Reykjavík Grapevine - sep. 2021, Blaðsíða 21

Art Picks
21The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 09— 2021
Art Listin#s
Events are listed by venue. For complete
listin#s and detailed information on venues,
visit #rapevine.is/happenin#.
Send your listin#s to: listin#s@#rapevine.is
Opening
I8
Elisions
This new show gathers together
pieces by American artists N. Dash,
K.R.M. Mooney, B. Ingrid Olson, and
Carrie Yamaoka, who use paint-
erly, photographic and sculptural
methods to explore the concept of
‘Elision’. This word conveys the sense
of something missing, truncated,
compressed, or contracted. To
quote the promotional material
supporting this launch: “Removal is
additive, just quietly so.” Quite so.
• Opens on September 9th, 2021
• Runs until October 30th, 2021
HVERFISGALLERÍ
Below / Beyond
Although Hverfisgallerí have an-
nounced this show by British-born
artist Perry Roberts, details have
yet to emerge of what’s in store.
But given that in the past he has
de%ly turned his hand to drawing,
painting, architectural inventions
and even furniture—and knowing
Hverfisgallerí—anything is possible.
• Opens on September 25th, 2021
• Runs until November 6th, 2021
Ongoing
NATIONAL GALLERY OF ICELAND
Of The North
'Of the North' (2001) is created from
Steina Vasulka’s archive of video
recordings, mostly of Icelandic
nature—either the surface or
microscopic views: microbes, as
well as crashing waves and melting
ice, landslips and an array of natural
phenomena relating to the forma-
tion and destruction of our planet.
• Runs until January 9th, 2022
HELLO UNIVERSE
It's 2021 and we're over Earth. Enter
Finnur Jónsson. The avant-garde art
of Finnur—the first Icelandic artist
to address outer space in his works,
in the first half of the 20th cen-
tury—presents the artist's unfet-
tered interpretation of the marvels
of the celestial bodies, which are
the theme of this exhibition. Always
remember: We are but matter expe-
riencing itself on a pale blue dot.
• Runs until January 9th, 2022
Death Is Elsewhere
Ragnar Kjartansson’s opus “Death is
Elsewhere” made its debut in 2019
at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
in New York City. Now, it’s back in
the artists hometown for a sum-
mer long residency at the National
Gallery. Featuring ya fav musician
twins GY&A, Kristín Anna, and (ran-
domly) those two brothers from
the National, the seven-channel
video installation sees a single song
played without end in a continuous
loop. Filmed around the summer sol-
stice in southern Iceland, “Death Is
Elsewhere” is a referential work that
turns romantic clichés on their head
with irony, nihilism and absurdity to
spare
• Runs until September 19th, 2021
EINAR JÓNSSON MUSEUM
Permanent Exhibition
In 1909 Einar Jónsson—described
on the museum's website as "Ice-
land's first sculptor"—o$ered all of
his works as a gi% to the Icelandic
people, on the condition that a mu-
seum be built to house them.
The resulting edifice, constructed
just over the road from Hallgrím-
skirkja, now contains close to 300
artworks. There is also a beautiful
garden with 26 bronze casts of the
artist’s sculptures to enjoy.
REYKJAVÍK CITY MUSEUM
Settlement Exhibition
This exhibition— where Viking ruins
meet digital technology—provides
insight into Reykjavík's farms at the
time of the first settlers.
• Closed on September 3rd and 4th
for conservation work
REYKJAVÍK MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHY
The Silent But Noble Art
Sigurhans Vignir (1894-1975) le%
the museum an archive of around
40,000 photographs. Many of these
document everyday Icelandic
society just a%er the creation of the
Republic of Iceland in 1944—a chris-
tening, labourers at work, people
skating, the occupation of Iceland
during World War II by British troops,
a beauty pageant, a birthday party, a
wigmaker… and so on.
• Runs until September 19th, 2021

