Gisli Sigurdsson, Painter in Iceland

GISLI SIGURÐSSON
Painter in Iceland

Gísli Sigurðsson was born 1930 on a farm near Geysir. He has been painting for 50 years and his painting has gone through various stages in this 50 years period. Inspired first by a magnificent landscape of mountains, glaciers and lava, he began painting landscapes. But shortly after 1950 the thrust of modernism was very common among artists, and Gísli as well as a number of other painters in Iceland took up more or less abstract painting. Still under influence of Icelandic nature, the source of the abstract pictures was found in the landscape.

After 1970 Gísli turned away from abstractions and began painting in the figurative way again, now mainly people. This was a narrative period, the motives from old sagas and folklore. That developed by the years into more and more fantasy-painting and the source was mainly poetry. He even held one big exhibition at the Kjarvalsstaðir museum in 1982 where all the paintings derived from poetry.

This period was extended to 1998, when the circle was closed and Gísli Sigurðsson was again inspired by the landscape, mainly the landscape of high altitude and wilderness in Iceland, which has a very special beauty. He has been working on this theme since, sometimes in quite a figurative way, though always somewhat stylized. The motive can a panorama, but it can as well be something very small and close; something you see in this nature if you look down by your feet. And if you are not familiar with that kind of nature, some of the pictures might seem to be abstract.

EXHIBITIONS
Besides being a painter Gísli Sigurðsson has worked as a journalist and as an illustrator. His private exhibitions are now 12 and he has participated in many exhibitions with other painters. His first private exhibition was in Reykjavík 1964. Most of his exhibitions have been held there, the most important three were held in the museum of Kjarvalsstaðir in 1982, 1986 and 1990. One was held in the exhibition hall Hafnarborg in Hafnarfjörður, two in the Nordic House in Reykjavík in 1972 and 1976, one in The Alwin Gallery in London 1966, one in Akureyri in Northern Iceland 1980 and the last one in the Art Museum of Árnessýsla in Selfoss 1999.

A cottage in the wilderness. Oil and collage on plexiglass, 80 x 70 cm, 1999. For sale.

Early in the Spring. Oil and collage on plexiglass, 80 x 70 cm, 1999. For sale.

Melting snow. Oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm. For sale.

Oil Paintings by Gisli Sigurdsson. For sale.

Oil Paintings by Gisli Sigurdsson. Private property.