Atlantica - 01.05.2002, Page 53

A T L A N T I C A 51
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Just behind the central Laugavegur main
shopping street lies an Aladdin’s cave of stun-
ningly original jewellery by two talented
young jewellery designers. The jewellery
designers of Aurum, Gudbjörg Kr.
Ingvarsdóttir and Ása Gunnlaugsdóttir com-
bine Scandinavian sophistication with excel-
lent craftsmanship. Drawing inspiration from
Icelandic nature, they both use simple, natur-
al forms in their gold, silver and gemstone
designs. Each piece is created as part of a
larger whole, which means that although
they can be worn alone, they can also be
combined with the other pieces of the collec-
tion. The jewels are simple and wearable,
designed with the human body in mind.
Ingvarsdóttir graduated as a jewellery design-
er from the Institute for Ædelmetal in
Denmark in 1996. After her graduation, she
ran a designer workshop in Copenhagen
before launching Aurum in 1999.
Gunnlaugsdóttir completed a Master of Arts
degree at the University of Art and Design
(UIAH) in Helsinki, and has worked both in
Finland and South Korea. AMB
Aurum’s new collection will be on sale
this summer and features delicate cre-
ations reminiscent of flower petals, water
lilies and other natural imagery.
This spring the Reykjavík Museum of Photography and the
Reykjavík Art Museum have cooperated to bring the pho-
tographs of Mary Ellen Mark to Reykjavík.
Unsurpassed in bringing an icon-like presence to her sub-
jects, whether "everyday" or unusual, Mary Ellen Mark (born
1940) was recently voted 'Most Influential Woman
Photographer of All Time' by readers of American Photo
magazine.
'American Odyssey' is the first major exhibition to focus
exclusively on the acclaimed photographer's extensive
American work, and it will be showing at the Reykjavík Art
Museum at Kjarvalsstadir from 12 May to 2 June.
This exhibition features powerful photographs from several
of Mark's well-known projects. In it, Mark's empathic and
penetrating vision is revealed in photographs that range
from poignant images of a family living in its car or the dev-
astated lives of women in a mental ward, to the exploits of
Miami gigolos, spring breakers, prom-goers, cross-dressers
and trick-or-treaters.
The photographs of Mary Ellen Mark lie somewhere
between social documentary photography and photojour-
nalism. The common thread in her work has always been a
central interest in people. The people she photographs are
the "unfamous", those who occupy the fringes of society,
whose stories might never be told.
American Odyssey
The penetrating visions of Mary Ellen Mark in Iceland
Inspired Alchemy
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