Ragna Bley (b. 1986, Uppsala) is considered to be one of Norway’s most interesting young artists. Her oeuvre comprises large-scale paintings primarily, but also encompasses sculpture, performance and language-based works. Bley finds inspiration in areas of life ranging from Science-Fiction to the natural world to biopolitics. Underpinning this eclecticism and Bley’s tendency towards experimentation is a remarkable degree of technical skill, honed through education at the Oslo Academy of Fine Arts and the Royal College of Art in London.

Ragna Bley, SILENT ARREST, 23.08-05.10.24

Ragna Bley, Serrated Tongues, 12.11-22.12.21

Ragna Bley, Pluto, 23.08-06.10.18

Born 1986 in Uppsala, Sweden

Lives and works in Oslo

Education

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2013 - 2015

Master of Art, Painting, Royal College of Art, London

2008 - 2011

Bachelor of Fine Art, The National Academy of Art, Oslo

Selected Solo & Two-Person Exhibitions

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2024

OSL contemporary, (NO)

2022

Stranger's Eye Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo (NO)

Viridian Land, Pilar Corrias Gallery, (GB)

2021

Serrated Tongues, OSL contemporary, (NO)

Soundings Downs & Ross, New York (US)

2020

Malmö Konsthall, Malmö (SE)

Ariel, Copenhagen (DK)

2018

Pluto, OSL Contemporary, Oslo (NO)

Zooid, Kabuso Art House, Øystese (NO)

2017

Superbody Sweet Editorial, Vilnius (LT)

Lay Open, Frankfurt am Main, Berlin (DE)

ZOOID, Munchmuseet i bevegelse - Kunsthall Oslo, Oslo (NO)

2016

Pine Pitch, Hester Gallery, New York (US)

2013

Leather Body - Feather Scope, Gallery LNM, Oslo (NO)

2011

Så nære vi var, with Inga Sund Hofset, Podium, Oslo (NO)

Retrorespection, Semikolon Gallery, Oslo (NO)

2010

To the Quagmires, Gallery 21:25, Oslo (NO)

2009

You Love the Way I Look at You, One Night Only Gallery, Oslo (NO)

Ideal Worlds, with Karin Erixon, Fisk Gallery, Bergen (NO)

Selected Group Exhibitions

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2024

Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Buffalo (US)

2024

Consortium, Dijon (FR)

Tara Downs Gallery, New York (US)

Gammel Strand, Copenhagen (DK)

2023

The Inner Island, Villa Carmignac, Porquerolles Island (FR)

2022

The Infinite Conversation, Beijing Biennial, Beijing, China (CN)

2021

The Hour of Reckoning, Henie Onstad Art Center, Bærum (NO)

2019

Wiggle Wiggle, Corridor Project Space, Amsterdam (NL)

Tempo Tempo Tempo, Kistefos-museet, Kistefos (NO)

2018

The Moderna Exhibition 2018, Moderna Museet (SE)

1968|2018 LNM 50 years, Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo (NO)

Entangled Tales, Rupert, Vilnius (LT)

Repeat.Forward, Punkt Ø, Galleri F 15, Moss (NO)

2017

Liv og virke, Norwegian Sculpture Biennial, The Vigeland Museum, Oslo (NO)

The Oslo Museum of Contemporary Art, Kunsthall Oslo (NO)

2016

Nomadic Images XVI International Vilnius Painting Triennial, Museum of Applied Arts, Vilnius (LT)

Roaming, UKS, Young Artists Society, Oslo (NO)

Variations in Scandinavian Abstraction Brandstrup Gallery, Oslo (NO)

2015

If it bends it’s funny, If it breaks it’s not funny. Bosse and Baum Gallery, London (GB)

Degree show, Royal College of Art, London (GB)

Conflicting Evidence, 1857, Oslo (NO)

Young Pioneers, Kunsthall Oslo, Oslo (NO)

Screen Saver, Dyson Gallery, London (GB)

