Bryndís Snaebjörnsdóttir and Mark Wilson win Icelandic Art Prize

The Icelandic Art Prize has been awarded for the fifth time in 2022.

The Icelandic Art Prize 2022 was awarded on March 17th in Reykjavík. The awards provide recognition to outstanding visual artists and exhibitions

The duo Bryndís Snaebjörnsdóttir (b. 1955) & Mark Wilson (b. 1954) are recipients of the Art Prize 2022 for their exhibition Visitations at Akureyri Art Museum.

The exhibition is the result of the multi-year research project Polar Bears Out of Place, which they undertook in collaboration with experts in folklore, natural and environmental studies. The aim of the project is to contribute to a growing body of knowledge concerning human/non-human relations in a time of global warming. To this end, particular focus is on polar bear arrivals in Iceland both past and present.

The works in the exhibition raise questions around nature conservation and examine stories of run-ins between polar bears and people over time and what happens when these two predators meet. Polar bears are not welcome visitors in Iceland any more than in other human settlements, but their visits place the society in the context of the wild nature man has gradually managed to exterminate. Polar bear visits to the human world draw attention to our anthropocentric attitudes and how wild nature is marginalised and excluded as an alien terror. The context, the reasons for polar bears seeking out areas habited by man, such as the melting polar ice cap and its accompanying changes to the ecosystem, are the main motifs in this exhibition which makes us face the thoughtlessness we show nature. 

The artists career is multiform, and they have used the research methods of contemporary art to enter a dialogue with research in other fields, such as natural science, ethnology and environmental studies. According to them, contemporary art methodologies can bring an important addition to interdisciplinary dialogues and bring new and unexpected points into view. 

Snaebjörnsdóttir/Wilson use diverse methods to present their work, where interaction of video works, found objects, drawings, photos, and various data shapes the installation in each exhibition. Their installation at Akureyri Art Museum was powerful and enlightening and formed an interesting whole in the museum space. 

The recipients of the Motivational Award 2022 are the artist collective Lucky 3 for their performance PUTI at Sequences X Art Festival 2021. The work is described as a social choreography, reflecting the reality of racial roles and the hierarchy of power in the community. The group was formed in 2019 by three Icelandic artists of Filipino origins: Dýrfinna Benita Basalan (b.1992), Darren Mark (b. 1993) and Melanie Ubaldo (b. 1992). When working together, they use their heritage and the constant cultural conflicts of their lives as a source for their artistic creation.  The performance was challenging and aggressive and left no one untouched.

The Honorary Award is granted to an artist whose long and successful career has made a significant mark on the history of Icelandic art. This year’s recipient of the award is Kristján Guðmundsson (b. 1941).  When looking over his career of over five decades, it becomes clear that the value of his works is first and foremost found in their intellect and the artist’s endeavour to create a new meaning. His work is diverse, both in approach and media, but often characterised by systematic methodologies and humour. He has shown us symmetry and simplicity in everyday items and strategically explored the potential of the medium and material he works in at any given time. His works have been instrumental in changing our position towards things and thus changing the world around us.

The award for a Publication on Contemporary Art 2022 was awarded to Inga S. Ragnarsdóttir and Kristín G. Guðnadóttir for their book Deiglumór: Ceramics from Icelandic Clay 1930-1970. The book offers a detailed description of the activities of a few clay workshops between 1930 and 1970, when the crafting of Icelandic clay was at its peak.

The National Gallery of Iceland received an award for the Retrospective of the year for their extensive exhibition, Threads of Art, covering a 60-year period, from 1958 to 2018.  Finally an award was given for the Group Show of the Year to the ambitious international exhibition Resonance at the Factory at Hjalteyri.

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