STARA - 14.11.2015, Qupperneq 47

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The knowledge we have un-
covered through visual art is
such that no other medium
could have communicated that
knowledge. Thus the legacy of
visual art has become one of
the most important treasures of
the world, both culturally and
economically.
Modern visual art is a similar
force and it does not matter
whether it is derided or exalted
by its contemporaries. Visual
art exists on its own terms as
an inquiring force, as a mir-
ror to society, as an influence
and a critical voice. By nature
it is indomitable, impossible to
uproot, while being constructive
for the souls of those who have
a susceptive character and –as
strange as it can sound – those
who do not want to participate
in it. Visual art, like other art,
shapes our environment irre-
spective of whether we watch,
listen to, or consume art. Mi-
chelangelo has influenced the
lives of millions of people for
centuries, Frida Kahlo changed
Mexico’s identity for good, Lou-
ise Bourgeois shaped contem-
porary ideas about the role and
consciousness of women, not
just in art but the world all over.
Conventional visual art does
not have a long tradition in this
country. But even if our legacy
is sparse compared to others,
we would be so much poorer if
not for those who shaped the
national consciousness in the
20th century through visual
art, such as Nína Tryggvadótt-
ir, Þorvaldur Skúlason, Hildur
Hákonardóttir, and Hreinn
Friðfinnsson. Icelandic visual
art in the 21st century is flying
high through the whirlpool of
the world’s contemporary art
considering artists like Katrín
Sigurðardóttir, Ólafur Elíasson,
and Ragnar Kjartansson – not to
mention all the Icelandic artists
still under 35 years of age who
have performed a herculean task
in the harsh world of visual art
worldwide.
Let us not forget that in the con-
text of national heritage, visual
art does not ask about national-
ity. It does not ask about age or
sex, sexual orientation, religion
or politics, even though it cer-
tainly tackles these issues since
nothing is outside its scope.
Visual art crosses borders of lan-
guage, culture and even different
time periods. In this tolerant,
enlightened and often chal-
lenging medium there is space
for all the ideological specula-
tion which defies the norms of
aesthetics, science, societal fac-
tors and the image of society. It
encompasses all our values and
common heritage, not just as a
nation but as participants in a
wider context.
Even though Icelandic visual
art is on sound footing in an
ideological sense it has not
been given its due in Iceland as
the driving force it certainly is.
Visual art galleries and exhibi-
tion spaces are starved of fi-
nances; visual artists do not get
paid for their work in public
museums, while suffering the
annual reproach and negative
discourse connected with the
artist stipend. We have to re-
mind ourselves that visual artists
are highly educated specialists
who serve as a foundation of
our common wealth with their
research and creation of art.
Let’s think of them on Visual
Arts Day, enjoy their works and
show solidarity about the future
development of this important
discipline.
“Visual art, like other art, shapes our
environment irrespective of whether we
watch, listen to, or consume art.”