Interesting Icelander for April: Steinnum Þórarinsdóttir
- Becky Byerly-Adams
- 5 minutes ago
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By Becky Byerly-Adams
Steinunn Þórarinsdóttir is a contemporary sculptor whom Becky had the privilege of meeting in person at one of Steinnum's art exhibits in Seattle. Her work is unique and can be seen in many parts of the world.
A unique greeting awaits arrivals to the Keflavik Airport in Iceland. Since 2007, four aluminum human sculptures stand on Icelandic basalt columns, each facing towards one of the four cardinal directions. This installation is entitled Directions (Áttir).
Welcome to Iceland and the art of Steinunn Þórarinsdóttir.
Steinunn, I85901, was born April 20, 1955 in Reykjavík, Iceland. She studied at the Portsmouth College of Art & Design and Portsmouth Polytechnic in Portsmouth, England from 1974 to 1979, receiving a BA in Fine Arts. Her thesis was "The Hidden People", reflecting upon how her work is influenced by the folklore of the hidden people of Iceland. (1) From 1979 to 1980, she was at the Accademia di Belle Arti, Bologna, Italy. Steinunn is married, the mother of two sons, and lives and works in Reykjavík.
It was on a beautiful, sunny day in July 2019 while strolling through the Denver Botanical Gardens that I first heard the name Steinunn Þórarinsdóttir. An Icelandic name is a rarity in Colorado. I was intrigued and excited to see what type of sculpture I would find. Each summer, the Gardens would have an outdoor art exhibit and in 2019, the theme was “Human/Nature”. Using sculptures from a private collector, human figures were scattered through the Denver Botanic Gardens, asking us to consider the relationship between people and their environment.
Rounding the corner to the prairie garden there were five life-sized androgynous figures standing in a meadow. Near the hearts of the figures were circles of glass shining through.
Reading the sign, I realized I had found what I was looking for:
"Lights
cast iron and glass, 2009
Collection of Craig Ponzio
The circles visible in these figures' chests are glass rods
which the artist uses to represent light. The artist comments:
"Glass ... can be fragile, yet dangerous. It can be
translucent, or solid. It's like water, but also like air."
The contrasting rust-colored iron of the figures is a reference
to the organic browns and reds of the earth. Together,
the glass and iron act as a metaphor for the inextricable
connection between humans and nature."
Four years later, July 15th, 2023, I was privileged to have the opportunity to meet Steinunn at the opening night of her exhibit “Wayfinders” at the National Nordic Museum (NNM) in Seattle, Washington. There were 13 life-sized aluminum-cast sculptures scattered throughout the museum as well as many of her watercolors. She described how her two sons, Þórarinn and Þórður, are the models for her sculptures. She expressed her gratitude that they endure the torturous process of being covered in plaster for many hours.
In an interview with NNM Chief Curator Leslie Anne Anderson, Steinunn explains how she came up with the idea of Wayfinders as building upon her previous installation from 2011 called Borders, which is near the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. The conceptualization of Borders is the crossing and connection of people over borders.
The concept behind Wayfinders is to invoke the immigration of people crossing the borders from the Nordic countries to America seeking a better life for themselves and their families. Steinunn speaks specifically about her great-uncle Friðrik Sigurðsson, I609421, who in 1914 left his farm, Þórarinsstaðir, North Múlasýsla, a remote farm in east Iceland and emigrated to America, never to return to Iceland.
“Very soon in the development of the concept, I formed the idea to make a weave of figures that would be placed in strategic areas outside and inside the museum. The visitor could get a sense of human connectivity throughout the building and its surroundings. The museum building became an open border so to speak. There is a feeling of movement from place to place referencing an immigration of sorts, a new beginning, an alien but exciting experience. This weave of connected human figures references the influx of Scandinavians that came to America to fulfill a dream.” (2)
Steinunn Þórarinsdóttir has been working professionally for almost 40 years and her art has been displayed around the world including Iceland, Europe, Australia, Japan, China, and Turkey. According to her website, a new exhibit is scheduled for this year (2025) at the Thula Gallery, Reykjavik, Iceland.
I encourage you to go to her website steinunnth.com to learn more about Steinunn and her incredible art.
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