Galerie Anna Probst is pleased to present not only a comprehensive retrospective of the artist Oksana Bergen but also to announce the gallery’s relaunch.
Oksana Bergen works with paper; the material is not just a medium, but a partner in dialogue. She cuts, embosses, and wraps it, creating forms that demonstrate both resilience and fragility. For the artist, the resulting tears, cut edges, and creases become metaphors for the human psyche, which is constantly changing. ‘Aftermath’ therefore signifies more than just the analysis of repercussions; it describes the process-oriented transition between event and consequence, between destruction and a new beginning. The artist invites viewers to engage with the ‘in-between’ and to observe the developments that lead from beginning to end.
Oksana Bergen organizes her works into various series that explore different aspects of process and the psyche. The core of all these series is the emphasis on the relationship between humans and paper as mutable bodies.
The works in ALIVE consist of thousands of paper straws twisted into dense forms using a wet-winding technique. They are subjected to intense pressure during the artistic process and only loosen as they dry. According to the artist, the works describe a “struggle for independence, a symbol of self-actualization despite external constraints.”
Herzknochen (Heart Bone) focuses on the heart as something vulnerable and vibrant. The free-hanging installations are reminiscent of a neural network. Here, fragility is not understood as a weakness or a flaw, but as an expression of depth and authenticity.
Works from Gänsehauteffekt (Goosebump Effect) – Stone Edition describe physical reactions to emotional and physical stimuli. Goosebumps are characterized here as uncontrollable and reflexive, which is reflected in the uneven surfaces.
Wahrnehmungen (Perceptions) examines subjective sensations of reality. In these minimalist, embossed works, the artist dedicates herself to the invisible and the subconscious. They become a silent invitation to engage with one’s own individual reality.
