b. 1988. Norwegian-Singaporean artist and printmaker based in Oslo.
Cathrine Alice Liberg is a Norwegian and Chinese-Singaporean artist and printmaker. Her personal background is an important source of inspiration, and through traditional printmaking techniques such as mezzotint, lithography and copper etching she explores how memories and global narratives are intertwined, and how hybrid cultures emerge as a result of migration and diaspora. After a residency in Svalbard, she has also turned her attention to the Arctic as a stage for global trade, where melting ice enables new routes and mirrors old colonial trade paths.
At the core of her artistry lies her own family history, and how it represents fragments of larger global narratives. She is particularly interested in the loss of memories and culture that has arisen between herself, her mother and her grandmother as a result of migration from Asia to Europe. In several of her projects she invents her own historical archives and family images. Her latest work is a large-format mezzotint depicting her unknown Chinese great-grandmother. The seated full-figure is inspired by Chinese ancestral paintings and early Chinese studio photographs. The clothing and aesthetics are based on a version of China the artist grew up with through films and popular culture. Visually, the mezzotint can lies somewhere between the photographic and the handmade. Are we looking at reality or a fantasy? Can descendants ever be reliable narrators of their ancestors' stories?
CV
Education
2017-2019: MFA Medium- and Material Based Art, Oslo National Academy of the Arts
2014-2017: BFA Medium- and Material Based Art, Oslo National Academy of the Arts
2012-2014: Diploma in Visual Arts, Nordic Institute of Stage and Studio (NISS), Oslo
2009-2012: BA History of Art with Material Studies, University College London (UCL)
Professional experience
2021 - : Print assistant, Trafo kunstproduksjon, Asker
2023 -2024 : KUF Research Assistant, Department of Printmaking (Lithography Workshop), Oslo National Academy of the Arts
2019 - 2021: Student assistant and assistant teacher in lithography and photogravure, Department of Printmaking, Oslo National Academy of the Arts
Residencies
2024: ARTICA Svalbard, Longyearbyen (Funded residency, nominated through QSPA)
2022: Printmaking residency, Glaskasten Druckstock (Klub Solitaer), Chemnitz, Germany (18.04 - 10.05.2022). Funded by i-Portunus.
2019-2020: Artist in Residence and workshop assistant, Department of Printmaking and Drawing, Oslo National Academy of the Arts
2019: Summer printmaking residency, Litografiska Akademin, Tidaholm, Sweden
Solo- and duo-exhibitions
2025 Imagined Memories, Northing Space, Bergen (Duo exhibition with Hammer Chen)
2024 Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Verdensteatret), Kunstverket, Oslo
2024 Familiealbum, Arkivet, Tou Trykk, Stavanger
2022 Family Portraits, Glaskasten Druckstock, Chemnitz, Germany
2021 The Ghosts We Chase We Never Catch, Norske Grafikere, Oslo
2020 Why I Stay, Northing Space, Bergen
Selected group exhibitions
2026: Østlandsutstillingen, Buskerud kunstsenter, Drammen (09.05 - 21.06) and Østfold kunstsenter, Fredrikstad (05.09 - 08.11)
2025: Made at Trafo, Trafo Editions, Asker
2025: Jorden slog flammer, Gamle Munch Kunsthall, Oslo
2025: Ung Arena, Hadeland Glassverk, Jevnaker (10.05-05.10)
2025 Formation / 4+4, Vedholmen Galleri, Bergen (08.03-06.04)
2024 Trykk i sanntid 05: KARBONPULS, Galleri Nord-Norge, Harstad
2024 Turbulens, Norske Grafikere, Oslo
2023 Blakerbiennalen: TRYKK HER, Gutttormsgårds arkiv, Akershus
2022 1st International Triennial of Portrait in Knin, Croatia (Winner of The City of Knin Award)
2022 International Biennial Print Exhibit: 2022 R.O.C., Taichung, Taiwan
