Photographer based in Berlin, Germany
Olga Urbanek
Tell us about yourself, what's your background?
Over the last few years, I’ve been trying to trace the small signals and moments from my teenage years that first pointed me toward becoming an artist. Looking back now, it’s almost funny how being an introverted, slightly weird kid was actually the beginning of a long and fascinating process of developing my inner world and my own way of perceiving what’s around me.
Left: Post Love Clarity; Right: Material test before one of the shoots.
As far as I can remember, I always wanted two things: to travel and to be an artist. For a long time, though, I couldn’t find my medium—something that would give me enough confidence to truly commit, to stay with it and explore it deeply. What was always there, even before I could name it, was a strong attraction to visual arts. I think that sensitivity and way of seeing is still very present in my work today.
Left: Swimmingpool, 2023, Digital photography Right: Pink coat, 2023, Digital photography
“I believe a single image can exist in multiple forms and carry different meanings depending on how it’s presented and transformed. This openness feels like a vast field for exploration, and it’s something that genuinely excites me about the future of artistic photography."
Left: Anna, 2018, Digital photography Right: Heat, 2021, Digital photography
What are you currently working on and where did the inspiration for it come from?
Almost three years ago, I went to Mexico for a five-week art residency. That period marked the beginning of my self-portrait series. After returning to Berlin, I continued developing the project, turning it into a more ongoing process. I started recording everything and gradually shaped the work into a kind of performance.
At this point, the project feels like a complete chapter, and this year I’m hoping to finalize a photobook that brings the entire series together, in collaboration with a publisher from Poland.
Left: Laura, 2022, Digital photography Right: Camille, 2024, Digital photography
Innovation does not only happen in the field of technology — it occurs everyday in a creative practice. What do you do for inspiration?
My ambition is to go beyond the two-dimensional form of photography. I believe a single image can exist in multiple forms and carry different meanings depending on how it’s presented and transformed. This openness feels like a vast field for exploration, and it’s something that genuinely excites me about the future of artistic photography.
One of my Photoshop sessions.
I’ve been working with photography for over ten years, yet I still feel I know very little about how images can meaningfully influence an audience. That curiosity keeps me moving forward. It’s also why I’m hoping to return to school in 2026—to deepen my practice, challenge my understanding, and discover what else this medium can offer me.
Left: Preparation process before my solo show in Berlin, Germany. Right: Post Love Clarity
Where do ideas start for you?
I’m a keen observer—I usually start with one element and build the idea around it, letting the object guide me toward the final image. That’s also why I was never a fan of analogue photography. I need to see what I’m getting, to adjust, refine, and correct when something isn’t working. The final photograph is never the result of a total accident; it’s an intuitive process shaped by constant decisions along the way.
In the studio
How do you make your work, does it start with a sketch?
That were days and weeks spent in front of the computer with a huge dose of curiosity and need to experiment.
Preparation process before my solo show in 2025 in Lodz, Poland.
Many artists live by their routines, what does that look like for you?
I don’t really have a strict ritual, but I love to isolate myself during quiet evenings. That’s when I feel most focused. I usually turn on NTS radio and spend hours editing—sometimes working on new images, sometimes returning to older ones. It’s a space for experimenting, trying out new techniques, and letting ideas unfold naturally.
One of my Photoshop sessions
Who are your biggest influences?
Elizaveta Porodina, Paul Kooiker and Nick Knight are major references for me. I see everything they do as a pure masterpiece. I’m deeply in love with their styles.
Left: One of my photos on a billboard in the streets of Berlin, Germany. Right: Behind the scenes
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
"Patience". Understanding that I didn’t need to rush my creative process. Realizing this allowed my work to evolve at its own pace, and opportunities began to emerge naturally as the work developed. Patience does not mean being passive or disengaged; it means continuing to search, to commit, and to work, while accepting that each project has its own timeline. This understanding helped me relax and focus deeply on production, without constantly anticipating a specific outcome.
Are there books or films that are an important source of inspiration?
I’ve always been a huge cinema fan, but I can’t say that I take inspiration from films in a direct, one-to-one way. Still, I truly and deeply believe that cinema leaves a mark on my subconscious more than I realize.
When it comes to books, I’m usually looking for explanations. I’ve long been fascinated by the idea of becoming an artist—what it really means, what defines an artist, and how that process unfolds. One book in particular has stayed with me, unfortunately available only in Polish, which explores the idea of decoding “talent” as a process rather than a fixed trait.
Left: Post Love Clarity; Right: Self portrait
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
I often think about something David Bowie once said—that we create our worst work when we try to please other people. I’ve experienced this far too many times myself.
That’s why I feel grateful—and hopeful—to have the luck and privilege to create work that fulfills me first, before it’s meant to impress or amaze anyone else.
What is the best advice you would give to other artists?
Don’t listen too closely to other people’s opinions—everything is subjective.
Look at as much art as possible, in every form. Train your brain in taste, sensitivity, and beauty.
Stay up to date with Olga Urbanek
Website olgaurbanek.com
Instagram @olgaurbanek