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, Great Britain

2008 - 2011

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

Selected Solo & Two-Person Exhibitions

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2024

OSL contemporary, Norway

2022

Stranger's Eye, Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo, Norway
Viridian Land, Pilar Corrias Gallery, Great Britain

2021

Serrated Tongues, OSL contemporary, Norway
Soundings Downs & Ross, New York, USA

2020

Malmö Konsthall, Malmö, Sweden
Ariel, Copenhagen, Denmark

2018

Pluto, OSL Contemporary, Oslo, Norway
Zooid, Kabuso Art House, Øystese, Norway

2017

Superbody Sweet Editorial, Vilnius, Lithuania
Lay Open, Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, Germany
ZOOID, Munchmuseet i bevegelse - Kunsthall Oslo, Norway

2016

Pine Pitch, Hester Gallery, New York, USA

2013

Leather Body - Feather Scope, Gallery LNM, Oslo, Norway

2011

Så nære vi var, with Inga Sund Hofset, Podium, Oslo, Norway
Retrorespection, Semikolon Gallery, Oslo, Norway

2010

To the Quagmires, Gallery 21:25, Oslo, Norway

2009

You Love the Way I Look at You, One Night Only Gallery, Oslo, Norway
Ideal Worlds, with Karin Erixon, Fisk Gallery, Bergen, Norway

Selected Group Exhibitions

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2024

Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Buffalo, USA

2024

Consortium, Dijon, France
Tara Downs Gallery, New York, USA
Gammel Strand, Copenhagen, Denmark

2023

The Inner Island, Villa Carmignac, Porquerolles Island, France

2022

The Infinite Conversation, Beijing Biennial, Beijing, China

2021

The Hour of Reckoning, Henie Onstad Art Center, Oslo, Norway

2019

Wiggle Wiggle, Corridor Project Space, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Tempo Tempo Tempo, Kistefos-museet, Kistefos, Norway

2018

The Moderna Exhibition 2018, Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden
1968|2018 LNM 50 years, Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo, Norway
Entangled Tales, Rupert, Vilnius, Lithuania
Repeat.Forward, Punkt Ø, Galleri F 15, Moss, Norway

2017

Liv og virke, Norwegian Sculpture Biennial, The Vigeland Museum, Oslo, Norway
The Oslo Museum of Contemporary Art, Kunsthall Oslo, Norway

2016

Nomadic Images XVI International Vilnius Painting Triennial, Museum of Applied Arts, Vilnius, Lithuania
Roaming, UKS, Young Artists Society, Oslo, Norway
Variations in Scandinavian Abstraction Brandstrup Gallery, Oslo, Norway

2015

If it bends it’s funny, If it breaks it’s not funny. Bosse and Baum Gallery, London, Great Britain
Degree show, Royal College of Art, London, Great Britain
Conflicting Evidence, 1857, Oslo, Norway
Young Pioneers, Kunsthall Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Screen Saver, Dyson Gallery, London, Great Britain
Menneskeberget, Edvard Munch’s studio Ekely, Oslo, Norway
Kunstprisen 2015, Sandefjord Kunstforening, Sandefjord, Norway

2014

Marken vi står på, North Norwegian Artist Association, Svolvær, Norway
What Thinks Me, Taiga Art Space, St Petersburg, Russia
The Foyer Exhibition, Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo, Norway
We met at the far end of the landscape and both acted shy, Grünerløkka Kunsthall, Podium, Oslo, Norway
ReadYourCall, Diane Kruse Gallery, Hamburg, Germany
WIP, Henry Moore Gallery, Royal College of Art, London, Great Britain
Secret RCA, Dyson Gallery, London, Great Britain

2013

Summer Doldrums, Residency Exhibition, Kunsthall Oslo, Norway
Det enkles potensiale, Backspace, Oslo, Norway

2012

Sellout, UKS, Young Artists Society, Oslo, Norway

2011

THE STRANGE FETE (END), MFAPS, Oslo, Norway
En vinterreise, MFAPS, Oslo, Norway
Let the lovin take ahold. Stribsendberg collection of modern art… One Night Only UKS, Oslo, Norway
The Educational Art Show, MFAPS, Oslo, Norway
If inside to get out - if outside to get in, Søylegalleriet, Oslo, Norway

2010

The Educational Art Show, MFAPS, Oslo, Norwat
;akademi- PO, The National Academy of Fine Arts, Oslo, Norway
Group exhibition, Knekt Gallery, Oslo, Norway

2009

Multiples, Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo, Norway
Pool (avec), Sjokoladefabrikken, Oslo, Norway
Moonlight Starlight Sunshine, SKA, Oslo, Norway
Initiation, Gallery 21:25, Oslo, Norwat

Curatorial and Other Projects

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2020

Public art project, Holbæk Art, Holbæk, Denmark

2019

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

2018

Digital work together with Pragheeta Sharma för Triple Canopy, New York, USA
Presentation of works at Chart Art Fair, Charlottenburg, Copenhagen with OSL contemporary, Denmark

2017

Residency, Rupert, Vilnius (LT) Presentation of works Armory, New York with Downs and Ross, USA,
Visiting lecturer at Royal College of Art, London, Great Britain

2016

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

2015

Visiting lecturer, Glasgow School of Art, Great Britain

2014

Curator for the exhibition We met at the far end… Grünerløkka Kunsthall, Podium, Oslo, Norway

2012

Assisting curator Lære for livet, Henie Onstad Kunstsenter, Bærum, Norway

2011

Curator If inside to get out - if outside to get in, Holodeck, Oslo, Norway

2010

Responsible for the lecture series Open Forum, Oslo Academy of Fine Art, Norway

2009

Pool (avec), Sjokoladefabrikken, Oslo (with Ruben Steinum), Norway

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, Great Britain
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, Norway