Iceland.
May 21st - August 28th 2022
GUNNAR ÖRN, A Retrospective
In the Depths of Your Own Awareness
Gunnar Örn Gunnarsson held his first solo exhibition in Unuhús in 1970 and he came to make waves in the Icelandic art scene at the start of the 1970s, as his powerful work quickly drew attention to this young and self-taught artist.
Straight away with his first exhibition, Gunnar Örn raised existential questions about the pressing tempo and detachment of modern society. Human existence was a constant source of inspiration for the artist, providing him with subject material for his whole career, in the struggle of man against himself – of existing in the world. His whole body of work is characterised by his spiritual search, on a journey where the canvas echoes the artist’s personal experiences.
Gunnar Örn was an extremely prolific artist and left a great many artworks: drawings, monotypes, paintings, sculptures and watercolours, as well as works created with mixed technique. This retrospective exhibition will feature works spanning the artist’s career, of almost forty years, during which he went through a number of transformations and changed his style a few times.
Gunnar Örn Gunnarsson (1946-2008) took cello lessons in Copenhagen in 1963-64, as well as attending Svend Nielsen’s drawing school in Denmark, though he was otherwise a self-taught artist. Gunnar Örn was an active presence in the Icelandic art scene, exhibiting regularly both here and abroad, for example in Denmark, Tokyo, Budapest and in Achim Moeller’s gallery, Moeller Fine Art, New York. and Stalke Galleri, Denmark, Notably, Gunnar Örn was Iceland’s representative at the Venice Bienniale in 1988. Works by the artist belong to the collections of many museums in Iceland, as well as the Guggenheim in New York, the Sezon Museum of Modern Art (Seibu) in Tokyo and Moderna Museet in Stockholm.
Curated by Aldís Arnardóttir.
Book:
Gunnar Orn
A RETROSPECTIVE
Pages: 256
Tekst by Aldis Arnardóttir and forword by Olafur Eliasson
Forlag: Forlagid.is
William Anthonys´s painting and Drawing my be found in the Collections of more than 30 art museums. The origin of his remarkable style may be attributed to his experience, early in his career, as an instructor of figure drawing. He developed a unique method of teaching beginners.
It did´t take Anthony long to realize that his classroom satire could be the basis for a new art statement. He started by take-offs of old and new master, Michelnlango, Vermeer, Picasso and Johns. But soon he graduated into victimizing just about anyone and anything.
DEVIANT DRAFTSMANSHIP include much of the work Anthony has done since the publication of
IRONIC ICONS (2013) which was another compilation of his painting and drawings, also by Sam Jedig and published by Stalke Gallery, Denmark.
Order this book: email us
pp 124 Hardcover
Price $50
Praise for Anthony’s work:
Ken Johnson, NY TIMES
A Sophisticated visual comedian who plays the fool to often hilarious an profound effect.
Leo Steinberg, Art historian
Incisive social commentary in the delicious disguise of incompetence
Roy Lichenstein, Artist
Rave review!
Gallery visitors seeing a small pencil drawing by Anthony
Oh, that must be the work of a retarded person.