Reykjavík Art Museum

A retrospective of the works of artist Guðný Rósa Ingimarsdóttir at Reykjavík Art Museum – Kjarvalsstaðir. The works on display cover Ingimarsdóttir’s career of more than two decades and the exhibition is a part of Reykjavík Art Museum’s exhibition series with an aim to examine and present the career of important working artists.

The title of the exhibition, opus – oups, is telling for Guðný Rósa’s art, her environment and neverending amazement over the beauty and the artistic aspects of everyday things. “Opus” means work (of art) and “oups” is the French for “oops”, but Guðný Rósa lives and works in Belgium, in a French-speaking environment. The title indicates a pause, the awe that we feel when small things, insignificant in themselves, become art – but Guðný Rósa’s work is often created from random, found material, even materials that have served as artwork in a different context. The title is also mischievous, as it could be considered an anagram.

In her work, Ingimarsdóttir seeks inspiration in her surroundings and experiences. She has worked with diverse media, such as audio and sculptures, but her paper work has always been prominent. Her work is characterised by precision and is often hand carved, drawn in delicate pencil, stitched in thread and even assembled from different materials. She often uses miscellaneous paper such as carbon paper, graph paper, wallpaper and common printing paper, with earnest and personal results.

Ingimarsdóttir was born in Reykjavík 1969. She studied at The Icelandic College of Art and Crafts and finished her postgraduate education from L’Ensav La Cambre in Brussels and HISK in Antwerp, Belgium, Her work has been displayed in solo exhibitions in Iceland and around Europe. Her work can be found in public museums in France, Belgium, Slovenia and Iceland. Ingimarsdóttir lives and works in Belgium.

This exhibition is the fifth in a series of exhibitions at Kjarvalsstaðir which presents the career of a working artist who has already, through fully formed author characteristics, made their mark on the history of Icelandic art.

In connection with the exhibition, Reykjavík Art Museum publishes a grand catalogue with photos from the exhibition as well as photos of Ingimarsdóttir’s works and texts about the artist and her subjects.

Reykjavík Art Museum is a dynamic and progressive scene that offers visitors the opportunity to get to know art in a diverse way and gain deeper understanding of the historical, social, cultural and artistic context of different artworks. Reykjavík Art Museum is located in three different buildings; Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir and Ásmundarsafn.