Olafur Eliasson (1967, Copenhagen, Denmark) studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Art, Copenhagen, between 1989 and 1995. He moved to Berlin, where he established his studio, with a team of approximately 100 members, including artisans, architects, engineers, archivists, researchers, cooks, programmers and art historians; here he has produced a vast body of work. The sculptures, installations, paintings, photographs, films, ecology projects and public projects of Eliasson have been the tools to explore the cognitive and cultural conditions that form our perception. His works and projects awaken the conscience about how we get involved and interpret the world around us, through immersive atmospheres created by him, and where the individual experience of the spectator is part of an exchange with the artistic object. In parallel, Eliasson amplifies his production beyond the museum or gallery context, creating activist interventions in the public and political space and ecology projects, that aim to contribute to the wellbeing and development of disadvantaged communities.

From 2009 through 2014 he was a professor at the Universität der Kunst, in Berlin, Germany.

From his extensive exhibitory activity, some of the most important solo exhibitions are: Olafur Eliasson: Symbiotic seeing, Kunsthaus Zurich, Switzerland (2020); Y/our future is now, Serralves Contemporary Art Museum, Oporto, Portugal (2020; Olafur Eliasson: WASSERfarben, Graphische Sammlung – Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, Germany (2018); The unspeakable openness of things, Red Brick Art Museum, Beijing, Popular Republic of China ((2018); Olafur Eliasson: Multiple shadow house, Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, Montreal, Canada (2017); Versailles, Palace of Versailles, France (2016); Time-sensitive activity, Modern Art Museum, Gebre Kristos Desta Center, Addis Ababa University, Ethiope (2015); Olafur Eliasson: Innen Stadt Aussen, Martin Gropius Bau, Berlin, Germany (2010); Take your time: Olafur Eliasson, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, USA (2007-08); MoMA – The Museum of Modern Art, New York and P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center, New York (2008), Dallas Museum of Art, Texas, USA (2008-09), Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, USA (2009) and Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Australia (2009-10); The blind pavilion, Danish Pavilion, 50^th Venice Biennale, Italy (2003); The weather project, Tate Modern, London, United Kingdom (2003-04).

Eliasson’s work is represented in numerous collections, among which the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, USA; Centre for International Light Art, Unna, Germany, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, USA; Tate Collection, London; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CA; Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Oslo; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington D.C.

PS, October 2020

José Drummond

Artworks

Between heaven and earth [Entre o Céu e a Terra]2025

Luis Dourdil

Olafur Eliasson