OSL contemporary is proud to present Vanessa Baird at Zona Maco 2025, featuring a solo installation consisting of large-scale scrolls, titled "Lost Humanity. One Way Ticket to Mars". The work is inspired by the acclaimed installation from her extensive retrospective exhibition GO DOWN WITH ME at the MUNCH Museum in 2024, confronting the devastating realities of war and its far-reaching consequences.
In this work, Baird shifts away from her signature dark humour, embracing a solemn and unflinching perspective on conflict and its human cost. With their monumental scale and intricate, raw detail, the scrolls serve as both a memorial and a call to action, urging reflection on the fragility of peace and the weight of collective suffering. This presentation invites viewers into a visceral experience of Baird’s artistry and vision, highlighting her commitment to addressing some of the most urgent and universal issues of our time.
Vanessa Baird (b. 1963) is one of Norway’s most acclaimed contemporary artists, celebrated for her distinctive and unapologetic works on paper. Based in Oslo, she trained at the National Academy of the Arts in Oslo and the Royal College of Art in London. Over the years, Baird has established herself as a fearless and original voice, addressing deeply personal, social, and political themes through her richly detailed and vividly imaginative drawings. Her practice spans monumental murals and intimate series, combining surrealist impulses with biting humour and a post-feminist perspective.
Baird’s work often draws from her own experiences, tackling subjects such as domestic life, the challenges of raising teenagers, and the complexities of caring for an ageing parent. At the same time, her art engages with broader societal issues, delivering sharp commentary on inequality, politics, and human vulnerability.
She is the recipient of the Lorck Schive Art Award (2015), Norway’s most prestigious award for contemporary artists. Baird co-founded the independent press Brunt hull with fellow artist Mette Hellenes and has published several critically acclaimed books with No Comprendo Press. Her works are part of significant collections, including the Prints and Drawings Collection at the British Museum, the National Museum of Norway, Astrup Fearnley Museum, Stavanger Kunstmuseum, and KODE in Bergen. She has also created several prominent public commissions, including her striking work for the new governmental quarters in Oslo.
She has held solo exhibitions at esteemed venues, such as Museum De Reede in Antwerpen (2024), Stavanger Kunsthall (2021), Drawing Room London (2021), KODE in Bergen (2018), Kunstnernes Hus (2017), Trondheim Kunstmuseum (2016), Göteborgs Konstmuseum (2014) and the National Museum of Art in Oslo (2005). Her critically acclaimed show at the MUNCH museum in Oslo 2024, explored political and existential themes with an unflinching gaze. Vanessa Baird’s work embodies an extraordinary blend of the personal and the political, cementing her position as a vital figure in contemporary art both in Norway and internationally.
