EXTENSIONS OF THE HEAD

LUISE ROSS GALLERY

2012, New York, USA


The human body is central to Ketilsson´s works, its absence and/or its very presence.

His study of the human condition is through its primary vehicle, the body. He explores time, memory and history through details of our everyday connection to our own bodies, from our clothing and hairdo´s, to tools, prosthetics and shoes that adjust to the volume, temperature and movement of the body.

In this exhibition, Ketilsson explores the body from three angles, how the seeing body relates to the sensing body, and the symbolic body;

-Sensory experiences of one´s own body; -fragments of the artist´s own body, such as seen in the pencil drawings.

-Perception of and relation to other bodies; -the body of the people in his everyday surrounding, such as the floor sculptures and wall reliefs inspired by the hair of among others his children.

-The symbolic body; -the human body as it has been presented in art history through the ages, such as in the large, multi-piece wall relief.

The works in this exhibition span a period from 2000 until today and the three dimensional works are presented for the first time, at Luise Ross Gallery. 


TO VIEW BIRTA GUDJONSDOTTIR´S FULL TEXT, EXTENSIONS OF THE HEAD  ON THE EXHIBITION, CLICK HERE

EXTENSIONS OF THE HEAD, 2012, EXHIBITION VIEW     

EXTENSIONS OF THE HEAD, 2012, EXHIBITION VIEW

HAIR, 2001- (WORK IN PROGRESS), VARNISHED WOOD, DIAMETER 25-30 cm (EACH)

HAIR, 2001- (WORK IN PROGRESS), VARNISHED WOOD, DIAMETER 25-30 cm.

PEASANT WEDDING, 2002, (FROM PIETER BRUEGEL´S PAINTING), PAINTED WOOD, 170 x 365 cm. 23 PIECES  

PEASANT WEDDING, 2002, (FROM PIETER BRUEGEL´S PAINTING), PAINTED WOOD, 170 x 365 cm. 23 PIECES

AMONG GUDJON KETILSSON´S MANY WORKS REFERENTIAL TO WESTERN ART HISTORY IS A WALL INSTALLATION TITLED PEASANT WEDDING. IT IS A DIRECT CONTINUATION FROM A 16TH CENTURY PAINTING, BEARING THE SAME TITLE, BY FLEMISH RENAISSANCE PAINTER PETER BRUEGHEL THE ELDER. WHAT INTERESTS KETILSSON ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR WORK IS THE READABLE SOCIAL STATUS AND PHYSICALITY OF THE HEADWEAR SEEN IN THE PAINTING. HE EXTRACTS THE HEADWEAR AND CARVES OUT INTO THREE DIMENSIONAL OBJECTS, ABSTRACT FORMS THAT BECOME FIGURATIVE WHEN ASSEMBLED AND SEEN IN THE CONTEXT OF ART HISTORY.

PEASANT WEDDING, 2002, (FROM PIETER BRUEGEL´S PAINTING), DETAIL, PAINTED WOOD

PEASANT WEDDING, 2002, (FROM PIETER BRUEGEL´S PAINTING), DETAIL, PAINTED WOOD 

PEASANT WEDDING, 2002, (FROM PIETER BRUEGEL´S PAINTING), DETAIL, PAINTED WOOD 

THE BRAID (BIRTA), 2003, VARNISHED WOOD, 92 x 8 x 11 cm

CURLS (HRAFNKELL), 2001, VARNISHED WOOD, DIAMETER 100 cm

UNTITLED, 2002, POLYCHROME WOOD, 44 x 72 x 5 cm

SURFACE, (SKIN DRAWINGS), 2011-2012, PENCIL ON PAPER, 27 X 21 cm. (EACH)

SURFACE, SKIN DRAWINGS, 2011-2012, PENCIL ON PAPER, 27 X 21 cm. (EACH)

Using Format