In recent years there has been an increasing interest in a certain form of art, that is marking urban settings across the world and has even developed a specific sub-culture. In next few weeks Konsthopp is going to attract special attention to this kind of art — in other words — street art.

But what is street art? As most art forms, there is no simple definition of street art. The following definition is taken from Art Radar Asia:

It is an amorphous beast encompassing art which is found in or inspired by the urban environment. With anti-capitalist and rebellious undertones, it is a democratic form of popular public art probably best understood by seeing it in situ. It is not limited to the gallery nor easily collected or possessed by those who may turn art into a trophy. Considered by some a nuisance, for others street art is a tool for communicating views of dissent, asking difficult questions and expressing political concerns.

— Art Radar Asia, 21st of January 2012

Wall work by Gebes, Örn Tönsberg and Andrea

Art work by Ólafur Guðmundsson

Art work by Ólafur Guðmundsson

“Vägger” is a group exhibition of nine artists which links together two generations of street artists in Reykjavík along with a street artist from Denmark.

Street art exhibitions, specially in traditional exhibition space (“the white box”) have been up to this point — a quite rare sight in the Icelandic visual art scene. This is the third exhibition which Muses.is represents but the gallery was launched last year. According to the gallery the aim of the exhibition is; to reflect the development of last years and to show how street art has gone into traditional exhibition space with appropriate adjustments.

And for the brave ones, Muses.is have already started an online auction for the artworks from the exhibition. The prices are decided by the artists.

Date: 28th of January – 26th of February 2012

Artists: Andrea Helgadóttir, Björn Árnason, Gebes, Margeir Dire Sigurðarson, Orri, Ólafur Guðmundsson, Skúli Árnason, Þorsteinn Davíðsson and Örn Tönsberg

Place: Norræna húsið, Sturlugötu 5, Reykjavik

Emil Ásgrímsson has been studying in London for three years at the renown Central St. Martins College of Art & Design. His work is an eclectic mix of collage illustration and moving image inspired by epic landscapes, geology (his father is a geologist) and science. Emil plays with both digital collage and the process of the physical handmade aspect of moving image.

Aviator by Emil Ásgrímsson

Mermaid by Emil Ásgrímsson

Adventure by Emil Ásgrímsson

Sci fi by Emil Ásgrímsson

Film noir by Emil Ásgrímsson

Super2 by Emil Ásgrímsson

Photographs belong to Emil Ásgrímsson

This upcoming artist won the River Island Illustration competition for these work. Last night he opened his first solo exhibition at The Book Club in London.

I´m already looking forward to keep an eye on this one in the future!

Artist: Emil Ásgrímsson

Place: The Book Club, 100 Leonard Street, London

London, Paris, Rome …

Writing on walls has been a part of the humanity for centuries. Wherever you go, you find street art, graffiti or what some people might consider — art crimes. Since my teenage years, I have always admire this kind of art. Street art can even make structures like bus stops, bridges and subways look more interesting.

The pictures below shows street art around the world.

Los Angeles

Athens

Berlin

London

New York

Photos are taken from Etsy.com

I´m going to end this net stroll with an old time favorite. Ladies and gentleman, let´s play Street Life!

I play the streetlife, because there’s no place I can go
Streetlife – it’s the only life I know
Streetlife – and there’s a thousand parts to play
Streetlife – until you play your life away

You let the people see, just who you wanna be
And every night you shine, just like a super star
That’s how the life is played a temptin masquerade
You dress, you walk, you talk
You’re who you think you are

Streetlife …

Streetlife …

— (Randy Crawford)

Since 2010 she has been working like a “spy”, recording found conversation in public spaces.

“In my mind the changing room became the scenario of the play Waiting for Godot. The trivial dialogue suddenly revealed itself to me and appeared as important. In that second it felt like the dialogue could tell me more about my own existence than the words of the greatest philosophers. Not necessarily by what was spoken, but the feeling it gave me of everyday life. The importance of the so-called trivial, while we are waiting to get some answers on our own existence”

“I can’t hear my eyes” by Erla Silfá Þorgrímsdóttir

Erla Silfá Þorgrímsdóttir got the first idea for her project “I can’t hear my eyes” as she was caught up between other’s people conversation in the changing room at her gym. Since then she has been paying attention to the subjective and the small voices around her in everyday life as she is interested in those voices that are usually not heard and not considered of big importance.

