Statement

Hilgers creates portraits with female figures in the foreground. As a bold female artist, she has no fears or prejudices; she presents herself as a sensual, clever, courageous and provocative soul full of life. She aims to make herself open to stimulate as much conversation as possible with her viewers. Interaction and discussion are essential to her pieces, since they tackle subjective themes. Still, the main concept of her practice is shaped around feminism; she displays women’s experiences, their different paths, exploration of the limits of their freedom. Through her art, Hilgers aspires to challenge stereotypes imposed on women and encourage societies to overcome them. 

The main sources of inspiration behind Hilgers’s pieces are the people of Berlin; artists, acquaintances or even random people she comes across on the streets. As the figures are formed on the canvases with each detail, they become independent and start forming their own world. For more accurate representations of the anatomy, she invites models to pose in her studio for sketches and reference drawings. There is freedom for creativity in this process as well; a specific pose or facial expression is captured quite intuitively, then it emerges freely with Hilgers’s style.

The Heroine series is one that reflects the artist’s characteristics and personality. The same figure, “Herione” is present in multiple paintings in different settings, situations and surroundings. These mysterious compositions all represent parts of Hilgers’s own self and are intended to start conversation. In short, it is a series that forms a striking self-portrait.

Some other portrait works of the artist picture burlesque stars. Ultra-short suits, corsets, high-heeled shoes and striking makeup details are references to the classic burlesque of the mid-60s. These pieces also put emphasis on femininity and sexuality through a deeply ironic perspective. 

Woman Through the Looking Glass is another series dealing with femininity. In this series, the female figures transcend their microcosm to the outside world. The space, barely outlined in the portraits, spreads out in front of the viewers like an endless landscape. These pieces represent women’s interaction with and expectations from the outside world. 

Olga Hilgers’s work has been displayed in multiple group shows in New York City. Her first solo show “LIBERATION(s)” took place at The Living Gallery Berlin in August 2021, where she exhibited oil paintings made in the past two years. Hilgers continues to work hard and improve herself as an artist, her mission is to expand and contribute to a better world by spreading her message globally.