Dear ArtStyle,

Early one morning I looked out the kitchen window, and my heart skipped a beat. On the grass, just below the window, there was everybody’s (here in Iceland) favorite bird, the Golden Plover, hopping around and poking its beak in the ground. One Icelandic tradition as long as I can remember is the media’s announcement of the arrival of the Golden Plover. The headlines are always the same (in late March or early April): “Lóan er komin” (The Golden Plover has arrived!) Why did my heart skip a beat when I’m not even interested in birds? That, I am sure, has to do with history, nostalgia, and a feeling of hope after a long, dark winter. The Golden Plover’s arrival means that spring is here, and bright days are ahead.

And the Plover has graced its presence in Venice as well. Iceland’s The Golden Plover Has Arrived features the work of Steingrímur Eyfjörð in The 54th Venice Biennale, opening this week. The artist, who was selected to represent Iceland this year, works with Icelandic folklore and traditions, like the one I just experienced.

Anna

Courtesy of Anna Joelsdottir

Dear ArtStyle,

I consider Reykjavik, Iceland and Chicago my two home towns. Children and babies are more visible here on the streets than they are in Chicago. Outside of coffee shops, a very common sight is a row of strollers with babies sleeping soundly in them while mothers are inside having coffee and chatting. This happens all year round, as on this island, it is considered healthy to let babies sleep outside to get them used to our harsh climate early in life.

Anna

Courtesy of Anna Joelsdottir

Last Friday, I attended the reception for Chicago artist Dawn Brennan at ARC Gallery, presenting her new series of figurative paintings. Familiar with her genre of the heroic male narrative, often in natural settings, I was impressed with this break-out show, depicting the female protagonist displaying the power of a woman.
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Technorati Tags: figurative paintings, female protagonist

Dear ArtStyle,

I moved to Chicago from Iceland in 1992 and ever since then have missed having outdoor clothes lines to hang my laundry like I used to back home. Many people have dryers here in Iceland, and the dryers come in handy in the winter. I only recently learned that outdoor lines in the U.S. are associated with people from a lower economic status, and even banned in many communities. But now, the lines may regain their status as being “green” when that idea kicks in (if it ever does). Here, they are neither green nor do they have any sort of status, except that a person who has the facilities to use them is considered lucky.

Anna

Courtesy of Anna Joelsdottir

Technorati Tags: Chicago, Iceland, clothes lines