Sigrún Harđardóttir at the "Geyser Where" exhibition in March 1997, in Sverrissalur Art Room of Hafnarborg Gallery (Hafnarfjörđur, Iceland). (For full screen picture - click here)
"Hverhyrningur" (Square Geyser). Oil on Canvas 1996. 75cm x 75cm. (For full screen picture - click here)
"Hverasöngur" (Song for Geysers). An installation for monitor, video player, two tape players, two amplifiers, four speakers and three sculptures. (For full screen picture - click here)
"Hver á breidd" (Geyser on Width). Oil on Canvas 1996-97. 160cm:2 x 220cm x 4. (For full screen picture - click here)
"Hver á hćđ" (Geyser on Height). Oil on canvas, 1997. 75cm x 75cm x 5. (For full screen picture - click here)
"Hverinn" (Le Geyser). Videoinstallation for 4 monitors and one synchronizer. (For full screen picture - click here)

After I saw the exhibition "hver/hvar" (geyser/where), I decided to dedicate one home page to Sigrún and her arts. Sigrún is an artist of motion and nature and her paintings had almost musical impact on me when I saw her last exhibition. I found out that she is not on the web, and I did not really ask her permission to do this, but I'll let her know some time. I've known her since we studied technical drafts at the Technical School of Iceland.

I will try to get information about her exhibitions in the future and display the news here on this page.

The "hver/hvar" (geyser/where) theme

Sigrún Harđardóttir explains the theme in the exhibition's catalog: "Pressure from Earth's crust tectonic points, which finds its way through it to the surface as boiling, erupting geysers, is the topic of this theme, which I call "hver/hvar" (geyser/where).

The naturally active geysers in Iceland become fewer and fewer, each year, due to active harnessing of the geothermal energy. The nature of geothermal areas can be divided into two main branches, positive and negative. The positive one is the geothermal energy, and the negative one is the volcanic activity.

By closer study of the geysers, an endless world of variety and visual rhythm opens up. Their voices span from deep roaring tones to high-pitched ones. The changing rhythm is a result of the size and shape of the geysers, as well as the pressure of the water, which affects the frequency of the eruptions.

My analysis of these characteristics of the geothermal areas, gives me space to interpret that the Earth is alive, and its communicating mouth is the geyser. When many geysers sound together, their musical harmony can be compared to polyphonic song.

In this Theme, I emphasize this musical side of the geyser, harnessed an audio recordings, but the impelling force of form and colours finds its form of expression in the painting." - Sigrún Harđardóttir

More about the artist

Solo exhibitions summary:

1997    HAFNARBORG (Art Center),
Hafnarfjörđur, Iceland
Painting and Installation.
1988    LISTASALURINN NÝHÖFN,
Reykjavík, Iceland - Painting.
1987    GALLERÍ BORG, Reykjavík, Iceland
Painting and Video.
1986    ÖSKJUHLÍĐ, Reykjavík, Iceland
Videoinstallation.
1985    TIME BASED ARTS, Amsterdam,
The Netherlands - Video.

Group exhibitions summary:

1993    STRATHERN (Cultural Center),
Montreal, Canada - Painting.
1991    ESCAPE VITRUEL (Cultural Center),
Chicoutimi, Canada
Videoinstallation.
1990    "DIE ISLANDER KOMMEN"
Travelling exhibition in Germany
organized by the Icelandic Museum of
Fine Arts. - Video.
1990    "FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE
FILMS ET VIDEOS DE FEMMES DE
MONTREAL" GALLERY
POWERHOUSE - Videoinstallation.
1987    KJARVALSSTAĐIR
(Municipial Museum), Reykjavík,
Iceland - Video.
1986    GALLERIE GREIJSDALEN, Vejle,
Denmark - Mixed media.
1986    TIME BASED ARTS, Amsterdam,
The Netherlands - Videoinstallation.
1985    "IBM" KJARVALSSTAĐIR
(Municipial Museum), Reykjavík,
Iceland - Video.
1985    "FORMULA E33", Bergen,
The Netherlands - Video.
1984    AULA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Painting.
1983    MUSEUM FODOR (Municipial
Museum), Amsterdam,
The Netherlands - Prints.
1982    LISTMUNAHÚSIĐ, Reykjavík,
Iceland - Prints.

Sigrún Harđardóttir
is born in Reykjavík 1954. She lives in Montreal,
Canada. Studied in Iceland and the Netherlands.

Represented in:

The Icelandic Museum of Fine Arts,
Reykjavík Iceland.
Museum of Fine Arts, Kópavogur, Iceland.
The National Bank of Iceland.
Suđurnes Geothermal Company, Iceland.
Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten,
Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Reykjavík Geothermal Company, Iceland.

Art works in private collections:

Iceland, The Netherlands, France, Germany,
Swiss, Italy, USA, and Canada.

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Text: Guđmundur and Sigrún.
Photos: Sigurgeir Birgisson and Sigrún.

Page last updated: Síđast uppfćrt: 9. January, 1999 Design/Vefari: