Ona began in 2015 with the question of how to make a celebrity as part of an art practice and the desire to self-appropriate her celebrity image. In 2020 she has nearly 4 million followers on Instagram, has released her debut album, created a body of visual work, and monetized via a personal website and Snapchat. The project failed to achieve blue-chip gallery representation but succeeded in creating the largest female artist Instagram following. This project in cahoots with her other online projects explore mainstream media, the celebrity system, and what is and isn’t allowed in female presentation and in art.
Many of the artworks created in this time use images of Ona as the base.
“The only insta-princess that can’t be Richard Princed” – Onamania lyric
Writings related to Ona
On Instagram Celebrity and Female Representation in Rhizome
Thoughts on Me Too in The Huffington Post
Self-Made Supermodels in The Wrong Digital Biennale.
Visual Work
(Click on images for more.)
Press
“If you’re not familiar with ONA’s music, buckle up…The song cooks and its uptempo, driving indie rock showcases promise that goes beyond her traditional modeling.” – Pure Volume
“There are few singers and artists who are so unique, so individual, so highly talented that they’re known by just one name. Beyonce. Picasso. Madonna. Prince. Perhaps it’s time you add another name to that list: Ona. She’s both a singer and an artist. And as you’ll see on her Instagram or hear from her songs on Spotify, she’s a singular talent. So, let’s start your weekend off right: do yourself a solid and enjoy the undeniable sexiness of her one woman self-made photoshoot.” – Playboy
“Beautifully orchestrated, featuring melodic piano lines, ferocious crashing high-hat drums, and most notably Ona’s gorgeous, breathy alto vocals…one of the better tracks I’ve heard in a while…this record will undoubtedly be making our year end list.” – Audiofemme
“Lullaby sweet vocals with a cyber soundtrack … an ‘extreme selfie model’” – Wonderland
“Best title song ever.” – Jerry Saltz
“ONA — an objectively stunning woman who has worked her angles into hundreds of thousands of dollars, millions of followers, and a viable independent career. While the paparazzi may not be camped outside her Brooklyn, New York apartment like a traditional celebrity, ONA is certainly famous by 2018 standards…. Of course, this life does not come without sacrifice. Living publicly as a SW has seen everyone from family members to former classmates weigh in on her lifestyle… While it seems like movement to reclaim female sexuality is progressing in leaps and bounds, there’s still a long way to go, ONA asserts, but she is more happy to be in the trenches. PAPER caught up with the model to talk sex, more sex and rock ‘n’ roll.” – Paper
The Bedroom Gallery
At the failure of the Leah project and Ona’s inability to achieve the goals outlined in her project, she gave up and against all better art-world judgment, launched a gallery of her own on Onlyfans.
“My First Time”
An art installation and performance broadcast.
The first installment in “The Artist is F#cked” Series at the newly launched Bedroom Gallery, NYC
Visit OnlyFans.com/onaartist to view the live opening night performance