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.

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