Reykjavík Harbor 

Louisa Matthiasdottir created this painting of Reykjavík Harbor using bold colors and simplified forms. At first glance, the composition appears straightforward: a harbor scene dominated by a large mountain range and a series of buildings. The materiality of the paint is evident in the brushstrokes. However, Matthiasdottir destabilizes established meanings through her non-traditional use of perspective. She seems less concerned with replicating the scene and more interested in exploring the interplay between shape and color. Notice how the structures are reduced to basic geometric shapes, and the mountain range, a solid mass of blue, flattens the background. What we are left with is an almost abstract representation of a familiar scene. Through her manipulation of color and form, Matthiasdottir invites us to look beyond the literal subject matter. Her approach challenges our expectations of representation. Instead, she offers a new way of seeing and interpreting the world around us.