Finnur Arnar

Finnur Arnar studied at the Icelandic School of Arts and Crafts, beginning in sculpture but switched to mixed media, graduating in 1991. Has held private exhibitions as well as with groups both in Iceland and abroad. Has also worked freelance as a stage designer since 1996 for all the major theaters in Iceland. Organized exhibitions for municipalities, institutions and companies.

CV – Finnur Arnar

Finnur Arnar

finnurarnar.com

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    Born in Reykjavík in 1965. Studied at the Icelandic School of Arts and Crafts, beginning in sculpture but switched to mixed media, graduating in 1991. Has held private exhibitions as well as with groups both in Iceland and abroad. Has worked freelance as a stage designer since 1996 for all the major theaters in Iceland.

    VISUAL ART
  • Privat exhibitions
  • 2019 Gallerý Skothús
  • 2016  Artzine Gallery 
  • 2015  The Videowall – Aðalstræti,
  • 2014  Duushús-Cultural Center of Reykjanesbær.
  • 2013  Akureyri Municipal Museum, Akureyri
  • 2012  The Herring Factory Hrafnseyri
  • 2011  Neskirkja church
  • 2007  Gallery Nordlys, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • 2007  Next bar, Reykjavik
  • 2006  Gallery Populus Tremola, Akureyri
  • 2006  Gallery Bananananas
  • 2006  Gallery +, Akureyri
  • 2005  Gallery 21, Malmö, Sweden
  • 2005  Epal-húsagnaverslun, Reykjavík
  • 2005  I8 Gallery, Reykjavík
  • 2004  Reykjavík Art museum, Hafnarhús
  • 2004  Safn “Museum”, Reykjavík
  • 2003  02 gallery, Akureyri
  • 2003  12 tónar, Reykjavík
  • 2003  The Living Art Museum, Reykjavík
  • 2001  The Living Art Museum, Reykjavík
  • 1999  12 tónar, Reykjavík
  • 1998  The Living Art Museum, Reykjavík
  • 1997  Gallery Show space – The Button ( A traveling gallery)
  • 1996  The Living Art Museum, Reykjavík
  • 1996  Gallery Show space – (A telephone answering machine)
  • 1993  Mokka Café, Reykjavík


  • Group exhibitions

  • 2017   Bout – four bouts of video works, Reykjavík Art museum, Hafnarhús
  • 2017   Normality is the new Avant-Garden, Kópavogur Art Museum – Gerðarsafn
  • 2016   KINGDOM – Flora, Fauna, Fable, Reykjavík Art museum, Hafnarhús
  • 2015  Reykjavík Stories, Quartair gallery, Den Haag 
  • 2015  “Men”, The Hafnarfjörður Centre of Culture and Fine Art
  • 2014   “Óskastígur”, Reykjavík
  • 2011  ” Æringur”, Family exhibition in Bolungavik
  • 2010  “Þar spretta laukar”, Family exhibition in ASI Art Museum
  • 2010  “Finnur Keli Kristján”, The Herring Factory at Hjalteyri
  • 2010  Dieter Roth akademie, The Factory at Hjalteyri
  • 2009  “Fokhelt”, Breiðakur 17-19, Garðabaer
  • 2009  “In Deep Water”, The Hafnarfjörður Centre of Culture and Fine Art
  • 2009  “Rhyme” – Works by Ásmundur Sveinsson and contemporary artists
              Reykjavík Art museum, Asmundarsafn
  • 2008  “Silence”, Reykjavík Art museum, Hafnarhús
  • 2007  “Images of Technology”, 12th edition Netfilmmakers Kopenhafn, Denmark
  • 2007  “Sequences”, Real time art festival, Reykjavík Art museum, Hafnarhús
  • 2007  “Angur:blíða”, Skaftfell – Center for Visual Art, Seyðisfjörður
  • 2006  CIA gallery, Xiamen, China
  • 2006  Gallery Sud-sudvestur, Keflavik
  • 2006  “Far:angur”, Gallery BOX, Akureyri
  • 2004  “New Icelandic art” The National Museum
  • 2003  “Ferðafuða” The Reykjavík Municipal Museum, Kjarvalsstaðir
  • 2003  “Ideologia II” Nordic Bienal of Contemporary Art, Alingsas museum, Sweden
  • 2001  “Ideologia I” Nordic Bienal of Contemporary Art, Röda Sten, Gotaborg, Sweden
  • 2000  “Orgasm 2000” Akureyri Municipal Museum, Akureyri
  • 1999  “Pictures at an exhibition”,  Egilstaðir
  • 1999  “Sampling” Ronald Feldman fine arts, New York, USA
  • 1998  “Flögð og fögur skinn” The Living Art Museum, Reykjavík
  • 1997  “Art for Icelanders” Hafnarhúsið-gallery, Reykjavík
  • 1997  “Coffee shop-tales”, Sólon íslandus-café, Reykjavík
  • 1997  “Harvest”, The Forestry Center, Akureyri, 
  • 1997  “Open exhibition”, Living Art Museum, Reykjavík
  • 1996  “Tukt”, Reykjavík
  • 1996  “8 Dwarfs”, Akureyri
  • 1996  Cultural Center of Grindavík
  • 1995  Gallery Neptune, Rotterdam, Holland
  • 1995  “Einskonar hversdagsrómantík” The Reykjavík Municipal Museum,                 Kjarvalsstaðir
  • 1995  Celebration of the Arts, Akureyri
  • 1994  “Outlawed”, 50th anniversary of the Icelandic Republic, London, England
  • 1993  “11 Artists” , Living Art Museum, Reykjavík
  • 1992  “Before-after”, an outdoor installation
  • 1992   Halldór Laxness-festival in the National Theatre
  • 1992  “Posters” an outdoor installation
  • Works in public collections

