CV

b. 1970, Reykjavik, Iceland

thoroddurbjarnason@gmail.com

Education
1992 – 1996  The Icelandic Collage of Art and Crafts
1995   Degree in Music from Reykjavik Music Collage
1997-1998  CCA – Center for Contemporary Art, Kitakyushu, Japan.
2002-2003  Reykjavik University, MBA.

Selected solo exhibitions

2013    The Akranes Museum Centre – The Unrealized Works
2009    Akiyoshidai International Art Center, Yamaguchi, Japan  – “New Heights, New Opportunities”
2005    FUGL gallery, Reykjavík, Iceland – “Word”
2003    ASI, Art Museum Reykjavik,  Iceland – “Ivar Valgarðsson is brought to you by    Thoroddur Bjarnason
2002    Slunkariki, Isafjordur, Iceland – “New public art for Isafjordur”
2001    The Reykjavik Academy, Reykjavik, Iceland
1998    Café Mokka, Reykjavik – “Attempt to Create Positive/Negative discussion”
The Living Art Museum –  Reykjavik, Iceland – “Parliament of floating discussion”
Manken Gallery Kanasawa, Japan – “Sake Society”
1997    Shimizu´s Studio, Kitakyushu, Japan, “Wet People”
Yahata Train station, Kitakyushu, Japan – “Portrait of Kubota, Chieko”
Gallery Showcase, Reykjavik, Iceland – “To the Sea”
1996    The Living Art Museum, Reykjavik, Iceland – “Clean Exhibition Space”
Gallery Gulp, Hótel Holt, Reykjavik, Iceland – “Whiskey”
1995    Gallery Glumur, Reykjavik, Iceland –  “Without Prejudism” (performance)

Selected group exhibitions

2024 Gallery 16 – Reunion 3
2018 To Make Art Happen, Safe House, London
2013  The Living Art Museum. Embracing Impermanence – Performance night.
2013  Óskastígur – outdoor exhibition
2013  Studio Stafn, Reykjavik. Reunion 2
2012 The Night of the Lost Art works – Performance Night
2012  Akranes Forestry – Afstaða eða af Stað
2011  The National Art museum of the Farao Islands – Játtanir
2009  Breiðakur 17-19 – Fokhelt
2008  The Reykjavik Academy – “Art and theory”
2004  National Gallery of Iceland – “Young Icelandic Art “
Gallery +, Akureyri, Iceland – “Aldrei, Nie, Never”
Kunsthalle Lopheem, Belgium “Voids, Pads, Places”
2003  The Living Art Museum – 25 years anniversary exhibition
2002    Gallery Skuggi, Reykjavik, Iceland – “Tengi”
London Penthouse apartment –  “Rooftop”
2000    NIFCA –  “Discussion.is”
Belfast, N – Ireland , Viva Scanland.
Hannover, Germany – “Eine Deutsche Einkaufspassage”
Hlemmur,Reykjavík, Iceland – “The Best Hlemmur in the World”
The Nordic house, Reykjavik-“ Flakk, or that extraordinary sensation of being abroad    even when at home”
Kitakyushu City, Japan – “”Dream On”
1999    De Appel, Amsterdam: “Anarchitecture “
Galerie Bernd Klüser, Munich. Thoroddur Bjarnason & Glen Rubsamen,  “Please Let My Affections Lead Me Into Danger”
1998    Reykjavik Art Museum: “-30+60 “
LNM Gallery, Oslo, Norway:: “4 Icelandic artists”
The Living Art Museum, Reykjavik, Iceland – “In the Flesh
CCA, Kitakysuhu, Japan: It May Occur it will Never Happen”
1997    Cafe Mokka, Reykjavik, Iceland – “Self Portraits”
The Sidumuli Prison, Reykjavik, Iceland: “Tukt”
1996     Listhus 39 – Art gallery – Reunion

Awards
2003   Six months visual artists stipend, from the Iceland Ministry of Culture
2000   The Nordic Cultural Nets – project grant for discussion.is web project.
1999    Penninn Art award
1999    Svavar Gudnason and Asta Eiriksdottir art award
1996    Graduation prize – Icelandic College of Art and Crafts

Works in public collections
“Bring your Children”, Reykjavik Art Museum ( installation )
“ Finance – Art” series – The Icelandic National Museum. ( pencil on painted concrete )
Together – The Living Art Museum ( mixed media )
In Through The …..  – The Living Art Museum ( video )

Curatorial works
2011    TGT-19. Katsuhisa Shimizu
2009    Breiðakur 17-19, Garðabæ.  Fokhelt.  this.is/fokhelt
2008    Reykjavik Municipal Museum, “Symphony of the Eye  – Bragi Ásgeirsson  retrospective”
2000    Hlemmur, Reykjavik, Iceland – “The Best Hlemmur in The World”

Writings 

Numerous art reviews written for Fréttabladid  ( The Newspaper ), Iceland´s biggest daily newspaper over a one year period.
As a Journalist and a critic at Morgunbladid (the Morning Post), Iceland’s leading newspaper, over a
period of 10 years, I wrote among other things, a large number of reviews,  news articles and interviews with
Icelandic and international artists, musicians and writers.
Text about Rirkrit Tiravanija and Gabriel Orozco in a catalogue for their two men exhibition in The Living Art Museum.
Problematic Present – Bright Future.  On Japanese contemporary art. In a catalogue for a show in Akureyri´s Art
Museum of Makato Aida´s and Hlynur Hallsson´s works.
Texts about different artists for their catalogues and websites.

