Pétur Gautur is the 2023 Artist in Residence of Hafnarfjörður.
The visual artist Pétur Gautur Svavarsson is the 2023 Artist in Residence of Hafnarfjörður. Pétur Gautur has worked diligently on his art since holding his first solo exhibition at Portið in Hafnarfjörður in 1993. A tradition has developed of celebrating the last day of winter in Hafnarfjörður with the selection of the Artist of the Year.
Held their first solo exhibition at Port in Hafnarfjörður in 1993
The visual artist Pétur Gautur Svavarsson is the 2023 Artist in Residence of Hafnarfjörður. Pétur Gautur has worked diligently on his art since holding his first solo exhibition at Portið in Hafnarfjörður in 1993. A tradition has developed of celebrating the last day of winter in Hafnarfjörður with the selection of the Artist of the Year.
A prominent still life painter for over 30 years
Pétur Gautur began learning at a young age on children's courses at the School of Visual Arts and Crafts. After finishing his A-levels at the Sund School, he returned to the School of Visual Arts and Crafts, graduating in 1991. He then studied set design at the former Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Statens Teaterskole, in Copenhagen, Denmark, and read art history at the University of Iceland. He has been a prominent still life painter for over thirty years. and his works are well known to the nation, but he is best known for his still lifes featuring fruit or flowers.
Has held nearly thirty solo exhibitions at home and abroad.
Pétur Gautur has worked vigorously on his art for over thirty years, both in Iceland and in Denmark. He has held around twenty solo exhibitions in Iceland, Denmark and Sweden: among others, two at Hafnarborg, the Gerðarsafn in Kópavogur, Fold Gallery, Borg Gallery and in Copenhagen. He has also taken part in several group exhibitions. Works by Pétur are in the collections of the Central Bank of Iceland, Landsbanki Íslands, Arion Banki, Sparisjóður Hafnarfjarðar, the City of Hafnarfjörður, the Municipality of Garðabær, Eimskip and ISAL. Pétur Gautur opened a solo exhibition at Hafnarborg on his 34th birthday in 2000 and another exhibition on his fortieth birthday six years later. The exhibition featured previously unseen works and was titled „Installations with Bowls and More“, but „the bowl“ has become something of a trademark for Pétur Gautur over many years, without him intending it to be so. Still life is a classic motif in art history that Pétur Gautur has explored and played with throughout his career. The bowl evolved from when Pétur was working in abstraction at the start of his career, using a lot of circular forms which gradually developed into the bowl on a cloth-covered table, and then into fruit and so on. Pétur Gautur is well known for his timeless still lifes and fresh colour palette. He believes in simplicity and often uses unconventional, yet well-chosen colours in his paintings.
Pétur Gautur has a studio on the corner of Njálsgata and Snorrabraut in Reykjavík, where he has plenty of space to work with a five-metre ceiling height and has held small studio exhibitions there. The studio is often wide open on Reykjavík's Culture Night, with new paintings on the walls by the resident artist and live music.
Pétur Gautur Svavarsson, Artist in Residence of Hafnarfjörður 2023, with Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, Mayor of Hafnarfjörður.
Those who have received the title The last few years are:
2022 –Björn Thoroddsen, guitarist
2021 – Friðrik Dór Jónsson, musician
2020 – Bergrún Íris Sævarsdóttir, children's author and illustrator
2019 – Björk Jakobsdóttir, actress and director
2018 – Björgvin Halldórsson, musician
2017 – Steingrímur Eyfjörð, visual artist
No town artists were appointed in 2015 and 2016.
2014 – Andrés Þór Gunnlaugsson, musician
No town artists were appointed between 2010 and 2013.
2009 – Jóhanna Guðrún Jónsdóttir, singer
2008 – Sigurður Sigurjónsson, actor
2007 – Jónína Guðnadóttir, visual artist
2006 – Elín Ósk Óskarsdóttir, singer
2005 – Sigrún Guðjónsdóttir (Rúna), visual artist
When selecting the City Artist of Hafnarfjörður, the culturaland Tourism Committee, following nominations from residents, receives a large number of nominations each year, as Hafnarfjörður has established itself as a cradle of culture and the arts and is known for its bustling cultural life, driven by dynamic artists, where the individual themself, his contribution, creativity and participation plays the biggest role. The City Artist receives 1.5 million in recognition to continue working on their art.
We sincerely congratulate Pétur Gaut on the title, with thanks for his contribution to the cultural life of Hafnarfjörður!