2022 Blikk på metall, Peder Balke-senteret, Østre Toten
2021 Guttorm inviterer: Impulser for å holde motet oppe, Guttormsgaards arkiv, Blaker gamle meieri
2021 As far as my Eye can Sea - The Expedition Exhibition, Bomuldsfabriken Kunsthall, Arendal
2020 Pop-up Show, Blaker Gamle Meieri, Lillestrøm (w/ Erika Reed and Suzannah Rehell Øistad)
2020 2nd International Triennial of Graphic Arts Livno, Bosnia-Hercegovina
2020 FETT PlanTRYKK, Hå Gamle Prestegård, Stavanger
2020 Print Matters, Ålgården, Borås, Sweden
2019 Print Matters, Grafiska Sällskapet, Stockholm, Sweden
2019 KoMASK Masters Salon Printmaking, Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp, Belgium
2019 Graphica Creativa 2019 – “Hereafter” (15th International Print Triennial), Jyväskylä Art Museum, Finland
2019 Sticks and Stones, Konstlitografiska Museet, Tidaholm, Sweden
2019 Statens Kunstutstilling, Høstutstillingen (The National Art Exhibition, The Autumn Exhibition), Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo
2019 MFA Graduate Show: A Better Past is Still Possible, Oslo National Academy of the Arts
2019 7th Guanlan International Print Biennial, China Printmaking Museum, Shenzhen
2019 A Lick and a Promise, Kunstplass Contemporary Art [Oslo]
2018 Sit on a Stone Rather Than a Pillow, Oslo National Academy of the Arts
2018 Original COPY, Galleri Seilduken, Oslo
2018 Frekvens vol. 2, Norske Grafikere, Oslo (hosted by Krausekollektivet)
2017 Paper Trails, Robert Burt Gallery, London
2017 Dronning Sonja KunstStall, Oslo
2017 BFA Graduate Show, Oslo National Academy of the Arts
2017 Unge grafikere (Young Printmakers), Oppegård kunstforening, Kolbotn
2015 ER, Galleri Seilduken, Oslo (with Embla Øverbye)
2015 Frekvens, Podium, Oslo (hosted by Krausekollektivet)
2012 Norwegian Contemporary, Frameless Gallery, London
Memberships
Norske grafikere / Norwegian Printmakers (Deputy board member 2018 – 2020)
Norske billedkunstnere (NBK) / The Association of Norwegian Visual Artists
Litografiska Akademin, Sweden
Awards and nominations
2022 The City of Knin Award, 1st International Triennial of Portrait, Knin Museum, Croatia
2022 Nominee Queen Sonja Print Award
2020 Nominee QSPA Inspirational Award
2019 2nd Place Printmaking Today State of the Art Student Award
2019 Winner KoMASK European Masters Printmaking Award 2019
2019 Winner Norske Grafikeres Fonds Printmaking Award at The National Art Exhibition, The Autumn Exhibition
2017 Nominee QSPA Inspirational Award (Kjell Nupen Memorial Grant)
Grants
2024 Prosjektstøtte for kunstnere i etablering, Kulturrådet
2023 3-årig arbeidsstipend, Billedkunstnernes vederlagsfond (BKV)
2022 Prosjektstipend, Norske Grafikeres Fond
2021 Ettårig stipend, Billedkunstnernes vederlagsfond (BKV)
2021 Prosjektstøtte for kunstnere i etablering, Kulturrådet
2020 Diversestipend, Kulturrådet
2019 Prosjektstøtte, Norske Grafikeres Fond
2019 Diversestipend for nyutdannede kunstnere, Kulturrådet
2018 BKH Kunststudentstipend (BKH Grant for Art Students)
2014 NISS Visual Arts “Student of the Year” Award and Grant
Collections
2024 Norsk petroleumsforening (NPF-prisen)
2024 Kommunal landspensjonskasse (KLP)
2022 Knin Museum [Croatia]
2019 KoMASK (Royal Society for Encouragement of Fine Arts) [Belgium]
2019 REV Ocean
2019 Johan Strays Stiftelse (Johan Stray’s Foundation)
2018 Norsk Forening for Grafisk Kunst (Norwegian Association for Graphic Art)
2017 HM Queen Sonja’s Print Collection
2017 Oppegård kunstforening (Oppegård Association of Art)
Projects and commissions
2020 REV Ocean, commissioned work for the ship’s “Scientist Corridor”
2018 Norsk Grafisk Forening, contribution of 100 prints to the annual Members’ folder
2018 “Kunsten å være norsk”, an art series by Kitchen for FinansForbundet