Iceland review - 2014, Síða 43

ICELAND REVIEW 41
less is
more
Is Iceland’s design aesthetic
inspired by its landscape?
WoRDS AnD PHoToS By lukE kurtiS
i visited iceland for the first time in october
2013. From the crisp blanket of ice atop lake
Sandkluftavatn to the misty veil tumbling
down Skógafoss, and even the crystal clear 2°c
(35.6°F) waters of Silfra—a snorkeling experi-
ence my mind nor my body will ever forget—i
had a good first taste of the country. But as
much as iceland is synonymous with outdoor
adventure—and for good reason—i found this
land of fire and ice just as abundant in art.
Having ventured to viðey island to take part
in Yoko ono’s imagine peace Tower lighting—
another experience etched in both mind and
body—i craved a sampling of native icelandic
contemporary art. reykjavik Art Museum’s
Hafnarhús proved just the ticket. i was pleased
to find Icelandic video art 1975-1990 on view. As
a video artist myself, this seemed the perfect
opportunity to get a glimpse into iceland’s
take on this new media genre.
The small installation featured a diverse
sampling of early video art practice in iceland.