Hrafnkell Sigurðsson b. 1963

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Overview
Hrafnkell Sigurðsson
Hrafnkell Sigurðsson

Hrafnkell Sigurðsson (b. 1963) was born in Reykjavík, where he commenced his studies before proceeding in Maastricht, before moving to London in 1993. He completed his MFA at Goldsmiths College in 2002 before returning to Reykjavík in 2004.

During his early studies in Reykjavík Hrafnkell was already an active member of the experimental Rock group Oxsmá, which held concerts and performances and released two films about its activity. Oxsmá took an active part in the sensational post-punk scene in Reykjavík in the 1980s, which not only saw musicians like the Sugarcubes, for whom Hrafnkell designed several record covers, but also filmmakers, writers and visual artists. By the end of this period Hrafnkell decided to become a full-time artist. At the Jan van Eyck Academy in Maastricht he found time and facilities to deepen his creative practice.

Since 1990 photography has been Hrafnkell Sigurðsson’s principal means, although his oeuvre comprises a variety of other media, including video, sculpture and installation. From 1993 to 2004 Hrafnkell lived and worked in London, where the distance from the roots allowed him focus progressively on projects concerning Iceland and its landscape as an example of the North. At the same time he travelled extensively and participated in exhibition projects, in Iceland and internationally.

Broadly Hrafnkell’s art deals with the shock of contrasts, between nature and culture, harsh nature and refined culture, human nature and inhuman culture, where symmetry and order confronts sublime, disorderly environment with its threatening inventions of virulent, non disposable waste. His aesthetic vision deals with the ultimate questions of survival where devastation is often wrapped in irresistible beauty.

In 2007 Hrafnkell Sigurðsson received the prestigious Icelandic Visual Art Award.

Biography
Hrafnkell Sigurðsson

EDUCATION

2001-2002
M.A. Fine Art, Goldsmiths College, London, UK

1988-1990
Jan Van Eyck Akademie, Maastricht, The Netherlands

1983-1987
Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts, Reykjavik, Iceland

SOLO EXHIBTIONS

2021    RECONDESTRUCTION, Hverfisgallerí, Reykjavík
2020   Fæðing Guðanna / “FREEZE FRAME”, Ásmundarsalur, Reykjavík
2020   “Stillingar”, Einkasafnið, Eyjafjarðarsveit, Akureyri.
2018    “Resolution”, Hverfisgallerí, Reykjavík
2017    “Urban Mountains”, Alþýðuhúsið Siglufirði, Iceland
2016    Gallery 78, Reykjavík
2015    Neskirkja, Reykjavík
2014    HS 96-14, Arion Hq, Reykjavík
2014    i8 Gallery, Reykjavik, Iceland
2014    Sweet Spin, Chinese European Art Center, Xiamen, People’s Republic of China
2013    Smíð / Fabrication, Menningarhúsið Skúrinn, installation at HB Grandi warehouse, Reykjavik, Iceland
2012    Galtaviti, Galtaviti Lighthouse, Iceland
2012    Port City, Hafnarborg – The Hafnarfjördur Centre of Culture and Fine Art, Iceland
2011     Auto Body, Part I, SIM, Reykjavik, Iceland
2010    Gallery Gabrielle Maubrie, Paris, France
2009   National Gallery of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland Uplift, i8 Gallery, Reykjavik, Iceland
2008   Prints of Body and Light, Gallerie Gabrielle Maubrie, Paris, France
2008   Vorverk, Gallerí Box, Akureyri, Iceland
2006   Statements, Paris Photo, The Louvre, Paris, France Sud sud vestur, Keflavík, Iceland
2005   i8 Gallery, Reykjavik, Iceland
2004   SAFN Reykjavík, Iceland Banananas, Reykjavík, Iceland
2002   EFTA, Building, Brussels, Belgium
2001   Vivid Tents, Gallery i8, Reykjavík, Iceland
2000  Portrait-Project, Dyrid, Reykjavík, Iceland
1997   The Groucho Club, London, UK
1996   The Living Art Museum, Reykjavík, Iceland Painted Landscape, Gallery i8, Reykjavik, Iceland
1993   Solon Islandus, Reykjavik, Iceland
1993   Gallery Van Den Berge, Goes, The Netherlands
1992   Gallery Van Den Berge, Goes, Iceland
1991    RUM 91, Lund ́s University, Lund, Sweden
1991    Jan Van Eyck Academie, Maastricht, The Netherlands

 

