Nils-Thomas Økland

Born 1981.
Lives and works in Sandnes, Norway.

Nils-Thomas Økland is best known for his sculptural approach to art making, putting the material first whether he is working with drawing, printmaking or in three-dimensional mediums. The artist frequently presents the viewer with something, or fragments of something, that simultaneously appear familiar and unfamiliar in his specific artistic context. This duality is key to the artist’s process. Preferring to dedicate himself to comprehensive artistic projects, Økland recently started exploring the artistic possibilities of ilmenite, a rock rich in titanium-dioxide that has traditionally been used in a wide range of artistic mediums. In this ongoing body of work, Økland has included ilmenite in both paintings and a series of laser engraved woodcuts born from the artist’s longstanding fascination with American muscle cars and their place in our aesthetic culture.

Økland received his BA (Hons) in Fine Art from Falmouth College of Art in the UK and lives and works in Sandnes, Norway. Økland’s work has been exhibited widely in his home country, including at The National Art Exhibition (Høstutstillingen) in Oslo, Prosjektrom Normanns in Stavanger and the Sandnes Art Society. Internationally, his work has been exhibited in the UK, Azerbaijan, Slovakia — and on multiple occasions in the Philippines. The artist recently curated the graduation exhibition for Rogaland Art School in Stavanger, Norway.