The Polish-Thai artist Oh de Laval is fascinated by stories—those told by friends, strangers, or imagined while observing passersby. From these narratives emerge her works, irreverent and sensual, painted with raw and straightforward honesty. Oh de Laval started as a street artist, which is why she adopted a pseudonym from the beginning—a name invented and devoid of meaning, but one that now reflects her playful and erotic style. Her art initially gained popularity on Instagram back in 2010, where the artist began posting as if it were her personal diary, providing no descriptions but allowing the artworks to speak for themselves, each carrying a dense storytelling element. Her work then made its way into galleries and extended to collaborations with major fashion houses, including a partnership with Gucci in 2020. At the core of Oh de Laval’s work are human interactions, with a curious gaze toward the sexual sphere, particularly focusing on fantasies and deviations. This sometimes renders her art macabre and unsettling, yet always infused with a vein of humor that places her style in the realm between pleasure and disgust.

Not only from reality. Oh de Laval also draws inspiration from movie characters, particularly mirroring the hedonistic lifestyle of Francis Bacon. The theory of sociologist Emile Durkheim, asserting that deviance is an integral part of society, is also a focal point of her research. The scenes described by the artist are always rich in details, displaying a horror vacui reminiscent of Rococo but with the expressive freedom typical of new generations. The eroticism of the twenty-first century takes center stage, with women often playing leading roles—architects of their destinies, evolving into beautiful executioners.

Courtesy Oh de Laval