Erla Silfá might not be a much of a talker, but she is definitely a “hell of a listener!” Be sure not to miss out on her final exhibition — and the truth about our public conversations – at Konstfack in May this year.

Read our latest artist talk with Erla Silfá Þorgrímsdóttir here.

Photograph belong to Erla Silfá Þorgrímsdóttir

There is a rumour going on that we have ROA — an international urban artist — coming in to town. Well, he is actually already here and will be producing a show (with The Scarlett Gallery), putting up installation and art in secret locations around Stockholm. Those who don’t know who ROA is should not worry, cause his work speaks for itself (see here). He was recently voted top artist 2011 on the Banksy Forum in London and has been traveling all around the world, where his most recent shows include Gambia and Australia (see ROA around the world here).

The public event will take place the 17th of February (don’t forget to RSVP) but ROA has already put his mark on Stockholm. And I’m posting a ‘leaked’ photo from the Stockholm’s archipelago as a proof!

Photograph in courtesy of The Scarlett Gallery

For some people this might not be big news, but for us in ‘Zero Tolerance’ Stockholm — where it’s nowhere to legally paint — this is a real treat!

As this is all a big secret, be sure you drop The Scarlett Gallery a mail with your name to let them know about your coming (they’ll release the location later in the week).

And trust me. If you are at all interested in arts, you DO NOT want to miss this show. I’m pretty sure it will be spectacular — a once in a life time experience.

I’m so excited!

xx Írena

Each morning I read through the headlines of the newspaper. Some articles interest me and are worth my attention, others not.  Most people have the same experience, we quickly riffle through the newspaper, read short articles and notes but most of the time it’s already a lost memory. Easy to forget.

“Bakom rubrikerna” (“Behind the headlines”) is a final project of seventeen photostudents at the Nordens Fotoskola. Seventeen stories are told and inspired by equally many newsarticles that the studenst have picked out themselves. Through their photographs, they tell us things that we wouldn’t be able to find otherwise in our newspaper. It is interesting to see what they’ve found and how they were inspired to explore people’s stories in order to show what has been hiding behind the headlines.

“Aina & Tage” / Photoseries by Rebecka Uhlin

“Kängorna på marken” / Photoseries by Angelica Sander

“Mellanåringar” / Photoseries by Evelina Carborn

“Alldeles ny” / Photoseries by Anna Surma

“Jag vill inte att du blir ensam” / Film by Robin Haldert

Photographs taken by Konsthopp

The real “Stockholmare” ; mothers with their newborn babies; swedish cheerleaders ; senior home; teenage spirits ; five decades of marriage ; ex-relationships ; friendships ;  soldiers in Afghanistan; asylum seekers …

The photographs are beautiful but it’s the stories behind each series that really brings them to life. Stories of people — relationships — destinies. Stories that are complicated and show a whole rainbow of emotions (see all the photographs here).

It’s really impressive how intimate and personal some of the projects are. It can’t be easy to let go of your own ego and gain that trust, which is needed to be able tell another person’s story — or in some cases — to tell your own story.

The students are brave and should be proud of their work — each headline was worth to be explored and different stories to be told. There is a soul and a heart in it.

And that is what I call art!

Date: 21st of January – 19th of February 2012

Artists: Andreas Nilsson, Angelica Zander, Anna Ekros, Anna Surma, Evelina Carborn, Gustav Hugosson, Karl Henrik Edlund, Katja Annola, Kenny Bengtsson, Lisa Irvall, Ola Håkansson, Rebecka Uhlin, Robin Haldert, Samuel Unéus, Sara Johari, Sebastian Waldenby, Viktor Johansson

Place: Galleri Kontrast, Hornsgatan 8, Stockholm

From an early age, I have absolutely adored bookstores. A beautiful book combined with a cup of a quality coffee, is a request begin of an ordinary day.

It was on an ordinary Monday morning (to be specific) that I bumped into a non-ordinary book — in a quite ordinary bookstore. Japanese illustration now (Thames & Hudson), is an example-packed overview of Japanese illustrations, showcasing the work of 100 of Japan’s most successful contemporary artists and designers.

Here are few examples to tickle your taste bud!

Akikio Matsuo 

Masayoshi Mizuho

“Kinpro” Chisato Shinya

Saeko Tagagi

Kazuya Taoka

Kosuke Ikea

Mimic

Mizuki Abe

Photos taken from Google images

As you can see, the illustrations embrace a huge range of styles — from traditional to futuristic and everything in between. The range of amazing images and subjects in this book is hugely memorable and an exciting journey to the utterly idiosyncratic but wonderful world of the Japanese sensibility.

