Ragnheiður Gestsdóttir
Ragnheiður Gestsdóttir (f. 1975) vinnur alla jafna í ólíka miðla; skúlptúr, ljósmyndir, innsetningar og kvikmyndir. Í verkum sínum rannsakar hún og afhjúpar valdakerfi í samfélaginu með því að benda á sviðsetningu á gildismati, bæði í hinu persónulega og almenna rými. Auk myndlistarinnar er hún sjálfstætt starfandi kvikmyndagerðarkona og hafa listrænar heimildamyndir hennar verið sýndar víða á kvikmyndahátíðum og söfnum hér- og erlendis.
Ragnheiður lauk MFA námi í myndlist frá Bard College í Bandaríkjunum 2012 og MA námi í sjónrænni mannfræði frá Goldsmiths College í Lundunum 2001.
Ragnheiður hefur sýnt víða bæði hérlendis, í Bandaríkjunum og á Norðurlöndunum. Verk hennar eru í eigu helstu safna á Íslandi auk einkasafna hérlendis og erlendis.
Vefsíða: www.ragnheidurgestsdottir.net
Ragnheiður Gestsdóttir (b.1975) makes sculpture, photographs, films and installations. In her work she critically explores the human desire for uniformity and absolute truths, and their inherent failure by revealing the power structures, layers and cracks hidden under a very desired surface. She is interested in the language and symbols of power, money and access in our society and the way in which these are manifested and staged in our everyday private lives.
Ragnheiður is also a documentary filmmaker and has shown her experimental films internationally at film festivals and museums.
Ragnheiður received an MFA from Bard College in 2012 and an MA in Visual Anthropology from Goldsmiths College in 2001. Her work can be found in the collection of major museums in Iceland and private collections in Iceland and abroad.
CV
EDUCATION
2010 – 2012 Bard College – Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts MFA Fine Art
2009 – 2010 School Of Visual Arts New York, MFA Fine Art (one year)
2000 – 2001 Goldsmiths College, University of London MA Visual Anthropology
1996 – 1999 University of Iceland BA Anthropology
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2021
Góðir gestir Cecilia Hillström Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden. Cur: Cecilia Hillström & Carl Boutard
Is the Spirit Aware of the Matter? The Living Art Museum, Reykjavík. Cur. Sunna Ástþórsdóttir
2019
Maternity leave
2018
The Journey Home Reykjavík Art Festival, Wind and Weather Gallery. Cur. Kathy Clark
2017
The In, With and Between Us Gerðarsafn Art Museum, Kópavogur. Cur. Malene Dam
2016
Artzine.is Hótel Holt and the the online Happy hour Gallery. Cur. Helga Óskarsdóttir
KINGDOM, flora, fauna, fable Reykjavik Art Museum, Reykjavík. Cur. Markús Þór Andrésson
The Future We Remember Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, Secca, Winston-Salem, USA. Cur. Cora Fisher & Sarah Higgins
Open House Beirut Art Residency, Lebanon. Cur. BAR team
I Boreali Nordic Art Festival, Milan, Italy. Cur. Lorenza Pignatti
2015
Speak Nearby Soloway Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, USA. Cur. Ragnheiður Gestsdóttir, Emily Weiner and Theresa Himmer
Let me tell you a story Göteborgs Konsthall, Göteborg, Sweden. Cur. Mikael Nanfeldt
The Heart Beat Doma International Art Festival, Sofia, Bulgaria. Cur. Voin de Voin
Nowhere else Hjalteyri Factory, Hjalteyri. Cur. Sirra Sigrún Sigurðardóttir
Real Life Skaftfell, Seyðisfjörður. Cur. Gavin Morrison
Kunstschlagerstofa Reykjavík Art Museum, Reykjavík. Cur. Kunstschlager team
Development Hafnarborg Art Museum, Hafnarfjörður. Guest in Hekla Dögg Jónsdóttir’s exhibition
2014
Big Bang – What a Thang Kunstschlager Gallery, Reykjavík. Cur. Ólöf Gerður Sigfúsdóttir
Little Noises Franklin Street Works, Stamford, Connecticut
Time and Time and Again The Living Art Museum, Reykjavík. Cur. Markús Þór Andrésson and Ragnheiður Gestsdóttir
PLAY Soloway gallery in New York & The Living Art Museum, Reykjavík. One day show. Cur. Emily Weiner and Ragnheiður Gestsdóttir
2013
Loco Motion Sequences Art Festival VI, Höggó, Reykjavík. Cur. Markús Þór Andrésson
Love The Willows, Brooklyn Heights, New York. Cur. Emily Weiner
