice, Teknisk Museum, Oslo, NO
2018 Höstsalongen 2018, Kristinehamns Konstmuseum, SE
2018 Sunnemoon Festival, Sunnemo, SE
2018 Hildelund Konstfestival, Västra Ämtervik, SE
2018 Innan luften går ur, Hagfors, SE
2017 Mycelet, Kolonin, Arvika, SE
2017 Innan luften går ur, Hagfors, SE
2016 Memorabilia, Frykens Pärla, Lysvik, SE
2016 Innan luften går ur, Hagfors, SE
2015 C.I.A, Alma Löv Museum, Sunne, SE
2015 Du är allt, du är vatten, Konstfrämjandet, Karlstad, SE
2015 Hagfors konsthall, SE
2015 Open Lab 2015, Varberg calling for peace, Varbergs rådhus, SE
2015 Emigrant, Värmlands Filmfestival, Arvika, SE
2015 Värmlands konstnärsförbunds vårsalong, Nora konsthall, SE
2014 Värmlands Höstsalong, Värmlands Museum, Karlstad, SE
2013 Nordic Dummy Award 2013, Fotogalleriet, Oslo, NO
2013 Innan luften går ur, Hagfors, SE
2013 Utställning K, Festival för systerskap, Karlstad, SE
2012 ++ 4.december, Pluss Pluss, Blackbox Teater, Oslo, NO
2012 Presenting Absence: Moving Images of Palestine, Bonnington Gallery, Nottingham, UK
2012 Copycats Exhibiton, ANU School of Art Photospace Gallery, AU
2012 Bachelorutstillingen 2012, Bergen Kretsfengsel, NO
2012 Palestine, Habibte, Galleri Fisk, Bergen, NO
2011 They did not recognize me..., Galleri Bokboden, Bergen, NO
2011 The Degree Show, International Academy of Art Palestine, PS)
2009 Mirage, Stamsund Kunstsenter, NO
PUBLIC COMISSIONS
(2025) Medvarelser, Sundstaparken, Karlstad kommun SE
BOOKS
2024 Artist in residence, Värmland, by Region Värmland SE
2020 Meandering, published by Journal SE
REPRESENTED
Region Gävleborg
Statens Konstråd
Region Värmland
Region Dalarna
GRANTS/NOMINATIONS
2023 Swedish Arts Grants Committee, 2-year working grant SE
2022-2023 Kreativ Kraft, Region Värmland SE
2021 Hagfors Kommuns Kulturstipendium SE
2021 Swedish Authors Fund, 1-year working grant SE
2020 Konung Gustav VI Adolfs fond för Svensk Kultur SE
2020 Pingels Ungdomsstipendium, Värmlands konstförening SE
2020 Ulla-Britt Henrikssons Kulturstipendium SE
2019 Swedish Arts Grants Committee, 1-year working grant SE
2016 Grant, Helge Ax:son Johnsons stiftelse SE
2013 Nominated, Nordic Dummy Award, Fotogalleriet, Oslo NO
RESIDENCIES
2024 SELKIE at Hønen, Teater Møn, DK.
2024 A.i.R På väg 45, Trollhättan, Vänersborg & Åmål Konsthallar, SE
2020 A.i.R X: Falnande språk, ur Finnskogen, Region Gävleborg, SE
2015 Open Lab, Region Halland, SE
CURATORIAL WORK co-founder of Innan Luften Går Ur
2019-2020 AiR Värmland i Gustavsfors, in collaboration with Region Värmland SE
2013-2021 Innan Luften Går Ur Festivals/Exhibitions SE
ARTIST TALKS/TALKS/LECTURES/PANEL DISCUSSIONS
2025 Perspektiv, moderated discussion, Galleri Passagen, Årjäng SE
2024 Platsens betydelse, lecture, Kyrkerud Artschool, Årjäng SE
2023 Hommage till Gäddan, Vandrestaven - Att älska en plats, Lysvik SE/NO
2021 Meandering, Artist talk, Hagfors Library, SE
2020 The power of creation in a time of crisis, panel discussion, Värmland Bookfestival, SE
2020 Passager och spår i Finnskogen, Artist talk, Region Gävleborg, SE
WORKSHOPS
2025 Hej Medvarelse, medskapande workshop för konstnärlig gestaltning, Karlstad kommun, SE
2024 Om tid och förmågan att.. workshop, Kyrkerud art School, SE
2023 Om tid och förmågan att.. workshop, Torsby Finnskogscentrum, SE
2023- 2025 Animation & The Uncanny, ÅK 6 Hagfors kommun SE
2022 I (brutna) cirkelrörelser, workshop & artist talk, Länsmuseet Gävleborg SE
2021- 2023 Film och andra sagor, ÅK 7 Hagfors kommun SE
2018 Abrakadabra, photography & sculpture, Kristinehamns Konstmuseum, SE
2016 Hagfors kindergarden, SE
2016 Hagfors preeschool, SE
2015 Portalen, Råda kindergarden, SE
OTHER WORKRELATED ASSIGNMENTS
2018–2023 Bild- & Filmlärare, employed at Hagfors Kulturskola SE
MEMBERSHIP
Konstnärscentrum Mitt
Bildupphovsrätt
Värmlands Konstnärsförbund
KKV Värmland
CONTACT therese@thereseolsson.com