Maria Kjartans: Spiritual Landscapes | DegreeArt.com The Original Online Art Gallery

 Water Forms, Iceland 2011, Photographic Lambda print, limited edition of 7, 50 x 70 cm, £550.00

“ICELANDIC NATURE IS A SURPRISING AND EXCITING PLACE. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.”

DegreeArt are proud to announce Maria Kjartan’s artist residency ‘Spiritual Landscapes’. Icelandic born artist Maria graduated with a MFA from Glasgow School of Art in 2007. Since then Maria has exhibited internationally working from London, Paris, Greenland, Granada and Reykjavik.
 

‘Spiritual Landscapes’ connects the audience directly with the feral aspects of human nature, instinct, passion and curiosity of places that we interact with physically and spiritually. As much an explorer as a photographer, Maria’s fascination and obsession with life cycles and events, across cultures, dominates the subject matter of her pieces and drives her to visit often remote and unusual locations.

Sky, Iceland 2011, Photographic Lambda print, limited edition of 7, 50 x 70 cm £550.00

For this residency, Maria focuses on Icelandic nature; shot in various locations across summer and winter, offering the viewer a window onto the limitless and eternal spaces. The results are bewitching insights and stories that present us with a captivating sense of discovery and reflection that takes the viewer on a journey across these vast terrains.

 

“To be able to capture life and fix a moment of reality as it is lived is magic. I suppose my curiosity and passion for new places and experiences is what takes me out to explore. I am a traveller. To get out there and be a part of our world, makes me feel alive. It is never a solitary journey when you are collaborating with the sun.” Maria Kjartans

 

Throughout the residency Kjartans will collaborate with Icelandic musician Biggi Hilmars and multi-media artist Harpa Einarsdottir transforming the gallery into a vibrant and eclectic place that will bring together the distinctive, haunting and provocative music stylings of Biggi Hilmars and Harpa Einarsdottir’s intricate illustrations and patterns to create new and exciting mixed media works that will engulf the space.

Land, Iceland 2011, Photographic Lambda print, limited edition of 7, 70 x 100 cm £950.00

 

BIOS:
MARÍA KJARTANS:
Icelandic born artist María Kjartans graduated with her MFA from Glasgow school of Art in 2007. Since then she has been living and working in London, Paris and now most recently Reykjavik, exhibiting her photography and video art all around the world. Alongside being an artist and a
director, María work as a co-founder and an artistic director of Vinnslan in Reykjavík. María was rewarded Signature Art Award in London 2011 and the IdeasTap / Magnum Photographic awards for her photography projects and most recently nominated for best Icelandic short film in Iceland Short & Docs festival 2012. Alongside doing visual art María collaborates with theatres, performers and musicians in UK, France, Iceland and Spain.

HARPA EINARSDOTTIR (Ziska) was born in Borgarnes, Iceland 1976. As a child she had a fertile imagination and could get lost in her own world in the magical nature surrounding her. Harpas childhood was an adventure and it has become the biggest influence in her art. After graduation from the Iceland University of art and design, she had numerous creative jobs one was working as a character creator at CCP games. After drawing for three years Harpas skills grew and made her want to dive back into her own world of creation, now focusing on art project Ziska Zunalong with other explorations. True creativity arises from a union with the divine, with the mystical and the unknowable.

“Mysticism, magic, earth, creatures, love and balance. There has to be evil so there can be good. Accept your inner demons, flirt with them instead of fighting them, trim their claws and braid their tail...”. This is how Harpa Einarsdottir describes her work in general. She has passion for the Icelandic myths, symbolism and magic. She likes to combine her designs with her art, and one of her strengths in fashion is her ability to create amazing prints for the fabrics in her collections. Harpa also worked as a costume designer and stylist after she graduated at Iceland School of Art and Design, along with creative projects in film.

BIGGI HILMARS:
Blending classical, electronic, ambient, avant-garde and pop influences, Biggi Hilmars has developed a distinctive, haunting, provocative, original music style, which is why he is now one of the most in-demand young composers for film and television. Icelandic by birth, International by nature, he has lived in London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles and Reykjavik. He has enjoyed chart success and notoriety as part of the Iceland Invasion with power indie rockers Ampop and is now embarking on a solo artist career alongside his film, tv and theatre work. Recent commissions include the full feature film ‘Brash Young Turks’ by Ash and Naeem Mahmood brothers, Ridley Scott’s ’Life in A Day’ movie trailer and 'Motorola's Xoom Android Tablet' US Super Bowl ad spot.

Maria Kjartans will be DegreeArt’s third artist in residence to occupy the Execution Room. During her residency there will be artist and expert talks, screenings, sound installations and many more exciting events. To find out more please contact: isobel@degreeart.com

 

Follow us on social media to watch the residency evolve:
Twitter: @DegreeArt #SpiritualLandscapes #DAresidency
Facebook: facebook.com/DegreeArt
Instagram: DegreeArt / Tumblr: DegreeArt.tumblr.com

NB. The Gallery will be clsoed Bank Holiday Sunday and Monday.

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