Sigurdur Olafsson is an abstract painter living and working in Iceland.
Working within the field of contemporary abstract art he uses acrylic paint applied to the canvas with large custom-made squeegees, trowels, spatulas, and other unconventional tools. Through an accumulation of spontaneous, reactive gestures he composes striking, multifaceted works with intriguing colour combinations and a mathematical twist that explore the boundaries between order and chaos, and faith and uncertainty.
Olafsson is not interested in mimicking reality. His passion is to use the medium of painting to explore new patterns and forms that will lead to new discoveries. Hispaintingspose a series of questions rather than provide clear statements or narratives. The works thus contain an account of his search for that elusive and ethereal something that can only be discovered through art and the meticulous application of the creative process.
After graduating from the Icelandic College of Art and Crafts, he pursued a career as an artist, working as a software developer on the side to support his growing family. The allure and the dynamic creativity of the software industry eventually took over much of Olafsson's working life and he enjoyed a successful career there. His passion for art never diminished, though, and in 2019 he returned to painting full time.
Olafsson's work has been exhibited in various institutions in Iceland. His work is held in public and private collections in Iceland and in private collections in Europe and the USA.
Statement
In a world consumed by technology and machine perfection, painting provides a welcome alternative, a way to connect to something real and human. It takes us back to our creative roots and our most basic forms of self-expression.
I love old things that have a history and a soul. Abandoned farmhouses, ghost towns, and other forsaken human relics fascinate me. I like the feelings they evoke and the poignant stories they tell. Weathered layers of peeling paint, rusted metal, and crumbling concrete have a strange visual quality that I find interesting.
With my art, I try to induce similar feelings in the viewer's mind. I am exploring something that I describe as the boundary between order and chaos. I think in that elusive and select an area to comment on mysterious area I will find the secrets of creativity itself, or at least continue inspiration on my artistic journey.
What do I want to say with my art?
Treasure your humanity and uniqueness. Meaning can have many layers and it is a worthwhile effort to uncover a few of them. Celebrate the eccentric as well as the mundane, the hidden as well as the obvious. Beauty can be found in the most unlikely of places.
www.sigurdurolafsson.com
