Reykjavík Grapevine - 29.07.2016, Side 48

i8 Gallery
Tryggvagata 16
101 Reykjavík
info@i8.is
t: +354 551 3666
www.i8.is
Barbican, London, until 4 September
RAGNAR KJARTANSSON
‘One of the most celebrated performance artists
anywhere’ - New York Times
‘At the heart of this show, the first major exhibition
dedicated to the Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson
in London, is one of the great artworks made so far
this century’ - Evening Standard
‘The whole show is a gorgeously relaxed immersion in
Kjartansson’s humorous, whole-hearted and generous
way of thinking.’
‘For the broken-hearted, Ragnar Kjartansson offers
consolation; for lovers he conjures a mirror of their
blessed state. The Visitors is a marvellous creation,
rhapsodic, mesmerising and overwhelmingly affecting.
It runs for more than an hour but you could stay there
for ever. I could not pull myself away.’ - Observer
Art Painting & Music48The Reykjavík GrapevineIssue 11 — 2016
The prolific Páll Ivan frá Eiðum
makes paintings and music, char-
acterised alike by his unique wit.
His colourful paintings vary from
life-sized to hand-sized and can
be purchased personally from his
Facebook page. Páll’s art is playful
and often triggers laughter; with
songs such as “Tinder on the Toi-
let” he has found a way to turn his
feelings into interesting art.

When did you start creating art/music?
I have been a musician as long as
I can remember but as a composer
I make a lot of visual stuff, experi-
ments with animated notation and
performance art. I really started
painting and drawing in 2012
during my paternity leave and I
haven’t stopped since.
What is your creative process?
It usually begins with boredom
and horniness, which leads to ex-
tended sitting and ends with some
form of output—music, visual art
or ejaculation. I try not to repeat
myself.

What inspires you?
The body, the paint, the pens, the
computer, sexuality, failure, in-
nocence, friendship, strangeness,
boredom, mental illness and the
lack of humour. My super, amaz-
ing, wonderful, talented friends
and all the members of SLÁTUR
(association of artistically aggres-
sive composers from around Reyk-
javík: slatur.is/) are also very very
inspiring.
What is your favourite artwork, by
you and/or another artist?
I don’t have a favourite artwork
but things I would never do, things
that bore me, things that I find
stupid and irritating and things I
don’t understand tend to have the
biggest impact on me and are a
great source of inspiration.

How is it being an artist in Iceland?
Pretty great. The community of
artists is good and friendly and ev-
erybody seems interested in what
everybody else is doing. There are
shows and exhibitions constant-
ly opening. People seem to love
working together, young and old,
and there is a lot of international
traffic and attention. I may be
completely wrong though.
What do you wish to achieve
through your art?
Orgasm and enlightenment.

Future plans?
I have never liked dance or poetry
so these two art forms are next on
my agenda. I will try to understand
and master them in the next five
years or so. I also have a science
fetish so my dream is to become
a scientist, explore “the measure-
ment problem” in quantum phys-
ics and find happiness (or at least
reduce my misery).
SHARE + MORE PICS:
gpv.is/am10
Páll Ivan frá Eiðum
Words HREFNA BJÖRG GYLFADÓTTIR Photos ART BICNICK
YOUNG ARTISTS
The Assembly
of the
Hyper boreans
Freyskatla, 1993, raddskúlptúr / voice sculpture, M
agnús Pálsson
Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir (IS)
dj. f lugvél og geimskip (IS)
Helgi Örn Pétursson (IS)
Jesper Fabricius (DK)
Luke Fowler (UK)
Magnús Pálsson (IS)
Nora Joung (NO)
Ragnar Kjartansson (IS)
Styrmir Örn Guðmundsson (IS)
The Narrative Collection init iated by
Chris toph Büchel (CH)
Curator Gavin Morrison
Co-curator Ráðhildur Ingadóttir
AN EVENT PROGRAM RUNS ALONGSIDE
THE EXHIBITION, WITH PERFORMANCES
AND A SCREENING.
OPEN DAILY FROM 12-18, WEDNESDAYS
FROM 12-20. GUIDED TOUR FOR GROUPS
CAN BE ARRANGED.
Skaft fell – Center for Visual Art, East Iceland
Austurvegur 42, Seyðisf jörður, www.skaft fell.is
Jun 4.– Sep 18. 2016