Olya Avstreyh (b. 1988, Moscow) is an artist whose dramatic, expressionist works evoke a sense of confusion and tension surrounding her experiences and modern life. Her paintings, driven by a deep frustration with the fractured human condition, often depict grotesque or unsettling figures caught off guard. These images are layered with hidden symbols drawn from women’s literature and folk horror—lifelong influences that serve as extensions of her psyche.

Avstreyh’s work is rooted in her personal experiences of womanhood and immigration, encompassing both trauma and resilience. She explores a complex spectrum of situations—loneliness, isolation, and romance—through recurring portrayals of fierce female or genderless figures, often bent or turned away from the viewer. These figures serve as reflections on the complexity of human behaviour and the pervasive sense of alienation that she feels defines her generation.

Using a stream-of-consciousness approach, Avstreyh’s paintings capture fleeting impressions and nostalgic, displaced characters who seem out of sync with their surroundings. After receiving a Global Talent Visa, Avstreyh relocated to the UK, where she continues to develop her unique and evocative body of work.