Artist Biography

Olivia Dunkley, is a Johannesburg-born contemporary artist currently based in Cape Town. Born in 1998, she studied at the Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town, graduating with a BA in Fine Art. Her practice moves between digital and traditional sculpture, combining a strong foundation in fine art with an interest in new technologies and contemporary methods of making.

Working across digital sculpture, 3D printing and traditional sculptural techniques, Olivia explores how ideas conceived in a virtual environment can ultimately take physical form. This fluid movement between technology and craftsmanship allows her to develop complex sculptural forms while maintaining a strong connection between concept, material and the finished object.

Much of Olivia’s recent practice centres on Sirena, a recurring female figure and archetypal guardian of the sea. Realised in bronze and other sculptural forms, Sirena inhabits a world in which the human and natural are inseparable. Accompanied by whales, rays, waves and other forms of marine life, she has become a central figure through which Olivia explores humanity’s relationship with the ocean.

This evolving body of work builds on Olivia’s longstanding interest in interconnectedness and environmental responsibility. Projects including Flow, Cosmic Ocean and her recent solo exhibition The Ocean Between Us Is One consider the fragile relationship between humanity and the natural world. Rather than approaching conservation only as a warning, her work invites a process of reconnection - a reminder that humanity is part of nature rather than separate from it.

Olivia’s creative process begins with observation, emotion and philosophical reflection. Ideas are explored freely before moving into a design phase where abstract concepts gradually become tangible forms. Digital tools allow her to experiment with shape and movement, while the transition into physical sculpture gives those ideas permanence and presence.

Through Sirena and her broader sculptural practice, Olivia creates a contemporary mythology around the ocean and our place within it. Her work brings together imagination, technology and traditional sculptural craftsmanship to explore connection, transformation and our shared responsibility towards the living world.

Artist Statement

My work begins with my connection to the world around me. I am fascinated by the relationship between humanity and nature, and particularly by the ocean - a world that can feel mysterious and distant, yet is fundamentally connected to our own existence.

Sirena has become an important figure within my work. I see her as a guardian of the sea and as a bridge between the human and natural worlds. Through her encounters with whales, rays, waves and other marine life, I explore ideas of belonging, transformation, trust and our interconnectedness with the living ocean.

My creative process moves between imagination and making. I begin with ideas shaped by visual experiences, emotions and philosophical thoughts, gradually refining them through digital sculpting and design before they become physical objects. Working in bronze and other sculptural processes allows these imagined forms to acquire a tangible presence.

Through projects such as Cosmic Ocean and The Ocean Between Us Is One, I have explored our responsibility towards the natural world. I do not want these works simply to speak about what we have lost, but to remind us of what we are still connected to and what remains worth protecting.

Ultimately, my work is about reconnection. Through Sirena and the world surrounding her, I want to create a sense of wonder while reminding us that the boundary between humanity and nature is not as clear as we imagine. The ocean between us is not a distance - it is a connection.

BROWSE MY COLLECTION