Arna Óttarsdóttir – More or Less

We are proud to present Arna Óttarsdóttir’s first solo exhibition at the gallery, which is also her first solo presentation in Sweden, More or Less. The new show follows her participation in the gallery’s group show Góðir Gestir (2021), where Óttarsdóttir was one of the selected Icelandic artists in a presentation curated by gallery artist Carl Boutard in cooperation with i8 Gallery, Reykjavik.

Óttarsdóttir found weaving and the textile medium by coincidence; she did not have any formal training in weaving when she began creating her large-scale works. Throughout her practice, she has stayed true to an informal visual language where abstraction is almost accidentally intertwined with figurative elements and text.

Arna Óttarsdóttir uses her sketchbooks as inspiration for her works; books filled with scribbled words and drawings expressing everyday thoughts and ideas. When the casual sketches are incorporated in a time-consuming weaving process, a transformation takes place. Using a variety of textile materials, the patterns, textures and colours infuse the work with energy – thread by thread the intricate weaves become Óttarsdóttir’s personal statements. The different structures created by using a mix of wool, cotton, linen and polyester allow her to create works with a seemingly light touch, at the same time investigating the aesthetic complexity of weaving. As viewers, we are faced with a stream of thoughts and associations, where only our own fantasy sets the limits.

Arna Óttarsdóttir (b. 1986) lives and works in Reykjavík and received her BFA from Iceland Academy of the Arts in 2009. Her work is currently featured in the group shows ‘Time and Time Again’ at Hafnarborg Centre of Culture and Fine Arts, and ‘At Hand’ at Reykjavik Art Museum.

In 2021, her work was shown in ‘Iðavöllur: Icelandic Art in the 21st Century’ at the Reykjavík Art Museum. In addition, Óttarsdóttir had a solo exhibition, Everything is great’, at the Living Art Museum in Reykjavík in 2019. Her work has been exhibited internationally at Nordatlantens Brygge, Copenhagen; Turner Contemporary, Margate; Åplus, Berlin; and Cecilia Hillström Gallery, Stockholm. She is represented in the collections of Hafnarborg Centre of Culture and Fine Arts, Reykjavik Art Museum, The National Gallery of Iceland, The Living Art Museum, and at Kópavogur Art Museum, all in Iceland. Arna Óttarsdóttir is represented by i8 Gallery, Reykjavik.