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2018    “By Products”, Hverfisgallerí
2018    “Embody”, Gerðasafn, Kópavogur Municipal Museum, Iceland
2018    “Rolling Snowball 12”, Djúpivogur, Iceland
2018    “The Journey Home”, Reykjavík Arts Festival
2017    “Other Hats” Icelandic printmaking. IPCNY – International Print Center, New York
2016    Rolling Snowball 7, Djúpivogur, Iceland
2016    Trekking in Time, Ystad Konstmuseum, Ystad, Sweden.
2016    Borrowed Time, Scandinavia House, New York
2016    Borrowed Time, United Nations, New York
2016    Fólk, Akureyri Art Museum, Iceland
2015    Shadows, The Nothing Gallery, Valparaiso, Chile
2015    Rolling Snowball 6, Djúpivogur, Iceland
2015    Saga Island, Art & Narrative, Icelandic National Gallery. Reykjavík Saga Island
2015    Art & Narrative, Kumu Art Museum, Tallin, Estonia
2014    Fljotandi, Ystad Konstmuseum, Ystad, Sveden
2014    Rolling Snowball 5, Djúpivogur, Iceland
2014    Places, Kalkþörungaverskmiðjan, Bíldudalur, Iceland
2014    Your Compound View – Selection from the collection 1970-2010, Reykjavik Art Museum, Reykjavik, Iceland.
2014    Island – Kunst und Narration, Kunsthalle Recklinghausen, Recklinghausen, Germany
2013    Pathway, Rovaniemi Art Museum, Rovaniemi, Finland Pathway, Oulu Art Museum, Oulu, Finland
2011     Frontiers of Another Nature – Contemporary Photographic Art form Iceland, Frankfurter Kunstverein, Frankfurt,
Germany
2011     Three Parts Whole, i8 Gallery, Reykjavik, Iceland (curated by Gregory Volk)
2010    City States, Liverpool Biennial, Liverpool, UK
2010    Alternative Eye, Reykjavik Art Museum – Kjarvalsstaðir, Reykjavík, Iceland
2010    Spatial Reverberations, Pavel Haus, Bad Radkersburg, Austria
2010    Old News, Living Art Museum, Reykjavik, Iceland
2010    Skríllinn Gegn Ákæruvaldinu, Living Art Museum, Reykjavik, Iceland
2009    Dreams of the Sublime and Nowhere, Kunsti Museum of Modern Art, Vaasa, Finland
2009    Hidden Treasures, National Gallery of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
2008    Ferdalag / Journey, Eidar Art center / Reykjavík Art Festival, Iceland
2008    Les Boréales, 5 Icelandic Artists, Frac-BN, France
2008    Dreams of the Sublime and Nowhere in Icelandic Contemporary Art, Kjarvalsstadir, Reykjavik, Iceland
2008    Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels, Belgium
2008    Iceland on the Edge, Bozar Expo, Brussels, Belgium
2007    Deja Vu, Casino of Dunkerque, France
2007    Lanzarote Ensuentro Biennale
2007    Sjónlist / Icelandic Visual Arts Awards, Akureyri Art Museum, Iceland
2007    Spazi aperti, Rumenian Academy, Rome, Italy
2007    Weather Report, Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno (CAAM), Los Balcones, Las Palmas, Spain
2007    Ingenuity – Photography and Engineering 1846-2006, Temporary Exhibitons Gallery, Calouste Gulbenkian
2007    Foundation, Lisbon / BOZAR EXPO, Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels, Belgium
2006    Sequences – real time art festival, Reykjavik, Iceland Relative Warm, Reykjavik Academy, Iceland
2006    Cold climate, Living Art Museum, Reykjavik, Iceland Eiland, Grotta, Seltjarnarnes, Iceland
2006    Images of the North, Reykjavik Academy, Iceland
2006    The Suspended Moment, the MARCO, Vigo, Spain Art Centre
2006    Tadu in Bangkok, Thailand
2006    Art centre Z33 in Hasselt, Belgium
2006    Centraal Museum Utrecht, the Netherlands
2005    The Suspended Moment, Crac Alsage, Altkirch, France
2005    Ten days on the Island, Stanley, Tasmania
2005    Brief Encounter, Reykjavik Academy, Iceland
2004    Ice, MDD. Museum, Deurle, Belgium
2004    Cold Climates, apt Gallery, London, UK
2004    Nordisk Panorama film festival, Reykjavik, Iceland
2003    I’m Desperate, Love me!, Catto contemporary, London, UK
2003    Archetype Gallery, Brussels
2002    Nordic Photography, Gallery Elba Benitez, Madrid, Spain
2002    XXVII Biennial De Pontevedra, Pontevedra, Spain
2002    Kopavogur Municipal Museum, Iceland
2002    Confronting Nature, Tretyakov Museum Moscow, Russia
2000    Icelandic Photography, Moskva House of Photography, Moscow, Russia
2000    Center of Attention, London, UK
2001     Icelandic Art, O Art Museum, Shinagava, Tokyo, Japan
2001     Confronting Nature, Icelandic Art of the 20th Century, Corcoran Gallery, Washington D.C., USA
2001     Milano Europe, Palazzo della Triennale, Milano, Italy
2001     Go Europe, Museum of Photography, Brunswick, Australia
2000    The Epal Project, Epal, Reykjavík, Iceland
2000    Árátta, Gerdarsafn, Kópavogur Municipal Museum, Iceland
2000    En Dehors des Cartes, Centre Régional d ́art Contemporain Séte, France
1999     Landscapes, National Gallery of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
1999     Off the Map, Gerdarsafn / Kópavogur Municipal Museum, Kopavogur, Iceland
1998     Hunting of the Snark, The living Art Museum, Reykjavik, Iceland
1998     Nirvana, The Window Gallery, British Embassy, Prague, Czech Republic
1998     Lundur, Lunds Konsthall, Lund, Sweden
1998     Summer Exhibition, Listasafn Reykjavíkur / Reykjavík Municipal Museum, Reykjavik, Iceland
1997     Recent Acquisitions, Listasafn Íslands / National Gallery of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
1996     Visions of Nature, Listasafn Reykjavíkur / Reykjavík Municipal Museum, Reykjavík, Iceland
1994     Icelandic Arts Festival, St Catharines Dock, London, UK
1993     Verk, Butlers Wharf, London, UK
1992     Iceland-Holland, The Water Tower, Vlissingen, The Netherlands
1991     View indicator, Gallery Van Den Berge, Goes, The Netherlands

 

SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Portugal
FRAC Collection, Normandy, France
Bank of America, USA
Goetz Collection, Munich, Germany
H&F Collection, The Netherlands
Kopavogur Municipal Museum
Iceland Living Art Museum Reykjavik
Iceland National Gallery of Iceland
Reykjavik Municipal Museum, Iceland
Safn, Reykjavik, Iceland

 

AWARDS

2007  The Icelandic Visual Award

Exhibitions