Ollie Hayward
b. 1994, from London/the South-East, UK
Education
2014 - 17 | BA (Hons) Photography, Falmouth University.
2013 - 14 | Art Foundation Diploma, Sussex Coast College, Hastings.
Bio
Ollie Hayward is a freelance artist, designer, illustrator and photographer.
Exhibitions
2019 | Open Source, Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool.
2018 | Photoworks Presents: Collaborate, Truman Brewery, London.
2018 | FBA Futures 2018, Mall Galleries, London.
2017 | Cream 2017 - Crane Kalman Graduate Show, The Photography Department, Brighton University, Brighton.
2017 | IOP Graduate Prize - 2017, Falmouth University, Falmouth.
2017 | Free Range 2017, Truman Brewery, London.
2017 | BRIK - Third Year Degree Show, Falmouth University, Falmouth.
2017 | Selfie to Self-Expression, Saatchi Gallery, London.
2017 | Feature, The Gallery Space, Falmouth University, Falmouth.
2016 | Preview, The Gallery Space, Falmouth University, Falmouth.
2016 | BRIK - Second Year Degree Show, The Poly, Falmouth.
2016 | Photo Symposium - 2016, The Gallery Space, Falmouth University, Falmouth.
2014 | Foundation Degree - End of Year Show, Sussex Coast College, Hastings.
Publications & Features
2019 | Open Eye Gallery, Digital Window Gallery: Open Source 03 - Ollie Hayward, [Online].
2018 | Photograd, “PGZ129”, [Print].
2018 | Untitled Collective, "Ollie Hayward- Body Of Ours" [Online].
2017 | Photoworks, "Showcase: Ollie Hayward" [Online].
2017 | Undergrad Zine, "Genesis: By Ollie Hayward" [Online}.
2017 | It's Nice That, “Take a surreal self-portrait”: Juno Calypso’s top picks from the Monthly Brief" [Online].
2017 | Photograd, "Ollie Hayward - Body of Ours" [Online].
2017 | British Journal of Photography - No. 7862, August 2017, "BJP x Free Range" [Print].
2017 | Source Magazine, "Graduate Photography Online - Ollie Hayward" [Online].
2017 | Dazed Digital, "Juergen Teller and Tracey Emin pick their favourite selfies" [Online].
2017 | Vogue Paris, "Juergen Teller and Tracey Emin's 10 favourite selfies, on display at the Saatchi Gallery" [Online].
2017 | GQ, "The Saatchi Gallery has found the best selfie in the world" [Online].
2017 | It's Nice That, "Saatchi Gallery announces the shortlist and winner of the #SaatchiSelfie competition" [Online].
2017 | Artnet, "See Juergen Teller and Tracey Emin’s 10 Favorite Selfies" [Online].
2017 | BBC News, "Selfies get the 'art' treatment" [Online].
2017 | Saatchi Gallery, "Ollie Hayward - Entry Profile" [Online].
2017 | GRUFF Magazine, "Gayngel" [Online].
Artist Statements
Body of Ours is an exploration of pain, pride and the idea of self. Documenting themselves performing alongside a sculpture resembling a physical manifestation of the artist, Ollie Hayward has produced a body of work over the course of five sequences (the final being a video) that examine how each of us interacts with the often complex ideas we have of ourselves. The insecurities we keep hidden from the world akin to something dirty to the more admirable/acceptable traits we wear like armour upon our bodies. This project looks directly at the sensory ways of being.
The flesh sculptures are both beautiful and monstrous. They symbolise the gut-wrenching torment of self-hatred; the rush of blood in a panic attack; the inner demons and lack of self-worth; the painful journey we all go through understanding and accepting our flaws; wearing these like armour in the face of adversity; the need and want to be loved, the pride we feel when it is reciprocated. The sculpture is everyone/part of us all. A grotesque but familiar "human" tumour of it all.
Genesis is a series of self-portraits that document what it means to be a queer individual today. This body of work shows a genderfluid, androgynous figure that visually aims to break away from the normative/binary gender motifs we are used to seeing in society. The aim of this was to depict something which is a more accurate and accessible representation of what it means to feel “other”. Hence the name of the project, "Genesis", to signal the start of a new way of thinking.
"I wanted to capture something that, for me, was a better representation of what it is like as a queer person as I felt quite unrepresented in mainstream culture. When I look at the work now, I believe it creates a discourse about anyone's relation towards gender/sexuality and no longer just stems from my own narrative on identity. We each perform gender in our own right and I hope that this body of work can address this individually for each person who views it."
Inspired by abstraction and surrealism, Ollie Hayward has organically distorted images by shooting through glass, mirrors and other materials to disrupt the figure. This further adds to the idea that what you are witnessing is both new, undiscovered, and rather alien.
Gayngel is a series that looks at promoting positive ideas of self-preservation, gender fluidity and sexual pride. It is a documentation of queer celebration rather than focusing on the important but equally binding politics and heavy discourse that surrounds queer culture.
"I wanted and I needed to express positivity, energy and light if not for others then just for myself. To become my own image of strength to look towards."
The State of Being begins an exploration of body dysmorphia, queer reconning and identity questioning. The figure is an alien without their home and lost within familiar surroundings. Commonplace fabrics bind and restrict the figure - obscuring them. Everything is questioned, everything is a threat.
All Images © Ollie Hayward 2024