Books

2015 Réttarríkið ( Sheep World ) – Á báðum áttum. Comic Book.
2010 Réttarríkið. ( Sheep World ) Comic book.
2008 Symphony of the Eye. Book about the art of Bragi Asgeirsson, with an interview with the artist.
Published for a retrospective curated by me,  with the same name at Kjarvalsstaðir.
1993 – Several Poetry books.

Television productions
2002    Icelandic Contemporary Art, for Saga Film/Icelandair (Documentary)
2001    Gestsaugað, Mósaík, RÚV state TV, Plumbing. (Specially produced art video )
2000    Gestsaugað, Mósaík, RÚV state TV, The Shopping Cart. (Specially Produced art video)

Bibliography

Hópur Íslendinga sýnir í London.
(Group of Icelanders in London) Morgunblaðið 05.04.2018

“Reunion”. Fréttablaðið 27. 4. 2013.

http://www.visir.is/klappad-fyrir-skuldastodunni/article/2013704279949

Interview about “The Unrealized Projects”. Víðsjá, RUV ( The Icelandic State run Broadcasting Service )
14. feb 2013

Fullmótuð heild ógerðra verka 6. feb.2013
Fréttablaðið – newspaper

Listgildi Samtímans ( book )
Jón B.K. Ransu, 2012.

Icelandic Art History. ( book )
Volume 5 . 2011.

History of the Living Art Museum. 2011. ( book )

I Like to Watch. 06.04.2011
Craniv Boyd

Endurspeglar samtímann
Morgunblaðið, 16.10.2009

Fokhelt coverage. Víðsjá, RUV ( The Icelandic State run Broadcasting Service )
19.10.2009.

Mósaík, State TV. 16.01.2002.
Exhibition in the Reykjavik Academie

Here and now.  January. 2002.
Halldór Björn Runólfsson:

“The beauty is everywhere”. Morgunblaðið.
Orri Páll Ormarsson. 01.12.01”

Samsyning menningarneta. ( Collaboration of Cultural Nets)”
The Morning Post. 07.11.2000. By Orri Páll Ormarsson.

Architektur und (als) Wunschvorstellung, bei Bernd Klueser.
Kunstbulletin. June 2000. By Anne Maier.

Vardagen blir kunst. The Gothenburg Post.
08.06.00 By Kristina Hermansson

New Sensations NU, The Nordic Art Review.
VOL. ll No.3-4/00 . by Andrea Kroksnes.

The art of drifting
The Morning Post. By Halldor Bjorn Runolfsson. 20.06

NU the nordic art magazine
March-april 2000. By Gunnar J. Arnason

Aperto Reykjavík. Flash Art International.
January – February 1999. By Halldor Bjorn Runolfsson.

Interviewed by Jonina Michaelsdottir
in Laufskalinn, Radio 1. 20.06.00

Tilgangslaust storborgarflandur med meiru.
DV. 05.06.00. By Aslaug Thorlacius.

Interviewed by Jorunn Sigurdardottir in
Vidsja, Radio 1. 04.99

Inn og ut i Amsterdam. (In and Out in Amsterdam).
The Morning Post 04.05.99.

And Time stands still.( Og timinn stendur kyrr).
The Morning Post 12.12.98. Critic by Halldor Bjorn Runolfsson.

Lett og latlaust.(Straight forward with easyness)
The Morning post 24.11.98. Critic by Halldor Bjorn Runolfsson.

Ekki selt eitt einasta verk.(Never sold a single work)
DV-Fokus. 20.11.98.

Umraedan flytur og skytur rotum.(Discussion floats and Puts down its roots).
The Morning Post -Lesbók. 14.11.98.

Samsyning fjogurra islenskra myndlistarmanna í Oslo.
(Four Icelandic Artists in a group Exhibition in Oslo).
The Morning Post 1998.

Siksi,The Nordic art magazine. Gunnar Arnason
On being incarcerated. 1997.

Hreinleikinn og haestu haedir. (Purity and heights)
The Morning Post 23.07.96. Critic by Eirikur _orlaksson

Fjoltaeknimenn. (Multi Media Men ) The Morning Post
August 1996. Critic by Eirikur _orlaksson.

Hofda til samkenndar folks. (Appeal to Peoples Solidarity)
The Morning Post Lesbok. 13.07.96.

Himinn og jord. (Heaven and Earth) DV. July 96.
Critic by Olafur Engilbertsson.