hexogen paper dress. Courtesy of Ninna Thorarinsdottir.

Dear ArtStyle,

I have been here in Iceland a few days, mostly in the countryside, but today I headed into Reykjavik, the capital, to search for a different experience. Luck was with me, as the Reykjavik Art Museum had an opening of a new exhibit — MAGMA/KVIKA showing the best of Icelandic design. This exhibit is a part of The Reykjavik Arts Festival, filling this city with both international and Icelandic art (music, theater, and fine arts) for two weeks.

Kross. Courtesy of Farmers Market.

The MAGMA/KVIKA exhibit is the most comprehensive presentation of Icelandic design to date. MAGMA/KVIKA refers to contemporary design in Iceland just as living and powerful as magma, that does not view boundaries or origins as obstacles, but rather as a starting point for movement and opportunity.

rocking beauty. Courtesy of Gudrun Lilja Gunnlaugsdottir.

The exhibition’s curator and designer, Gudrun Lilja Gunnlaugsdottir, selected works by about sixty of Iceland’s most prominent and progressive designers. I asked Gudrun Lilja,

“Is there anything about Icelandic design that you could pinpoint and describe that characterizes it as unique or different from, for example, Scandinavian design?”

She replied,

“I see Icelandic design today as being global; but if we try to pinpoint or identify Icelandic characteristics in Icelandic design, I would say that the difference is embedded or rooted in the thinking process or attitude that lies behind an idea or object, plus the type of raw energy that goes into the creative process. Our heritage is very strong in all of us and is visible in many designers’ works. Many of us create work influenced by nature, but mainly I see Icelandic design as being global.”

forest tisch. Courtesy of Rosa Bjarnadottir.

Gudrun Lilja’s explanation makes me think of Bjork’s music. Observing her in The Auditorium Theater in Chicago earlier this month, I was aware of something that I, as an Icelander, felt was rooted in the familiar, which I call Icelandic, but at the same time embracing the world, making me feel that she was also connecting lots of dots from all over the globe. I had a similar feeling looking at the MAGMA/KVIKA exhibit.

All my best,
Anna

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