Reykjavik – wulkan sztuki nad Zatoką Faxa

Stępnik, Małgorzata

Reykjavik – wulkan sztuki nad Zatoką Faxa

Abstract

Over the last decades Reykjavik has transformed from a culturally insignificant place into one of the most significant art centers in the world, both in the realm of so-called high arts and alternative culture. Its cultural life inspires and even astonishes. Especially those who come to visit Reykjavik for the first time may be overwhelmed by the number of museums and galleries functioning in that small area, as well as the amount of events dedicated to various branches of art. The main purpose of the article is to describe important places of interest, characterizing the architectural landscape of Reykjavik, and – most of all – to present those prominent artists who have contributed greatly to the evolution of Icelandic art. Special emphasis has been placed on depicting Erró’s artistic oeuvre. In his paintings, Guðmundur Guðmundsson – as this is Erró’s real name – smartly and compellingly combines surrealistic imagery with iconography typical of Pop Art. What is more, his rhetoric, sometimes bitter and strongly critical, enables us to classify his canvases as belonging to the Narrative Figuration. Separate paragraphs also discuss inter alia the specificity of Icelandic architecture (e.g. the Harpa concert hall with the façade designed by Olafur Eliasson), or the works of the eminent sculptor Einar Jónsson. Reykjavik as a crucible of culture, a veritable volcano of art, attracts internationally recognized artists like Yoko Ono, whose light installation titled Peace Tower was built on the islet of Viðey.