Closing reception for the solo exhibition Fragments of an Unknown Civilization
with electronic music performance and video works by Damien Olsen.

About the artist:

Damien Olsen, is an American, interdisciplinary artist, based in New York City. Born to a migratory Russian family, his family relocated to Brazil where he resided until the late 90’s. Olsen grew up experiencing many cultures and languages. Although he never formally studied art, he started selling drawings and paintings at a very young age and later on developed professionally as a sculptor and photographer.
In the mid-70’s, while studying psychology and contemporary dance, he earned a living operating as both a photography assistant and advertising designer. A few years into his college degree, he dropped his psychology studies to pursue a career in contemporary dance. His study of dance thus became his continued focus for the next 12 years.
Olsen took an interest in studying Zen and Taoism at a Zen Center run by Robert Aitken Roshi. There, he pursued the study of Capoeira, overseen by several academies in the Brazilian state of Bahia.
In the late 90’s, Olsen relocated to New York and continued on to engage in various visual arts and musical practices. During this time, he was supported by art dealers, Ivan Karp of Ok Harris Gallery and Cecilia de Torres, a specialist in Constructivist art.
From 2003 to 2006 Olsen studied music composition and Jazz improvisation, training with ECM Records guitarist and composer, Raoul Bjorkenheim.
With over 4 decades of devoted interdisciplinary activity under his belt, Damien Olsen has developed a vast and dynamic collection of paintings, artist books, found-objects, assemblages, photographs, and sculptures. His series of shelves or “cabinets of curiosities” are exemplary of the breadth of his work. Taking on the character of geological/anthropological displays, which exhibit no subtle likeness or mere symbolic allusion to themes in Architecture, Philosophy, Sexuality, Psychology, Paleontology, and Natural History.
Website: http://www.damienolsenarts.com/
Discography: http://damienolsen.bandcamp.com/
Video works can be seen at: https://vimeo.com/damienolsen
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/DamienOlsen
Synesthesia is an art gallery/event space founded in 2018 and located in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Synesthesia presents emerging to mid-career visual artists, experimental music, film, and cultural workshops. Our mission is to build a local community through the arts in Bushwick and to provide a platform for artists to showcase experimental works.