Harbor Scene, Reykjavik II 1987

Curator: Louisa Matthiasdottir painted this view, "Harbor Scene, Reykjavik II," in 1987. It’s a powerful and evocative cityscape rendered in oil paint. Editor: The colors really grab you, don’t they? That saturated blue of the harbor contrasting with the whites and grays of the buildings. And look at how thickly the paint is applied. I get a real sense of the physicality, the actual labor, involved in making this. Curator: Absolutely. Matthiasdottir, while working primarily in plein-air, brings the Icelandic landscape's austere beauty and stark contrasts. Her connection to places like Reykjavik, where she lived for many years, deeply influenced her work, capturing their spirit and integrating her art with modernism. The raw application is something that really highlights a modern and expressive use of color. Editor: Expressive is right. The paint seems almost aggressively applied, almost like the harbor is imposing itself onto the canvas, fighting to be seen. Curator: Consider that Matthiasdottir had to position herself in Reykjavik to create this. How do those physical conditions, like the weather, wind, or access influence this work? Also how do the emerging art movements influence this plein air production. Editor: It speaks to the artist's process, doesn’t it? Being right there, wrestling with the elements, influencing her marks and color choices. The scale is important, too. It's not huge, inviting a direct engagement. Curator: And how those elements helped establish Icelandic art to an international audience in a time where there were not many female identifying landscape artists. It creates conversations surrounding female artists navigating historical patriarchy of that time. Editor: It gives you something visceral and honest to contemplate! You begin to think about the materiality, not just in paint, but the bricks, stones, of this place. It makes you wonder about the hands that constructed all of this in front of the canvas. Curator: It is a striking piece that tells not just a picture, but all the layers of production from its surrounding setting and artist. Editor: Agreed! It's definitely not just about pretty scenery, there are conversations about labor embedded right within that rich texture!