Elínborg Jóhannesdóttir Ostermann’s exhibition Dreamland will open Saturday 22nd of April at 2pm.
Elínborg is born in 1954 and grew up in Reykjavík, Iceland. She studied biochemistry at the University of Vienna, Austria where she received her PhD. Since then she has lived in Vienna and worked in cancer research in the pharmaceutical industry.
Her interest in art started early in Iceland when she attended children art classes in the Art School in Reykjavík (Myndlistarskóli Reykjavíkur). Her teacher and mentor was the artist Benedikt Gunnarsson. Elínborg´s work is inspired by the joy of experimenting and curiosity to explore new pathways both in technique and content. Her passion is painting the landscape of her native country Iceland. Watercolours have been her favourite from the beginning, later she turned to drawing, and now she exhibits powerful expressionistic paintings done in both acrylic and mixed media. Most of them are inspired by the homeland, painted under Elínborg’s impressions after her visits “home”, her walks through the highlands of Iceland and the natural gems that the dreamland Iceland -still- has to offer.
The freedom to paint from visual memory.
“When I start to build abstract works, unexpected fragments of images often come in, related to nature experiences. A rushing river, a quiet stream bank, a view of a glacier, rough seas, fields and fences, sunsets and favorite viewpoints from walks. Two pictures in this exhibition are thus connected to my favorite viewpoints on a hike along The Laugarvegur trail, the amazing view that opens up to you when you walk from Hrafntinnusker towards Álftvatn and a viewpoint above Básar, where you can see Mýrdalsjökull. Here we do not strive for an exact copy of certain places, but paint from the memory in an abstract mode. Iceland’s nature has a strong and lasting effect.”
Elínborg has attended master classes in the Kunstfabrik Wien (2018 – 2022). Over the last 30 years she has also attended classes with known artist, e.g. Joseph Zbukvic, Chien Chung Wei, Bernhard Vogel, Mathias Kroth and many others.
Elínborg has held solo exhibitions in Reykjavík and in Vienna and has participated in group exhibitions. She is a member of the Nordic Watercolor Society (Nordiska Akvarellsällskabet).
The exhibition will end May 6th.
Art Gallery Fold in Rauðarárstígur Reykjavík is open Mon-Fri 10 – 6pm and Saturdays 12-4pm.