REYKJAVÍK MARITIME MUSEUM
Fish & Folk
Name a better duo than fish and
Iceland. You can’t. So come learn
about the history of Icelandic fisher-
ies from row boats to monstrous
trawlers.
Melckmeyt 1659
Melckmeyt was a Dutch merchant
ship that crashed near Flatey Island
in 1659. Explore the wreck here.
with two images of di$erent origins
against each other.
MUSEUM OF DESIGN AND APPLIED ART
Kristín %orkelsdóttir
You've probably seen Kristín "orkels-
dóttir's work before, though you
might not know it. She's designed
the packaging of countless foods
as well as Icelandic banknotes and
other famous items. Come trace her
progression as an artist.
• Runs until January 30th, 2022
Behind the Scenes — Natural Dyes:
A Modern Perspective
Where do textile colours come
from? Nowadays many are chemi-
cal, but this project shows the wide
range of colours one can produce
nautrally in Iceland.
• Runs until September 12th, 2021
Miniatures
Modelmaker Sveinbjörn Gunnarsson
takes up residence at the Design
Museum. Come watch the exemplary
artist transform ordinary materials
into the extraordinary right in front
of your eyes.
• Runs until September 19th, 2021

REYKJAVÍK ART MUSEUM '
KJARVALSSTA&IR
Eternal Recurrence
Jóhannes S. Kjarval—a%er whom
the museum is named—is put in
dialogue with a number of promi-
nent contemporary Iceland artists
including Ólafur Elíasson, Ragnar
Kjartansson, Steina and Eggert
Pétursson. Now that's a lineup.
• Runs until September 19th, 2021

ÁSMUNDARSALUR
Marble
The title of this new show by
Jóhannes Atli Hinriksson is “Mar-
mari”, which translates to “marble”
in English. However, the assigned
English title appears to be “Must
Be Some Kind Of Marble”. We’re not
really sure why the English title
qualifies for word-play when the
Icelandic one doesn’t, but as the art-
ist himself says: “Abstract sculpting
is at it’s best a play on words, and
in the worst case it a joke. An object
is always objective. It’s very literal,
you know!” Anyway, for this show,
Jóhannes Atli has chosen to sculpt
his objective objects in marble; the
material of choice when a young
artist finally sails gracefully into
sensible middle-age.
• Runs until September 12th, 2021

REYKJAVÍK ART MUSEUM '
ÁSMUNDARSAFN
Sirra Sigrún Sigur"ardóttir &
Ásmundur Sveinsson: As If To Demon-
strate An Eclipse
Sirra’s work is cosmic in nature,
o%en connected to speculation
about our position within the inner
workings of nature, physics and
the forces that drive the world. Her
works o%en display our position as
individuals, our significance and
insignificance. As an existentialist
paper, who ruminated on our own
obscurity, we can't agree more.
• Runs until October 3rd, 2021
Design for Sculptor Ásmundur
Sveinsson
Five product designers take over
the museum shop at Ásmundarsafn
with objects inspired by Ásmundur
Sveinsson's world and heritage.
• Runs until October 3rd, 2021

