Armenpress: Icelandic artist Roza Gisladottir to hold first solo exhibition in

Renowned Icelandic artist Roza Gisladottir, whose work engages with politics, philosophy, and the technological, cultural and environmental challenges of the contemporary world, is set to exhibit in Armenia for the first time.

The exhibition, titled Reflection of Time, will open on May 11 at the Centre for Contemporary Art.

Visitors will have the opportunity to explore 23 works. Speaking to journalists on May 8, Sona Harutyunyan, Acting Director of the HayArt Centre, described hosting Gisladottir’s exhibition as an honour – not only for the centre, but for Armenia as a whole.

“The exhibition will be spread across all of the centre’s halls – the entire museum space will be filled with Gisladottir’s works. One of the most significant aspects of the display is that the celebrated artist is donating five of her works to the Centre for Contemporary Art – and in doing so, to this beloved city of Yerevan. These works will become part of our museum’s permanent collection,” Harutyunyan said.

Five of Gisladottir’s large-scale art installations will also be placed along Mashtots Avenue and Saryan Street, at what is known as the “Art Crossroads.” Gisladottir first visited the HayArt Centre two years ago. She was so taken with the space that she resolved to return and present an exhibition there.

“In addition to sculptures, photographs will also be on display. Two of the five works were previously shown in Rome and are executed in the style of Greco-Roman classicism. Two of the sculptures stand approximately two metres tall and are made from a mixture of acrylic and plaster. The third carries the title of the exhibition – Reflection of Time – and takes the form of a round, transparent cylinder shaped after this museum’s appearance. It has a mirror-like quality: looking into it, you can see Yerevan behind you, see yourself, and reflect on the past, the present and the future. Another sculpture is called Where Are We Going? and shares the same philosophical spirit as the previous one. It is a square sculpture comprising eight steps. Yet another work is titled Length and Width,” the artist explained.

Gisladottir is an internationally experienced artist whose works have been presented at prestigious venues, including the Trajan’s Market in Rome, the Ásmundarsafn and Einar Jónsson museums in Iceland, and the Kópavogur Art Museum.

The Yerevan exhibition has been supported by the Yerevan Municipality and the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Iceland in the Republic of Armenia. Consul Levon Hayrapetyan noted that the consulate’s work promotes cooperation between the two countries not only in economic and other fields, but also in the spheres of culture and the arts. “The realisation of Reflection of Time – a large-scale exhibition of contemporary Icelandic art in Armenia – is an important step in the region towards developing Armenian-Icelandic artistic collaboration. The exhibition brings together artistic and educational components, contributing to the engagement of art-loving audiences and broader segments of society in the promotion of contemporary art,” he added.

The exhibition will run until August 11.