Reykjavík Grapevine - 19.06.2009, Qupperneq 44

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The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 8 — 2009
Art | Review
Playing Around In The Bed Of Roses
Reykjavík Museum of Photography explores the swingin’ sixties
“Life isn’t just a game- it’s also a bed of
roses...” is an odd title for an exhibition,
although when you think of the 1960s it
begins to explain the blissful bed of roses
imagery. It does appear in one’s mind as
a much dreamier time, fond of its simple
aspirations and lethargic dreams. The
Reykjavík Museum of Photography
is currently showing a collection of
photos depicting the optimistic 60s in
Iceland. A revolutionary period in the
nation’s history, when the population
grew within the cities as locals moved
from the countryside to work in
industries and gain better salaries. As
the manufacturing industry boomed,
it subsequently brought about more
demand for designing new products,
thus bringing more work to the city and
birthing the word “Hönnun” – design in
Icelandic. Several examples of products
designed and manufactured during
these times are on display within the
exhibition.
Miss Iceland
In the 1960s photographs on display,
everything seems simple. You either
worked hard or looked beautiful. The
contrast between Miss Iceland 1959
Sirrý Geirs pictures adjacent to the
staff at Linda’s bakery in Akureyri,
where Sirrý poses in her lingerie whilst
the workers gathered in the cafeteria,
look decidedly less glamorous in their
American style pinafores and hair nets.
Miss Iceland, who moved to America
to pursue her career after winning the
award, had a series of photographs taken
of herself at her Icelandic home in 1965
by photographer Pétur Þorsteinsson.
The photos depicted the model turned
actress with her small dog as they lay
on a big, f luffy, white shag, reading and
relaxing in her home, contributing to the
public’s rising fascination with celebrity
lifestyles and fame. In those days, life
appeared more clear-cut. Men worked
fixing industrial machinery or sat
behind a desk whilst a secretary timidly
filed papers in the background. Women
lounged along winter hides in pinewood
summerhouses or smiled ecstatically
in the kitchen (even when completely
alone) anticipating their husband’s
arrival back home. The capitalist heyday,
when people were happy to buy and
willing to work.
Capitalism
The exhibition reflects the era when
capitalism formed in Iceland, from the
marketing influence of the U.S. and its
advertisements. The idea that images
of women sell household goods, men
sell machinery, couples sell clothes
and a pretty face can sell just about
anything, was embraced the world over.
Photographer Óli Páll Kristjánsson,
a featured artist of the exhibition,
relates this well within several of his
pictures, particularly with the sofa bed
advertisement wherein a woman proudly
grasps a giant cut-out of a 1000 ISK note.
Óli Páll Kristjánsson was infamous for
his catalogue photography, capturing
the essence of the 60s catalogue pose
– which appears cliché in today’s
marketing but was new and exciting back
then. On display is a series he produced
for Hagkaup clothing, with models
looking into the distance for a friend,
perhaps a ship, shading themselves
from the sun with their hand: a classic
catalogue pose if there was one. To the
viewer, it is clear that there is no sun
in the studio or friends passing by. Yet,
we believe in this holiday illusion. The
odd twist to the work is that although it
undoubtedly has American influences,
there is still something distinctly
Icelandic in the atmosphere. The
curators of the exhibition, Guðmundur
Oddur Magnússon and Guðfinna Mjöll
Magnúsdóttir, both give lectures at the
Icelandic Academy of the Arts. Where
initially researching the archives,
intending to create a 60s inspired
design project for their students, they
got so engrossed in the euphoric vibes
of the photography archive that they felt
the need to dedicate a show of what they
saw, to contrast the optimistic past with
a pessimistic today.
“Life isn’t just a game- it’s also a
bed of roses...” will be on display until
August 29.
- RICHARD P FOLEy
Reykjavík Museum of Photography
Tryggagötu 15 | D5
101 Reykjavík
www.photomuseum.is
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