THE ARTIST | Olivia Rogalla

Born in the U.S. to a Brazilian mother and German father, I was raised across multiple countries, most significantly Spain, which left me with a lasting sense of in-betweenness.

This fluid way of moving through the world first drew me to theatre, where I explored identity, human behaviour, and storytelling through observation and play. From 2016 to 2020, I studied dramatic arts at SFSH in Hamburg before discovering visual art as the language I had been searching for, a way to make sense of the absurdities of being human, the humour in everyday life, and the overlooked stories that surround us.

I work across media, blending painting, sculpture, storytelling and installation to create experiences that invite interaction and reflection.

SOURCE OF INSPIRATION: EX-VOTOS

"I am drawn to the practice of ex-votos, the act of channeling emotions, whether joy, pain, anger, or love, into a tangible object that captures that moment and then allows it to be released.

i'm married to the idea of using art and creation as a ritual of healing.”

Parish of the Immaculate Conception - Real de Catorce, Mexico:

Room of Miracles created by Padre Cícero, Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará, BRasil:

Ex-votos are small offerings made in gratitude, devotion, or hope, and are found across cultures around the world:

In Northeast Brazil, devotees offer clay ex-votos—small sculptures shaped like hands, feet, eyes, or mouths, at the Sala dos Milagres (Room of Miracles) in Juazeiro do Norte. Each piece represents the part of the body that received healing or a blessing, serving as a gesture of gratitude.
In Mexico, ex-votos often take the form of painted or engraved plaques, known as "retablos", which depict miraculous interventions in everyday life. These images are then hung as lasting tributes to the blessing or healing received.
Across Europe and other regions, ex-votos can be found in churches, shrines, and sacred sites, each object serving as a bridge between human emotions, thoughts, feelings and the divine.

SOURCE OF INSPIRATION: XILOGRAPHY

The ancient art of hand-carved woodblock printing. In the Northeast of Brazil, it became central to "literatura de cordel", a popular poetic tradition printed on pamphlets.

The prints illustrate folktales, POLITICAL MESSAGES, religious stories, and everyday life, often with humor, irony, and vivid storytelling. Artists like J. Borges have made this practice internationally known:

VIDEO ART FROM 2025

"The humor in the storytelling of the Nordestinos, the way they laugh while carrying life’s hard truths in abstract stories, is something I absorbed growing up alongside my grandmother Zely, my mother Iona, and the many Nordestinos whose paths have crossed mine."