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 & PROJECTS
2026 Hildelund Spa, Famlande fötter och tankar, Västra Ämtervik, SE
immersive participatory performance and site-specific installation
2026 Salong #3, Studio Tabac, Stockholm, SE
2024 Värmlands Höstsalong, Kristinehamns konstmuseum SE
2024 På väg 45, Åmåls Konsthall SE
process-based artistic project and participatory performance
2023 Vandrestaven - Att älska en plats, Lysvik SE/NO
installation and performance reading
2023 Falnande Språk- Ur Finnskogen, touring exhibition, 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, touring exhibition, Konsthallen MEKEN, Dalarna, SE
2022 Athens Photo Festival, Photobook exhibition at Benaki Museum GR
2022 Falnande Språk- Ur Finnskogen, touring exhibition, Länsmuseet Gävleborg SE
2021 MIASMA, solo exhibition, Konstfrämjandet Värmland, Karlstad, SE
2021 Transformation, duo exhibition Hagfors Library, SE
2020 Grant exhibition, Värmlands Höstsalong, Rackstadmuseet, Arvika, SE
2020 Innan Luften Går Ur, site-specific exhibition & radio-event 99,3 MHz, Gustavsfors and its surroundings, SE
2020 Ruralitet centrum-periferi, group exhibition Rackstadmuseet, Arvika, SE
2019 100, group exhibition, Galleri CC, Malmö, SE
2019 Övre Frykens Konstrunda, exhibition at Galleri Södra Ås, SE
2018 Winter Solstice, night exhibition, Teknisk Museum, Oslo, NO
2018 Höstsalongen 2018, Kristinehamns Konstmuseum, SE
2018 Sunnemoon Festival, Sunnemo, SE
site-specific group installation and performance
2018 Hildelund Konstfestival, site-specific installation, Västra Ämtervik, SE
2018 Innan luften går ur, site-specific exhibition, Dragsjöberg SE
2017 Mycelet, group exhibition Kolonin, Arvika, SE
2017 Innan luften går ur, site-specific exhibition, Dragsjöberg, SE
2016 Memorabilia, collaborative duo exhibition at Frykens Pärla, Lysvik, SE
2016 Innan luften går ur, site-specific exhibition, Dragsjöberg SE
2015 C.I.A, group exhibition, Alma Löv Museum, Sunne, SE
2015 Du är allt, du är vatten, Konstfrämjandet, Karlstad, SE
solo exhibition at Bergvik köpcenter
2015 Hagfors konsthall, group exhibition, Hagfors SE
2015 Open Lab 2015, Varberg calling for peace, Varbergs rådhus, SE
site-specific installation and collaborative performance
2015 Emigrant, filmscreening, Värmlands Filmfestival, Arvika, SE
2015 Värmlands konstnärsförbunds vårsalong, Nora konsthall, SE
2014 Värmlands Höstsalong, Värmlands Museum, Karlstad, SE
2013 Nordic Dummy Award 2013, photobook exhibition, Fotogalleriet, Oslo, NO
2013 Innan luften går ur, site-specific exhibition, Dragsjöberg, SE
2013 Festival för systerskap, Utställning K, Bibliotekshuset 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
site-specific video-installations
2012 Palestine, Habibte, duo exhibition, Galleri Fisk, Bergen, NO
2011 They did not recognize me..., Galleri Bokboden, Bergen, NO
duo exhibition and performance
2011 The Degree Show, group exhibition, International Academy of Art Palestine, PS)
2009 Mirage, group exhibition, Stamsund Kunstsenter, NO
PUBLIC ART
2026 Medvarelser, Karlstad kommun SE
site-specific installation between Sundstatjärn and Sundsta Torg
ARTIST 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 PRACTICE
2019-2020 AiR Värmland Innan Luften Går Ur, in collaboration with Region Värmland, Gustavsfors SE
2013-2021 Innan Luften Går Ur, site-specific projects, Dragsjöberg SE
ARTIST TALKS & LECTURES
2026 Gäddhäng i Stadshuset, artist talk “Medvarelser”, Hagfors Kommun, SE
2026 Om processer med konstnärliga gestaltningar, Lunchmackan, Bibliotek Värmland, SE
2025 Perspektiv, moderated discussion, Galleri Passagen, Årjäng SE
2024 Platsens betydelse, lecture, Kyrkerud Artschool, Årjäng SE
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 & EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE
2026 Art Camp, visual arts tutor & instructor, Region Värmland, Karlstad, SE
2026 Transformation, Guest-teacher Visual arts, Kyrkerud Art school, Årjäng SE
2025 Hej Medvarelse! Sundstatjärn, Karlstad kommun, SE
public participatory process as a part of the public artwork “Medvarelser”
2024 Om tid och förmågan att läsa av naturens skiftningar, workshop, Kyrkerud art School, Årjäng SE
2023 Om tid och förmågan att läsa av naturens skiftningar, family-workshop & artist talk, Torsby Finnskogscentrum, SE
2023- 2025 Animation & The Uncanny, Skapande skola-projekt ÅK 6 Hagfors kommun SE
2022 I (brutna) cirkelrörelser, workshop & artist talk, Länsmuseet Gävleborg SE
2021- 2023 Film och andra sagor, Skapande skola-projekt ÅK 7 Hagfors kommun SE
2018 Abrakadabra, photography & sculpture workshop, Kristinehamns Konstmuseum, SE
2016 Preeschool day, immersive installations, Hagfors kommun SE
2016 Skapande skola-projekt, Hagfors preeschool SE
2015 Portalen, site-specific installation project Råda preeschool, Sagostigen, Råda SE
2018–2023 Bild- & Filmlärare, employed at Hagfors Kulturskola SE
BOOKS & PUBLICATIONS
2024 Artist in residence, Värmland, published by Region Värmland SE
2020 Meandering, published by Journal SE
GRANTS & AWARDS
2023 Swedish Arts Grants Committee, 2-year working grant SE
2022-2023 Kreativ Kraft, project grant 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
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Region Gävleborg
Statens Konstråd
Region Värmland
Region Dalarna
MEMBERSHIPS
Konstnärscentrum Mitt
Bildupphovsrätt
Värmlands Konstnärsförbund
KKV Värmland
CONTACT therese@thereseolsson.com