Olga Belka
Olga Belka is a Singapore-based, trailblazing contemporary artist and the only underwater portraitist in the world. What makes her work truly exceptional is that she creates each painting entirely underwater, directly from life while diving on the seabed. She is the first artist in the world to develop a stable technique for painting in salt water, enabling her to capture the authentic colors, light effects, and fragile beauty of the underwater world. This method is eco-safe, lab-tested, and scientifically approved. She also uses recycled materials in the framing and presentation of her artworks, aligning her practice with principles of sustainability.
Though her underwater art journey began only in 2017, Olga Belka is a lifelong professional artist. A graduate of classical art education, she previously worked as an illustrator, art editor, and multi-genre painter. Her work took a new immersive direction when the sea became her main artistic inspiration. Her art includes marine life, coral landscapes, and underwater portraits— a new direction in figurative art. Olga paints entirely from nature without sketches or post-production in the studio, often completing each piece across several long dives.
For the past 8 years, Olga Belka has held 18 solo exhibitions as an underwater artist and has actively participated in leading art fairs, collective shows, and live performances in Singapore, Japan, UAE, Qatar, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Maldives, Turkey, Thailand, Russia, and more. She is a frequent headliner speaker and live performer at international art and marine festivals and a recognized voice in the contemporary art and ocean conservation scenes. Her works and story have been covered by over 200 media outlets in more than 30 countries.
Since 2023, Olga has been the lead artist and creative visionary behind APAC Art. As a Singapore resident, she volunteers to bring art to underserved local communities. Beyond art, she is committed to raising environmental awareness through her work and live performances, highlighting the fragile balance of marine ecosystems. Olga donates part of her art income to coral reef cleanups and partners with oceanographic organizations to support sustainability initiatives.
Honors and Awards
- Best Art Concept Award, Best Master Class Award, and Diploma Winner - Qatar International Art Festival (QIAF) Doha 2024
- Artist-in-Residence Ocean Geographic (since 2023)
- First Audience Award - Neum Underwater Film Festival 2023
- Certified Underwater Painting Instructor, National Dive League (since 2018; first and only)
- Annually awarded by ADEX Ocean Festival for her creative artistic contributions and impactful art performances. (since 2020)
- Helium ambassador (since 2025)