Japanese illustrators are on the top of the agenda on this last day of January 2012!

Book: Japanese Illustation Now

Complete list of the artists: Akiko Matsuo, Atsushi Matsubayashi, Aya Ota, Ayako Okubo, Chigi, Chinatsu sozen, Cocolo, Dragon 76, Eito Yoshikawa, Foorider, Hal Watanabe, Hargon’s Wig, Heisuke Kitazawa, Hideki Tanaka, Hiroaki Yamadera, Hiroki Tsukuda, Hiromi Toriyama, Hiroshi Yoshii, Hiroyuki Izutsu, Hiroyuki Muso, Imaitoonz, Ippei Gyoubu, Itoman, Kahori Maki, Kana Nagano, Karol Hironaka, Kazuhiko Ifuku, Kazuko Tsuji, Kazuya Taoka, Keiko Enobi (Atoron), Kentaro Hisa, Kinpro, Komtena, Kosuke Ikeda, Kouzou Sakai, Koya Okada, Kurono, Kurumi Aoyama, Mako, Mamico, Mamoru Yamamoto, Manabu Hassegawa, Marumiyan, Masaru Yamaguchi, Masayoshi Mizuho, Mashu Oki, Mayko Fry, Megumi Terada, Minako Saito Botsford, Minchi, Misako Aono, Mizuki Abe, Moe Furuya, Naoshi, Natsuki Arai, Natsuki Lee, Natsuko Yoshino, Nico, Norico Uramoto, Red Hot Mama, Ryohei Hase, Ryohei Yamashita, Ryoichi Iso, Ryu Itadani, Ryuji Shishido, Saeko Takagi, Satoshi Matsuzawa, Satoshi Shigihara, Sayaka, Seevert Works, Seijiro Kubo, Shiro Taniguchi, Shobu Tsuchiya, Shah, Shojonotomo, Shu-thang Grafix, Shuhei Tabuchi, Smo, Susumu Yamauchi, Tadaomi Shibuya, Takashi Yamasaki, Takenaka, Takeru Toyokura, Taku Anekawa, Tamio Abe, Tatsuro Kiuchi, Tent, Tomohiro Yasui, Tomomi Ohsugi, Toshifumi Tanabu, Toshikazu Sasao, Tsukasa Tomoyose 
(Atoron), Wieden+Kennedy 
Tokyo lab, Yoshikazu Takai, Yukinori Dehara, Yusaku Maeda, Yusuke Saitoh, Yuta Miyazaki, Yutanpo Shirane and Yuuiti Miyakawa

Curator talk: Marín Björt Valtýsdóttir (Iceland)

When did you start curating? Tell us something about your educational background?

My first experience with curating was back in high school, setting up our graduation art exhibition. We were many and had very different backgrounds, so it was quite a task putting up the show. However, we did work and the outcome was better than we had hoped fore! As for further curating for my behalf, there haven’t been many opportunities. Curating is not a part of our program in the arts department of University of Iceland, the classes that teach the subject are small classes and fill up quickly so it is difficult to get in them, so going abroad is the only option to become a professional curator. But since we do know what curating is and we are curious about it a student gallery was opened fall of 2011. The gallery, which is called Artíma Gallerí, is giving us opportunity to try out curating and finding other people that are interested in the subject of curating and running a gallery.

What is the artistic field of your curatorial practice?

Usually I deal with 2d artworks like paintings or drawings. It was interesting when we decided to include one of Hekla Björt Helgadóttir’s pieces, which consisted of a lamp, broken plates and a stone heart, in the 3rd show of Artíma Gallerí. Once we started planning, it turned out that the piece would work better as an installation using the afforded space in the gallery in a different way than we first envisioned.

Is there a difference in curating different field of arts, etc. paintings, videos, interactive works or a piece of net art?

In retrospect it didn’t seem to matter much to me in which form or medium the artworks were but of course sooner or later practical matters will need to be addressed. In an ideal situation, the curator takes away the burden from the artist, of matching the artworks to an audience in a meaningful way. In reality this often results in a very close collaboration between the curator and the artist, which can be slightly less glamorous. Hammering nails into the wall or holding the ladder while attaching support strings.

