Icelandic art

Icelandic art has been built on northern European traditions of the nineteenth century, but developed in distinct directions in the twentieth century, influenced in particular by the unique Icelandic landscape as well as by Icelandic mythology and culture.

Contemporary Icelandic painting is typically traced to the work of Þórarinn Þorláksson, who, following formal training in art in the 1890s in Copenhagen, returned to Iceland to paint and exhibit works from 1900 to his death in 1924, almost exclusively portraying the Icelandic landscape. Þorláksson was not the only Icelandic artist learning in Denmark at that time: there were several Icelanders, both men and women, at the academy in the closing years of the century, and these included Ásgrímur Jónsson, who together with Þorláksson created a distinctive portrayal of their home country's landscape in a romantic naturalistic style.

Today, many of Icelandic artists are registered with The Association of Icelandic Artists. The Icelandic Art Center aims to represent Icelandic artists abroad. Every other year, Iceland participates in the Venice Biennale and has done so since 1960. Sigurður Guðjónsson, video artist, has been chosen to represent his country in the coming biennale, which opens in 2021. In 2019, Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir participated on behalf of Iceland. Before that, Egill Sæbjörnsson represented Iceland at the Venice Biennale, in 2017. Christoph Büchel was chosen to represent Iceland in 2015, with his work "The Mosque", which was located in the church of Santa Maria della Misericordia.

Iceland has one biennale, called the Sequences, which focuses on video and performances and has been held nine times. Artists Hildigunnur Birgisdóttir and Ingólfur Arnarsson were the curators of Sequences 2019.

Iceland has many museums and galleries.