N(LÓ
AYANSOWI / AIANSWYB
This exhibition came about when
Icelandic-based artists Kl)vs Liepi*+,
Raimonda Sereikait,-Kiziria and
Ren)te Feizaka answered a call
by N-ló for artists who feel under-
represented in the Icelandic scene
to come forward. Their resulting
soil-based installation/performance
piece serves as a symbol of the
fabrication and absurdity of nation-
alism. This show rejoices in the full
title of “As You Are Now So Once Was
I / As I Am Now So Will You Be”, but to
be honest—as respectful as The
Grapevine is of artistic intent—that
was always going to get shrunk in
the journalistic wash.
• Runs until October 3rd, 2021
NORDIC HOUSE
Rockscramblers
Rockscramblers is inspired by the
illustrated poetry of poet Mats
Söderlund and illustrator Kathrina
Skar!sá. On view are the illustrations
and poetry in their original forms
and one can also interact with a
mysterious recording of Söderlund
himself, a cave where young visitors
can have a cozy time and (!!!) a new
climbing wall.
• Runs until September 5th, 2021
REYKJAVÍK ART MUSEUM ' HAFNARHÚS
I"avöllur: Icelandic Art in the 21st
Century
In 2021, Reykjavík Art Museum focus-
es on the microenvironment, with
an aim of displaying the growth of
the Icelandic art scene. The whole of
Hafnarhús becomes the setting for
a powerful exhibition of new works
by young artists considered to be
leading for their generation, and as-
sumptions can also be made about
the larger context of Icelandic and
international contemporary art.
• Runs until October 17th, 2021
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ICELAND
Kristján Magnússon
Backyards, sheds, clothes-lines and,
now and then, a cat. Photographer
Kristján Magnússon trains his lens
exclusively on a narrow, enclosed
swath of the urban environment: the
back-lots of residential areas in the
older parts of Reykjavik.
• Runs until September 12th, 2021
Spessi 1990-2020
Spessi, a.k.a. Sigur.ór Hallbjörnsson,
has forged a unique style within the
field of fine-art photography. His
work presents cold hard reality, un-
varnished and uncensored. Hidden
pockets of society are prominent in
his work, interspersed with cultural
life. His choice and handling of ma-
terial is provocative, yet also imbued
with humanity and humour.
• Runs until September 12th, 2021
September 3rd — September 30th
30x30
Sep. 4th-30th - Galler- Port,
Lau#ave#ur 23b - Free admission
We can’t empha-
size the brilliance
of Galler- Port
enough. Guess
you need to pay
them a visit then,
right? This exhibi-
tion is as versatile
as it is interesting.
In it, you can find
everyone from
the heavyweight
writer and visual
artist, Hallgrímur
Helgason, to Loji
Höskuldsson,
"órdís Erla Zoëga
and the legendary
bohemian couple,
Hulda Hákon and
Jón Óskar. This
group exhibition
is truly a unique
opportunity to
see the creme
de la creme of all
genres and gen-
erations of artists
in Iceland in one
place. Galler- Port
is an artist-run
gallery that has
quickly become
one of the best in
Iceland. VG

Private Beach Party for Two
Sep. 2nd - 6th, Núlli!, Bankastræti -
1,000 ISK book in advance
If you crave sun
and summer
vibes but did not
manage your
annual escape to
Spain, this is your
chance. Núlli! is
the most exciting
grassroots gallery
in the city these
days. If you want
to soak in the
artistic sun, you
have to book it
in advance at
privatebeach-
partyfortwo@
gmail.com, and be
quick, it’s almost
sold out. VG
MUSEUM OF DESIGN
AND APPLIED ART
GAR!ATORG 1
210 GAR!ABÆR
EXHIBITIONS
BEHIND SCENES
RESIDENCY
OPEN TUE–SUN 12–17
WWW.HONNUNARSAFN.IS
NATURAL DYES: A
MODERN PERSPECTIVE
UNTIL 12.09.
SVEINBJÖRN GUNNARSSON
MODEL MAKER UNTIL 19.09.
KRISTÍN "ORKELSDÓTTIR
UNTIL 30.12.
THE
Instagram Facebook honnunarsafn

Community of Sentient Bein#s
Until Oct. 31st, Hafnarborg,
Strandgata 34
This year’s autumn
exhibition at Haf-
narborg is Com-
munity of Sentient
Beings, curated by
Wiola Ujazdowska
and Hubert
Gromny. They have
invited various
professionals to
participate in the
exhibition in the
aim to create a
space for multiple
voices to come
together, while
reflecting on
di$erent ways of
voicing, hear-
ing and sensing.
Makes sense,
right? VG

Debatable Lands: Dialo#ues from
Shared Worlds
Sep. 11th - Oct. 1st - Ger!arsafn,
Kópavogur
A mid-career
retrospective
of the 20-year
collaboration
between artists
Bryndís Snæbjörn-
sdóttir and Mark
Wilson. Snæb-
jörnsdóttir and
Wilson approach
their collective art
partnership with
an ecological and
pluralistic view. In
a research-based
practice, they
prompt discus-
sion and thought
about our chang-
ing world, and our
own human role in
those changes. VG