Menneskeberget, Edvard Munch’s studio Ekely, Oslo (NO)

Kunstprisen 2015, Sandefjord Kunstforening, Sandefjord (NO)

2014

Marken vi står på, North Norwegian Artist Association, Svolvær (NO)

What Thinks Me, Taiga Art Space, St Petersburg (RU)

The Foyer Exhibition, Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo (NO)

We met at the far end of the landscape and both acted shy, Grünerløkka Kunsthall, Podium, Oslo (NO)

ReadYourCall, Diane Kruse Gallery, Hamburg (DE)

WIP, Henry Moore Gallery, Royal College of Art, London (GB)

Secret RCA, Dyson Gallery, London (GB)

2013

Summer Doldrums, residency exhibition, Kunsthall Oslo (NO)

Det enkles potensiale, Backspace, Oslo (NO)

2012

Sellout, UKS, Young Artists Society, Oslo (NO)

2011

THE STRANGE FETE (END), MFAPS, Oslo (NO)

En vinterreise, MFAPS, Oslo (NO)

Let the lovin take ahold. Stribsendberg collection of modern art… One Night Only UKS, Oslo (NO)

The Educational Art Show, MFAPS, Oslo (NO)

If inside to get out - if outside to get in, Søylegalleriet, Oslo (NO)

2010

The Educational Art Show, MFAPS, Oslo (NO)

;akademi- PO, The National Academy of Fine Arts, Oslo (NO)

Group exhibition, Knekt Gallery, Oslo (NO)

2009

Multiples, Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo ;(NO)

Pool (avec), Sjokoladefabrikken, Oslo (NO)

Moonlight Starlight Sunshine, SKA, Oslo (NO)

Initiation, Gallery 21:25, Oslo (NO)

Curatorial and Other Projects

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2020

Public art project, Holbæk Art, Holbæk (DK)

2019

Visting lecturer, Rietveldt Academy, Amsterdam (NL) Visting lecturer, Malerskolen, Kunstakademien, Copenhagen (DK) Visting lecturer, Exhibition Laboratory, University of Helsinki (FI)

2018

Digital work together with Pragheeta Sharma för Triple Canopy, New York (US)

Presentation of works at Chart Art Fair, Charlottenburg, Copenhagen with OSL contemporary (DK)

2017

Residency, Rupert, Vilnius (LT) Presentation of works Armory, New York with Downs and Ross (US)

Visiting lecturer at Royal College of Art, London.

2016

Visting lecturer, Fine Art, Royal College of Art, London (GB) Presentation at NADA and Dallas Art Fair with Hester, New York (US)

2015

Visiting lecturer, Glasgow School of Art, (GB)

2014

Curator for the exhibition We met at the far end… Grünerløkka Kunsthall, Podium, Oslo (NO)

2012

Assisting curator Lære for livet, Henie Onstad Kunstsenter, Bærum (NO)

2011

Curator If inside to get out - if outside to get in, Holodeck, Oslo (NO)

2010

Responsible for the lecture series Open Forum, Oslo Academy of Fine Art (NO)

2009

Pool (avec), Sjokoladefabrikken, Oslo (with Ruben Steinum) (NO)

Grants and Awards

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2018

Working grant, Ingvild Lindbäck Langaard’s foundation

2017

Three year working grant, Norwegian Arts council

2016

Annual Working Grant, Billedkunstnernes Vederlagsfond, Norway

2015

Hine Painting Prize, Royal College of Art, London

Travel grant, The Young Artists Society, UKS

2014

Exhibition Support, The Norwegian Arts Council

Project Support, Billedkunstnerenes Vederlagsfond

2013

Scholarship from Ingvild Lindbäck Langaard’s foundation

Annual Working Grant, Billedkunstnernes Vederlagsfond, Norway

2012

Annual Working Grant, Billedkunstnernes Vederlagsfond, Norway

2010

Grant The Foundation for Art and Design students, The National Academy of Arts, Oslo