Lisa van Oosten
Lisa van Oosten (1997) is a self-taught artist based in Utrecht, The Netherlands.
"I paint to transmute the feelings of melancholy and numbness that plague me. Painting a world invisible to my eyes but palpable to my soul and spirit allows me, first of all, to escape and find solace, and second, to express what I need to say in a more impactful way than words ever could."
Van Oosten’s paintings explore the complexity of themes such as womanhood, personal transformation, mental health, spirituality, and the natural world. Employing magical realism and surrealism, she creates symbolic spaces where vulnerability, strength, and self-reflection coexist.
Raised in Zutphen, she experienced a childhood marked by tumultuous family dynamics and impactful life events, with creativity serving as a constant factor. Van Oosten spent her early years seeking a medium through which she could tell stories, make statements, and fill the void words could not. After moving to Utrecht at 18, she discovered painting, which quickly became her sanctuary—a means to detach from reality, find solace, and build identity. Through her work, beauty, resilience, and power emerge from spaces of melancholy and vulnerability, creating a brutally honest portrayal of her inner world.
Lisa graduated with honors in Italian Studies in 2021, focusing on sociolinguistics, after a year of study in Bologna, Italy. In 2023, she co-founded Kunstmarkt Noord, a curated monthly art market in Amsterdam. Her work has been exhibited at venues including Unknown Art Gallery, Centraal Museum Utrecht, and What Is Happening Here Gallery.
Photo by Farzad Ariannejad
Recent Publications
UTRG., Jaargang 01 #03
Damn Magazine, 2023 Summer Edition
The Titty Mag - Vrouwen Uit De Kunst.
King House Art Magazine, 2020 edition.
Current and upcoming Exhibitions & Events
What Is Happening Here Gallery, Amsterdam - June 2024 / Now
Organizing + curating returning curated art event "Kunstmarkt Noord", Amsterdam - September 2023 / Now #10 TBA
Participant Pakje Kunst, Utrecht - September 2019 / Now
Recent Exhibitions & Events
"Centraal Laat", Centraal Museum Utrecht - July 3th 2024
"Softness Is My Religion", groupshow in the exhibition space of Bar Bario, Amsterdam - January 2025
Studio C - Groupshow Stichting Z.A.C.A - Dec 21st 2024
Gallery Toqueur, Amsterdam - Groupshow "Inside My Mind", December 15th/29th 2024
Expositie premiere "Goudvink De Film" - July 20th, 2024
"First Day Of Spring", group show at Unknown Art Gallery, Zaandam - March 2024 / April 2024
"Women's Day", Online curated groupshow by Clovermill Artist Residency - March 8th
What Is Happening Here Gallery, Amsterdam - July 2023 - March 2024
Kanaal40, Amsterdam, "Talk To Me Nice" - January 2024
"WRAP UP 2023", Art Fair at Vrijpaleis, Amsterdam - 1, 2 and 3 December 2023
Tolhuistuin, Amsterdam, Fiercely Fem Event, "Dark Feminine" Edition - November 10th 2023
"What's At Stake?", groupshow at Expocafé Zamen, Amsterdam - June 2023 / July 2023
What Is Happening Here Gallery, Amsterdam, "Solo Pop Up" - July 2nd 2023
Mono, Rotterdam, Nuances Art Event - March 2023
"La Terra Trema", groupshow in the exhibition space of Bar Bario, Amsterdam - January 2023
Zimihc Theater Wittevrouwen, Utrecht - January 2023 / February 2023
Terrastentoonstelling DB's, Utrecht - October 2022
"Terug Naar Vrij", financed groupshow in Kanaal30, Utrecht - April 2022 / June 2022
KVO Solo Exhibition in Sissi's Expo Resto, Amsterdam - December 2021
"2020", online groupshow at King House Gallery, London - February 2021
"Creating Creativity" (Colab HKU + Utrecht University) at the UU, Utrecht - June 2019
For a full CV, please reach out