Iceland review - 2002, Side 29

HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS
By EDWARD WEINMAN Photos PÁLL STEFÁNSSON
This year, the Carnegie Art Awards arrive
in Reykjavík, and the three Icelandic nominees
will be here to stick up for their smoky bay.
On the night of 18 October, the eyes of the art world will focus in on Iceland. Okay,
perhaps not the entire art world, but definitely Scandinavian art connoisseurs will be
tuned in to the Reykjavík Art Museum at the Harbour House to find out the winners of
the Carnegie Art Award 2002.
The Carnegie Art Award was established by Carnegie Investment Bank in order to
support artists in the Nordic countries and to promote contemporary painting. The
annual event consists of three parts: a touring exhibition of selected works, a docu-
mentation of the exhibition in book form, and then the awards, handed out to four of
the finalists. This year, the 25 finalists were chosen from a group of 119 nominated
artists. The nominees were chosen by some 30 experts on Nordic contemporary paint-
ing, each of whom nominated up to five artists.
“The Carnegie Investment Bank decided to make a long-term commitment to cul-
ture, because art and culture are important in building a society,” says Anne Folke,
manager of the Carnegie Art Award, from her office on a day that she’s actually sup-
posed to be on holiday. “Art is a way to communicate, express feelings, give interest to
deeper values that bring people together. Art starts a discussion, a debate.”
“This year’s exhibition will be one of the most exciting ones we have had. It was a
tremendous job for the jury to make selections this year. There will be an interesting
variation on the different ways to use painting as an expression in art,” says Folke.
Judging by the work of the participating finalists, art enthusiasts can expect more
than just a show of traditional oil and canvas. A discussion and a debate on social
norms, as well as what constitutes painting, will surely ensue. “We have chosen to work
with painters, but we have let the artists decide where the borders of painting lie,”
Folke says.
That the Carnegie Art Award 2002 will open its exhibition in Reykjavík is a major plus
for Icelandic artists. Even though the project supports artists throughout the
Scandinavian countries, this year’s exhibition should infuse the local art scene. In the
past, an Icelandic artist had to go abroad to earn recognition, but recently, thanks in
part to the Carnegie Art Awards’ promotion of Scandinavian artists, it’s possible to get
noticed in the small community of Reykjavík. And with the Carnegie Art Awards open-
ing here in Reykjavík, the art world will be coming to Iceland.
ON PROFILE
Three Icelandic artists stand their ground in the group of 25 finalists for the Carnegie Art Awards.
KRISTA MAHR brings you along to meet the artists.
KRISTÍN KATRÍN GUDNI
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