Vanessa Prager in her studio. Photo by Fredrik Nilsen Studio
Vanessa Prager is a self-taught artist born and raised in Los Angeles. She is known for her elaborate impasto technique that creates layered and sculptural surfaces. Prager's figurative works engage the oil paint itself as a participant in the image.
Prager received solo shows, Portraits (2023) and Static (2021), with Diane Rosenstein, Los Angeles. Other solo presentations include those at Kristin Hjellegjerde, Berlin (2019) and London (2018); The Hole, New York (2018, 2016); Richard Heller, Los Angeles (2017); and Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco (2012).
The artist's work has also been featured in group exhibitions such as Storage Wars at The Hole, Los Angeles, (2023); The Flower Show, LA Louver, Santa Monica (2023), The Street and The Shop, Curated by Michael Slenske, Venice, CA (2022) and Los Angeles (2021); Go Figure!, Curated by Beth Rudin DeWoody, Eric Firestone Gallery, East Hampton, NY (2019); Extra, The Hole, New York (2018); How They Ran, Over The Influence, Los Angeles (2018); Sweet Cheeks, Big Pictures, Los Angeles (2018); Richard Heller Gallery, Los Angeles (2017); Russian Doll, M+B Gallery, Los Angles (2015); In the Heat of the Night, Castor Gallery, New York (2015); The Blob, Richard Heller Gallery, Los Angeles (2015); Me and Benjamin, Galerie Xippas, Paris (2014); Boy+Girl, The Salon at Automatic Sweat, Los Angeles (2014); Seven Sisters, Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco (2013); Good Intentions, Subliminal Projects Gallery, Los Angeles (2013); Portrait of A Generation, The Hole, New York (2012); High Five, New Image Art, Los Angeles (2012); MOCA Fresh, MOCA Grand Avenue, Los Angeles (2012); Incognito, ICA/Santa Monica Museum of Art, Los Angeles (2012); California Girls, Katherine Cone Gallery, Los Angeles (2012); Girls, girls, girls, Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York (2011); Drawn, Subliminal Projects, Los Angeles (2011); Wreck the Walls, Subliminal Projects Gallery, Los Angeles (2010); The Big Show, Silas Marder Gallery, New York (2009); Under the Influence, Gallery 1988, Los Angeles (2009); and Crazy for Cult, Gallery 1988, Los Angeles (2008).