IMAGES FROM A JOURNEY – SIGURÐUR GUÐMUNDSSON
The retrospective exhibition of Sigurður Guðmundsson (b. 1942 in Reykjavik) offers a comprehensive overview of nearly 25 years of his artistic career. During this time, his modes of expression have ranged from minimalist conceptual art pieces to monumental sculptures. Despite these shifts in form, a clear thematic continuity runs throughout his body of work.
Guðmundsson’s Icelandic heritage is central to his deep connection with natural phenomena. His exposure to international contemporary art began with his studies in the Netherlands starting in 1963. Upon returning to Iceland in the late 1960s, he joined the SUM artist group, whose ties to the Fluxus movement profoundly influenced Guðmundsson’s artistic outlook. He held his first exhibition in Iceland in 1969, after which he returned to the Netherlands. From there, he established his international art career.
Guðmundsson’s engagement with philosophical questions and the essence of art found resonance in the Fluxus approach to art. The example set by Joseph Beuys was pivotal in shaping his perspective. After his early object compositions, Guðmundsson created text-based works exploring the poetic possibilities of visual art and delving into philosophical inquiries.
The foundation of Sigurður Guðmundsson’s photographic works often lies in the documentation of events performed by the artist himself. While these performances could be considered performance art, they are typically created specifically for the camera. This approach emphasizes the strong presence of the artist and the relationship between humans and their environment. This relationship often takes on cosmic dimensions, deeply intertwined with the human perception of time.
In the early 1980s, Guðmundsson’s work shifted significantly toward sculpture. These sculptures, in some ways, echo his earlier object compositions but also introduce a new dimension. Similar to Yoko Ono casting her early works in bronze and embracing a retrospective format to present her oeuvre, Guðmundsson’s exploration of time and presence naturally leads to works that substitute his physical presence with enduring artistic significance, thereby immortalizing the work.
The retrospective exhibition is a collaborative effort between four Nordic art institutions: the National Gallery of Iceland in Reykjavik, Malmö Konsthall, Pori Art Museum, and Kunstnernes Hus in Oslo. While the exhibition features many of the same works at each venue, the curatorial focus differs, highlighting various aspects of Guðmundsson’s art. In Pori, the Images from a Journey collection emphasizes his conceptual photographic works from the 1970s and sculptures from the last decade.
Translated with ChatGPT