  • Reykjavík University
    The University of Iceland
    The National Gallery of Iceland
    The Reykjavík Municipal Museum
    Reykholar


    Stipends and commissions
  • 2014 One year Artist’s Salary Fund
    1999 Artist’s Salary Fund, Travel grant
    2006 month Artist’s Salary Fund
    2003 One year Visual Artist’s Salary Fund
    2005 6 month Artist’s Salary Fund
    2006 One year Visual Artist’s Salary Fund
  • 2011  Náttúruverndarsjóður Pálma Jónssonar
  • 2012  6 month Artist’s Salary Fund
  • 2014  One year Visual Artist’s Salary Fund
  • THAEATRE
  • Stage Design
  • 2021 The National Theater / The Submarine by Gunnar Eiríksson
  • 2020 The National Theater / Upphaf byr David Eldridge
    2019 The National Theater / The Angel, by Finnur Arnar plays based on  Þorvaldur Þorsteinssons text.
  • 2019  The National Theater / Shakespeare in love by Marc Norman og Tom Stoppard
  • 2018  The National Theater / Ronja by Astrid Lindgren
  • 2018  The National Theater / Slá í gegn by Gudjón Davíd Karlsson
  • 2017  The Ocean by Ólafur Haukur Símonarson
  • 2017  The National Theater / Faraway Land by Gudjón Davíd Karlsson
  • 2016  The National Theater / A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
  • 2016  Tjarnarbíó / Old Bessastaðir by Salka Guðmundsdóttur
  • 2014  The National Theater / “Karítas” by Kristín María Baldursdóttir
  • 2014  The Reykjavík Municipal Theatre / “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-                         Time” by Mark Haddon
  • 2013  The National Theater / “Maður að mínu skapi” by Bragi Ólafsson
  • 2013  The National Theater / “Jerusalem” by Jez Butterworth
  • 2012  The National Theater /  “Jónsmessunótt by Hávar Sigurjónsson
  • 2012  The National Theater / “Les Miserables” by Viktor Hugo
  • 2011  The National Theatre / “Hedda Gabler” by Henrik Ibsen
  • 2011  The Reykjavík Municipal Theatre / “The Grandfather” by Bjarni Haukur
  • 2010  The National Theater of Faroe Islands / “The Cherry Orchard” by Anton Tjekhov
  • 2010  The National Theatre / “Íslandsklukkan” by Halldór Laxness
  • 2010  The Akureyri Theatre: / “39.steps” by Patrick Barlow
  • 2009  The Reykjavík Municipal Theatre / “Rautt brennur” by Heidar Sumarlidason
  • 2009  The Akureyri Theatre / “Falið fylgi” by Bjarni Jónsson
  • 2008  The National Theatre / “Sumarljós” by Jón Kalman.
  • 2008  The Iceladic Opera / “Janis 27” by Ólafur Haukur Símonarson
  • 2008  The Malmö Dramtiska Theater / “The Tempest” by Shakespere
  • 2008  The Hafnarfjörður Theatre / “Halla og Kári” by Hávar Sigurjónsson
  • 2007  The Akureyri Theatre / “Óvitar” by Guðrún Helgadóttur
  • 2003  The National Theatre / “Pabbastrákur” by Hávar Sigurjónsson.
  • 2003  The Reykjavík Municipal Theatre / “Sól og Máni”
  • 2002  The Hafnarfjörður Theatre /  “The saga of Grettir Ásmundarson”
  • 2002  The Reykjavík Municipal Theatre / “Kryddlegin Hjörtu” by Lauru Esquivel
  • 2002  The Icelandic School of Drama / “Íslands Þúsund tár” by Elísabet Jökulsdóttir
  • 2001  The National Theater / “Cyrano De Bergerac” by Edmond Rostand
  • 2001  The Hafnarfjörður Theatre / “Englabörn” by Hávar Sigurjónsson
  • 2001  The Hafnarfjörður Theatre / “Platonov” by Chekov
  • 2001  The Iceladic Opera / “La Boheme”
  • 2000  The Hafnarfjörður Theatre / “The Idiots” by Ólafur Haukur Símonarson.
  • 1999  The Hafnarfjörður Theatre / “Salka Valka” by Halldór Laxness ,
    adabtion by  Hilmar Jónsson and Finnur Arnar.
  • 1999  The Reykjavík Municipal Theatre / “An Accidental Death of an Anarchistby ” by Dario Fo.
  • 1998  Abo Svenska Teatern, in Turku, Finnland / “Heaven” by Árni Ibsen.
  • 1998  Hafnarfjörður Theatre / “Father and son” by Þorvaldur Þorsteinsson.
  • 1998  The Hafnarfjörður Theatre / “The Last Farm in the Valley” by Loftur                         Gudmundsson.
    1998  Herranótt / “Spring Awakening” by Frank Wedekind.
    1998  The Icelandic School of Drama / “En Uppstoppad hund” by Staffan Göete
  • 1997  The Akureyri Theatre / “Vefarinn mikli frá Kasmír” by Halldór Laxness.
    1997  The Hafnarfjörður Theatre / “Að Eilífu” by Árni Ibsen.
    1997  The Reykjavík Municipal Theatre / “The Wizard of Oz”.
  • 1996  Hafnarfjörður Theatre / “Candide” by Voltaire.
  • 1995  Hafnarfjörður Theatre / “Heaven” by Árni Ibsen.
    1995  The National Theatre / “Kardemommubærinn” by Tobjörn Egner.
  • 1994  The National Theatre / “West Side Story” by L. Bernstein.
    1994  Flugfélagið Loftur /  “Hair” –  in Barcelona.
  • 1993  The Icelandic Opera – Flugfélagið Loftur /  “Hair” – the musical.
  • 1992  The Icelandic School of Drama /  “Clara S” by Elfriede Jelinek.