Pale Blue Dot Skaftfell – Bookstore Project Space, Seyðisfjörður. Cur. Curver Thoroddsen
Parlor Show Smiðjustígur 10, Reykjavík Culture Night. Cur. Þór Sigurþórsson
2012
Self Titled Bard MFA show, UBS Gallery, New York. Cur. Sarah Higgins
The Last Space The Webster Miami, Miami Beach, USA. One day exhibition. Cur. Last Magazine
Without Destination Reykjavík Art Museum, Reykjavík. Cur. Markús Þór Andrésson
Urban Legend Vaudeville Park Gallery, Brooklyn, New York. Cur. Leonora Loeb
Give me a Minute The Shirey, Brooklyn, New York
SELECTED FILMS
Time and Time and Again 16 mm film, 50 min. Documentary film on the life and art of Hreinn Friðfinnsson. Co-directed with Markús Þór Andrésson, 2014
As if We Existed 16 mm film, 30 min. Experimental film about Ragnar Kjartansson at the Venice Biennale in 2009, 2011
Rangsælis Video, 11 min. Travel film shot while moving counterclockwise around Iceland in 2011
Steypa Video, 67 min. Documentary film about the creative process of six Icelandic artists. Co-directed with Markús Þór Andrésson, 2007
Versations Tetralógía Video, 30 min. Documentary about Gabríela Friðriksdóttir who represented Iceland at the Venice Biennale, 2005
Inner or Deep Part of an Animal or Plant Structure Video, 50 min. A film about the creative process behind the making of Björk’s Medúlla album,
2004
Minuscule Video, 75 min. A documentary film about Björk’s Vespertine tour, her creative process and co-workers, 2002
Niceland Video and found footage, 19 min. Experimental portrait, 2001
GRANTS & RESIDENCIES
2020
Artist salary grant (2 months), Iceland Ministry of Culture and Education
The Iceland Visual Arts Fund, project grant Muggur, travel grant
Icelandic Art Center, travel grant
2019
Artist salary grant (6 months), Iceland Ministry of Culture and Education
2017
Artist salary grant (3 months), Iceland Ministry of Culture and Education
The Iceland Visual Arts Fund, project grant
2016
Beirut Art Residency, Lebanon
Artist salary grant (6 months), Iceland Ministry of Culture and Education
Icelandic Art Center, travel grant
2015
Myndstef, project grant
The Iceland Visual Arts Fund, project grant
Skaftfell, art residency at Seyðisfjörður, Iceland
2013
BANFF Arts Center, art residency in Canada
Skaftfell, art residency at Seyðisfjörður, Iceland
The Iceland Visual Arts Fund, project grant
Icelandic Film Fund, production grant
MEDIA Film Fund, production grant
Nordic Film and TV Fund, production grant
2012
Bard College, fellowship grant
201
Myndstef, project grant
Bard College, fellowship grant
2010
American Scandinavian Foundation, Thor Thors Grant
The Guðmunda Andrésdóttir support fund, education gant
Bard College, fellowship grant
2008
celandic Film Fund, production grant
2007
Icelandic Film Fund, scriptwriting grant
Icelandic Art Center, project grant
2005
Icelandic Film Fund, production grant
Viður, kopar lamir, lakk og prent
Wood, copper hinges, varnish and print
40 x 56 cm
5, 2 AP
2021
Um verkið:
Baktjald í smækkaðri eftirmynd sem tilheyrði ljósmyndabúnaði Nicoline Weywadt og frænku hennar Hansínu Björnsdóttur. Nicoline var fyrsta konan á Íslandi sem lærði og vann fyrir sér með ljósmyndun á eigin ljósmyndastofu á Teigarhorni í Berufirði. Tjaldið er handmálað af óþekktum þýskum listmálara og flutt af Hansínu til Íslands þegar hún kom úr námi frá Danmörku árið 1902. Baktjaldið sýnir evrópskt heldrimannaheimili, skreyttar súlur, klæði, veggfóður og timburklæðningu og endurspeglar engan veginn íslensk híbýli þessa tíma.
About the work:
Miniature backdrop that belonged to Nicoline Weywadt and her niece Hansína Björnsdóttir Nicoline was the first woman in Iceland to study and work as a professional photographer at her own studio at Teigarhorn in Berufjörður, later run by Hansína. The backdrop is painted by an unknown German painter and was brought to Iceland by Hansína when she moved back home after studying photography in Denmark in 1902. The backdrop displays a European manor with decorated columns, cloths, wallpaper and timber panels, and in no way resembles Icelandic dwellings of that time.
