Olga Cafiero is a Swiss photographer of Italian origin, born in Como in 1982. She grew up in Geneva and now lives in Lausanne. A graduate of ECAL in photography and art direction, her work is at the crossroads of art and science. Drawing inspiration from scientific protocols and their visual language, her photographs do not seek to illustrate truths, but to elicit sensitive and subjective interpretations. She explores the tensions between the visible and the invisible, methodical rigour and poetic wonder, in a constant quest to understand the world.
Her work questions the ability of images to convey complex phenomena by bringing nature, technology and memory into dialogue. In doing so, she reveals hidden or imperceptible narratives, playing with the boundary between science and poetry.
Since 2009, her work has been exhibited regularly in Switzerland and abroad. A finalist or winner of prizes such as Foam Talent, the Swiss Design Awards and the Festival de Hyères. In 2024, she joined the Futures Photography platform, selected by Photo Elysée. In 2020 she won the Enquête photographique Neuchâteloise and in 2023 the Enquête photographique vaudoise. She published Flora Neocomensis in 2020, followed by Ephemeris in 2025.
Exhibitions
2025 Ephemeris, Photo Elysée, Lausanne her work has been exhibited regularly in Switzerland and abroad. A finalist or winner of prizes such as Foam Talent, the Swiss Design Awards and the Festival de Hyères. In 2024, she joined the Futures Photography platform, selected by Photo Elysée. In 2020 she won the Enquête photographique Neuchâteloise and in 2023 the Enquête photographique vaudoise. Sh
EXPOSITIONS
2025 Ephemeris, Photo Elysée, Lausanne Camera Torino, Centro italiano per la fotografia, Turin 2024 (In)animalis, Photo Elysée, Lausanne (In)animalis, Natureum, Lausanne Through the lens, Génopode, Unil, Lausanne 2022 Swiss Design Award, Art Basel Le sommet qui cache la montagne au Musée d’histoire des sciences, Genève Le sommet qui cache la montagne, Rolex Learning Center, Lausanne 2021 Festival Alt.+1000, Vallée de la Brévine, CH Gibellina Image Fotofestival, Gibellina, Sicile, IT 2020 Between the Mountains, Hills, and Lakes, Design Society, Shenzhen, MAB, Shanghai, Three Shadows Photography Center, Beijing, CN Flora Necomensis, Musée d’art et d’histoire Neuchâtel, CH 2019 Verzasca Foto Festival, Valle Verzasca, CH Sillages, Photoforum Pasquart, Bienne, CH 2018 18 - 28 octobre, Fotofestival Schiedam, Schiedam, NL 2015 Ecal Photography, Display Gallery, London 2014 Ecal Photography, Galleria Carla Sozzani, Milan, IT CABINET OF CUROSITIES, Galleria Pomo, Milan, IT 2013 LAPSES, gallerie Saks, Geneva, CH 2012 FASHIONALITY, Galleria Camera 16, Milan, IT TOUCH, Le monde au bout des doigts, Mudac, Lausanne, CH 27ème Festival International de Mode et de Photographie, Hyères, FR “Too cool for school” Spazio Orso, Milan, IT 2011 Swiss Design Award, Mudac, Lausanne, CH Galerie ELAC, Lausanne, CH 2010 BFF-Förderpreis 2010, Cologne, D 2009 Galerie ELAC, Lausanne, CH 2008 “Young Curators, New Ideas” Bond Street Gallery, New-York, USA OLGA CAFIERO Av. du Tribunal-Fédéral 11 - 1005 Lausanne +41 78 744 1972 - contact@olgacafiero.com - www.olgacafiero.com Olga Cafiero est une photographe suisse et italienne, née à Côme en 1982. Diplômée en photographie et direction artistique de l’ECAL, elle explore les intersections entre l’art et la science, ainsi que les processus d’accumulation et de transmission du savoir. Son travail cherche à capturer la beauté et la complexité du monde naturel à travers un langage visuel inspiré des sciences. Olga Cafiero réinterprète ces disciplines et leurs méthodes pour offrir un nouveau regard sur leurs processus. Son travail est régulièrement exposé en Suisse et à l’étranger, et elle a été finaliste ou lauréate de plusieurs prix importants. En 2024,elle a rejoint la plateforme Futures Photography sur sélection de Photo Elysée.
PRIX ET CONCOURS 2024 Garesio Wine Prize for Documentary Photography, Turin 2023 Enquête Photographique Vaudoise 2022 Swiss Design Award, finaliste 2019 Enquête Photographique Neuchâteloise Foam, Foam Talent Re/connect, 2ème place 2012 Foam Talent 2012, Amsterdam Hyères, 27ème Festival International de Mode et de Photographie, finaliste 2011 Swiss Design Award, gagnante 2010 BFF-Förderpreis 2010, parmis les 5 gagnants Finaliste de Shots Young Photographers, Londres 2009 Concours photographique Vfg (Association de Créateurs Photographes), Runners up
MONOGRAPHIES 2021 Lignes de Crêtes, Noir sur Blanc, CH 2020 Flora Neocomensis, Scheidegger&Spiess, CH