 





 

Journey – Privat exhibition – Reykjanesbær Art Museum

Like so many of Finnur Arnar ́s video pieces Journey uses double images to underscore a conceptual whole. Fragments, shown in a loop, feature a walking man dragging along a fisherman`s gaff; another set of fragments are taken up with a man slowly revolving around himself, he ́s clearly the artist. Untouchable money floats in mid air. Fingers beat out a rhythm on a table; all around there are the ragged remains of Christmas past. The artist puts together a set of open-ended symbols. He pulls us, the viewers, into the centre of the piece; much like the revolving man we are placed between images, having to turn this way and that to look at them. What is he thinking, the man who revolves in the whirlwind of money or in the the detritus of a Christmas extravaganza, or the man who waits, drumming with his fingers on a table? Or the fisherman on his neverending journey, holding on to his gaff?

Journey poses questions of some urgency, centering on our humanity. They have to do with the meaning of our lives, our values and our pursuit of happiness. There are no answers to them except the ones we discover within ourselves and these answers may be subject to change. Through its conceptual scale and weighty presence, as well as through its insistent rhythm, Journey is a powerful work. Where is this journey taking us?

Ragna Sigurðardóttir

 

 

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Ragnar Kjartansson – Bjarni Bömmer listens to Take it Easy by the Eagles.

 

Ragnar Kjartansson draws on the entire arc of art in his performative practice. The history of film, music, theatre, visual culture and literature find their way into his video installations, durational performances, drawing and painting. Pretending and staging become key tools in the artist’s attempt to convey sincere emotion and offer a genuine experience to the audience.
Kjartansson’s work has been exhibited widely. Recent solo exhibitions and performances have been held at the New Museum, ICA Boston, Guggenheim Bilbao, Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst, the Carnegie Museum of Art, and PS1 MoMA. In 2011, he was the recipient of Performa’s 2011 Malcolm McLaren Award for his performance ‘Bliss’. In 2009, Kjartansson represented Iceland at the Venice Biennale, and in 2013 his work was featured at the Biennale’s main exhibition, The Encyclopedic Palace. Kjartansson was born in 1976 in Reykjavík and studied at the Iceland Academy of the Arts and The Royal Academy, Stockholm.

 

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Kristján Guðmundsson – Exhibition Seconds

This work consists of a computer software showing the exact duration of the exhibition on a screen from the time it is opened on 4th of September at 20.00 until its over at 20.00 on the 4th of October 2014 – exactly 2,592,000 seconds. The countdown in seconds continues until the end of the exhibition when the screen shows the number zero. In this way time is structured and made ​​tangible because it is contained in advance. The countdown brings us not to the beginning of an event, but to it´s finality.

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