Icelandic Art Today von Christian Schoen, CIA.IS - Center for Icelandic Art, Halldór Björn Runólfsson, The National Gallery of Iceland, Eva Heisler, Gregory Volk 1. Auflage Icelandic Art Today – Schoen / CIA.IS - Center for Icelandic Art / Runólfsson / et al. schnell und portofrei erhältlich bei beck-shop.de DIE FACHBUCHHANDLUNG Hatje Cantz Verlag 2009 Verlag C.H. Beck im Internet: www.beck.de ISBN 978 3 7757 2295 7 Icelandic Art Today 7 on oral history, the past not being manifested For names and places we likewise adhere to in architecture or pictures. The form of art that Icelandic spelling conventions. The Icelandic Preface developed in the early twentieth century was alphabet consists of 32 letters which mostly obliged to—and was indeed able to—survive correspond to the Latin ones (there is no C, Q, W without its own art history as a fundament or Z). All vowels (including Y) exist in a second to be based upon. Stimulation was instead form with an acute accent, which affects only Just what is it that makes Iceland’s art of today so taken mostly from international contemporary the pronunciation. In addition to the Latin letters different, so appealing? Be it from a conceptual, art. Its influence together with the autonomy there are the following letters ‘Ð/ð’ (like a vocal experimental, or poetic angle, today’s art in that comes from the country’s history and th in the word this), Þ/þ (this is nonvocal like the Iceland is what artists in other nations struggle geography continue to influence Icelandic art th in thing), Æ/æ (like the English ‘i’) and ‘Ö/ö’ to achieve: it is direct and genuine. It playfully to this day; it is on eye level with international (like the German Ö or rather like the English ir oversteps the boundaries of other art forms. art while retaining a healthy distance to the in sir). Note that the letters þ, æ, and ö are placed Interesting collaborations between artists, bustle of the art business. At the turn of the at the end of the alphabet after ý. musicians, actors, designers, or authors are the twenty-first century, the artists’ mobility and norm. The art is fed by a strong, creative energy therefore their internationality is greater than Christian Schoen that practically makes each of the island’s roughly ever before. Icelandic art today is at home in 300,000 inhabitants into two things: culture the world, although its home is on the island. recipients and culture creators. There is no gulf When the country’s economy began to prosper 1. The first art history material collection is in progress separating art and life but instead a thriving it was gradually able to open up culturally with and is planned to appear in 2009, beginning in Iceland: relationship. Creativity penetrates society. This neighboring Nordic countries. The economic Kvaran, Ólafur, ed., Íslensk myndlist á tuttugustu öld, in itself reveals one essential characteristic of crisis of 2008 threatens these accomplishments 5 vols. (Reykjavík: Forlagið, forthcoming). The only Icelandic art and explains how such a small and will instigate a reorientation within art. previous work is Björn Th. Björnsson, Íslenzk myndlist á country can produce such a large number of This publication may therefore mark the end 19. og 20. öld: drög að sögulegu yfirliti, 2 vols. (Reykjavík: interesting artists. Beyond the island’s striking of one and the beginning of another period of Helgafell, 1964–73). nature and the extremes of both landscape and Icelandic art history. climate, this creative environment is what draws international artists to Iceland —to visit the Many previous national and international country and to work here. Many of them have catalogue projects have dealt with the left their traces on the island, either directly or phenomenon of Icelandic art; nonetheless there indirectly, either by influencing young artists or is a lack of publications providing an overview by leaving works here. Dieter Roth is one artist of the contemporary scene or even a thorough whose impact can still be felt, not least through account of art history.1 Aside from monographic his son Björn. Matthew Barney has likewise publications, exhibition and catalogue projects influenced many young artists. Numerous others of recent years have devoted themselves mostly such as Richard Serra, Claudio Parmiggiani, to specific subject areas. Some of these can be Jason Rhoades, Paul McCarthy, or Yoko Ono summarized under the term Neo-Romanticism, retain a presence in Iceland through their works. which occurs between the points where nature For artists such as Roni Horn or Ólafur Elíasson, is encountered and mystified. This publication Iceland is an important source of inspiration. The differs notably in that it is not based on any latter undoubtedly enjoys a special status; having specific theme. In fact, it provides a spectrum grown up in Iceland, his own experience of of current Icelandic art creation and thus Iceland’s landscape and its art scene made a big bridges a gap. Its scope makes it unique. It impression upon him. He himself also influenced provides a localization of the current art scene, the younger generation of Iceland’s artists. although not all noteworthy stances on art could be included here. The artists presented A glance over the country’s history provides a were born between 1950 and 1980 and are further explanation for the distinctive character preceded by an introduction that looks at art’s of Icelandic art. Although the island in the development since the late 1960s. During this coarse and rugged North Atlantic was inhabited phase the Icelandic art scene received notable, by settlers as early as the late ninth century, international impulses whose impact can be felt craftwork and art remained mostly undeveloped to this day. right into the late nineteenth century. The country was first under Norwegian, and since the late Practical Notes fourteenth century under Danish rule; its distance from Denmark meant there were no aristocratic Although this publication is in English, we have courts, no universities or international trading decided to stay true to the Icelandic language centers at which art could have developed. in some aspects. Since Icelanders do not have Since the early Middle Ages the country’s two family names in the true sense (their surnames dioceses had above all cultivated script while the state whose sons or daughters they are), the rest of the population cultivated the land. The artists in the texts are listed by their first names. island’s distinct language, the legends, sagas, Accordingly, they appear alphabetically by their and genealogies all form the foundation of its first names. Non-Icelanders are therefore also national consciousness. Iceland’s culture is based listed in the name index by their first names. 10900336_001-336_23.04.indd 7 23.04.2009 16:59:54 Uhr.