Art

Icelandic art was founded on nineteenth-century northern European traditions, but evolved in distinct directions in the twentieth century, influenced in particular by the unique Icelandic landscape, as well as Icelandic mythology and culture. The distinctive depiction of the Icelandic landscape by its painters can be linked to nationalism and the mid-nineteenth-century movement for home rule and independence. This is one of Unique Cultural Characteristics In Iceland that you should know.

Contemporary Icelandic painting is usually traced back to the work of Þórarinn Þorláksson, who, after receiving formal art training in Copenhagen in the 1890s, returned to Iceland to paint and exhibit works from 1900 to his death in 1924, almost entirely depicting the Icelandic landscape. Many Icelandic artists are now members of The Association of Icelandic Artists. The Icelandic Art Center seeks to represent Icelandic artists internationally. Iceland has participated in the Venice Biennale every other year since 1960.

The artistic practice has multiplied in recent years, and the Icelandic art scene has become a venue for many large-scale projects and exhibitions. The artist-run gallery space Kling og Bang, whose members later ran the studio complex and exhibition venue Klink og Bank, was an important part of the self-organized space, exhibition, and project trend. The larger, more established institutions curating shows and festivals are the Living Art Museum, Reykjavík Municipal Art Museum, Reykjavik Art Museum, and the National Gallery of Iceland.