From Artíma #3, work by Hekla Björt Helgasóttir, curated by Marín Björt Valtýsdóttir. Photos/Konsthopp

What kind of qualities do you think a curator should have?

Curating is a broad field of work, and every show is different. I think the artist makes the biggest difference in putting up an exhibition and how fluently it goes. When the collaboration between the artist and the curator is good, magic can happen.

A good curator sees the needs of the artist and the exhibition and does what it takes to combine it in to an interesting exhibition. Flexibility and diplomacy is important, as are social and communication skills since a big part of putting up an exhibition is working with other people and finding common grounds to work from. A curator is also a facilitator, concerning herself with practical matters.

Do you think that new and digital media used in contemporary art has brought new aspects to arts and curating? Yes or no, explain why?

Digital media is very fascinating because it can be very vivid and alive. Due to my young age I cannot say much about the effects it has had on curating since digital media used as an art form is older than I am. What I can tell is that digital media and interactive works are becoming more and more popular in the museum world so the medium is marking its place in the ‘traditional’ art world.

In times of “You Tube” and the Internet, do you think a curator is still needed?

I don’t see the Internet as having much effect on curating, as in making curating unnecessary. Museums and galleries are becoming more and more popular each year and new art fairs seem to be popping up all over the world, so the demand for a curator, if anything, is higher than ever. Youtube creates an abundance of information; years worth of video are uploaded daily on Youtube alone. My partner pointed out to me that curating is engaged in actively by the online community. People have created channels or blogs with little or no original content, consisting of other people’s artworks both collecting and connecting them, cross media.

What are your curatorial plans for the future? What are your personal wishes, hopes and perspectives in curating?

Curating is a very interesting field of work, it offers you an exciting environment to work in, where you get to know artists and their work in a close and remarkable way. I hope to do more curating in the future since I find it an enjoyable experience. If I were to further my studies in curating, I would have to go abroad and at the moment I have no plans, I would be lying though to say that I haven’t looked into it.

What is the future of professional curating from your point of view?

Curating is a profession that seems to be on the rise. With more and more museums bursting up and art fairs existing in every country I think the field of curating is going to bloom in the coming years.

From Artíma #3, work by Hekla Björt Helgasóttir, curated by Marín Björt Valtýsdóttir. Photo/Konsthopp

Do you ever think about the material behind each art work? Where it might come from?

Well, it might come from your old t-shirt, your parent´s floral bedspread or — even — your grandmother´s curtain.

The above pieces are woven with cotton rags. Each piece is approximately 1m²

Photographs by Konsthopp

Cotton is today grown all over the world but is most often associated with India. Anna María Lind, the artist behind these textile work, met her curator, Deborah Kraak, last summer. Their meeting led to collaboration where Anna Lind wove and Deborah wrote.

The curator explained the cotton journey in the exhibition catalogue:

… After spinning, cotton yarns are woven or knitted into fabrics which are then dyed or printed. Production is now global, often from the industrially developing parts of the world. Even a simple T-shirt may be the work of several countries´labors: to grow the cotton, spin it, weave it, cut it into pattern pieces, and fashion it into garment.

— Deborah Kraak

Keep this in mind, next time you buy yourself a 10€ T-shirt at H&M!

Date: 21st of January – 5th of February 2012

Artist: Anna María Lind Geirsdóttir and Deborah Kraak

Place: Íslensk Grafík (Icelandic Printmakers´ Association Gallery), Tryggvagata 17, Reykjavík

It´s always gratifying to discover new artist. Shortly before Christmas I was hunting for seemly gifts at PopUp verzlun in Harpa.  The search seemed to be everlasting — and then — suddenly, I saw something that caught my eye.

Northen lights by Elisa Vendramin – Digital print

Daylight by Elisa Vendramin – Digital print

Vatnajökull by Elisa Vendramin – Digital print

Northen lights 2 by Elisa Vendramin – Digital print

These digital prints are for sale. The artist — Elisa Vendramin — is an Italian graphic designer, currently based in London. Elisa works in image making, where she combines delicate drawings with fantastical, three-dimentional settings and landscapes. She is also fascinated in experimenting with different printing and production techniques.

According to the Mei Moses All Art index number, it´s the right time to invest in art. At least, it seems to be at lower-risk than investing in stocks these days!

A photo brain. A self portrait by the artist

Photographs belong to Elisa Vendramin

Artist: Elisa Vendramin

Place: Pop-up market at Harpa, Reykjavik concert hall