ERA LEISNER

Era Leisner (born 1988 in Norway) had an early passion for drawing and painting. After finishing high school she was invited for a residency at the Jan Matejko Art Academy in Krakow, where she attended classes led by professor Zbigniew Sprycha. She was later accepted to Edinburgh College of Art where she studied fine art, and after returning to Norway she got a second degree in Art History. She has also studied illustration in Gothenburg, before embarking upon her career as an artist in Oslo.

Her body of work consist of paintings in oil or acrylics and the motifs are based upon the friction and interaction between humans and nature. Even though the style is figurative, the paintings often have a surreal quality, sometimes combined with ornamental backdrops, portraits of people, animals and/or symbolic motifs. In the new “Fur coat series” the artist portrays the luxurious and classic aesthetics that fur is often associated with. By portraying the animals alive, she individualizes the animals and gives them a face and in this way puts focus on the modern fur industry.

Era got an excellent review on her first solo exhibition at Galleri Ramfjord October 2021 in Norwegian paper Dagsavisen. Written by art historian and art critic Lars Elton.