Svermur: Wanderer in the mist of colors

Exhibition at Himinbjörg Art House

Welcome to the exhibition opening of Jón B. K. Ransu at the art space 3 Walls, Munaðarhól 25-27, Hellissandur, on Saturday, November 4th, 2023, from 16:00 to 18:00.

The exhibition is part of Jón B. K. Ransu’s works which are based on formal considerations about wandering, as in formal terms, a wanderer is formless because he is erratic and unstable. The works are a mixture of wall paintings and silk screen prints created by the artist at the Graphic Studio in Dublin earlier this year, drawing inspiration from one of the key works of the Romantic period, “Wanderer above the Sea of Fog” by Caspar David Friedrich.

On Sunday, November 5th, Ransu will give a lecture on his works at the Spaghetti Church, Hellisbraut 18, at 13:00. Everyone interested is encouraged to attend. The exhibition concludes on Sunday, November 19th, at 18:00. Open Thursday to Sunday from 14:00 to 18:00.

Jón B. K. Ransu

Jón B. K. Ransu was born in Reykjavik in 1967 and studied fine arts in Holland from 1990 to 1995. Ransu’s paintings always rely on a reconsideration of artworks or artistic trends. In the fifth volume of Icelandic art history published in 2011, it is stated:

“Ransu has conducted various experiments related, among other things, to the issue of ownership of paintings and the perception of the viewer. “[…]

Although it is about ownership, the artist never hesitates to reinterpret these references to his own artistic creation by altering the content, form, or context, which has increasingly taken on the stage of neo-modernism, especially in open art, where he combines form and colors that induce perceptual disruption in the audience” (Gunnar Kvaran, Íslensk listasaga: Frá síðari hluta 19.aldar til upphafs 21. aldar. Nýtt Málverk, gjörningar og innsetningar, Forlagið og Listasafn Íslands, 2011, p. 85).

In addition to his work in fine arts, Ransu is an author of art books and has contributed significantly to contemporary art writings in books and magazines. He has also taken on curatorial roles in museums in Iceland and Norway and serves as the head of the Department of Fine Arts at the Reykjavik School of Visual Arts.

From The Gallery