Tolli Icelandic, b. 1953

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Tolli

"Rooted in abstract expressionism, my practice now revolves around capturing the essence of Icelandic landscapes through oil painting. I use gestural strokes and mark-making to convey movement, emotion, and the raw energy of nature.

For decades, I have explored both the land and the collective history of the Icelandic people. My process is intuitive - I do not begin with a predetermined vision but instead allow the painting to guide me, leading to a destination that reveals itself only at the end.

As glaciers vanish and our world undergoes rapid change, I feel an increasing urgency to document and interpret nature - not only for myself and my contemporaries but for future generations. My connection to the landscape is deeply spiritual; having spent my life hiking and traveling, I experience my deepest sense of clarity and purpose when fully immersed in nature."

- Tolli Morthens

Tolli Morthens (b. 1953) is an Icelandic artist renowned for his expressive and evolving interpretations of landscapes. After studying at the Hochschule der Künste in Berlinin 1985, he played a key role in introducing Neo-Expressionism to Iceland.

His early figurative abstract works, rich in narrative and symbolism, gradually shifted toward landscapes as a central subject, a transformation marked by his 1990 exhibition Sögur af landi at Kjarvalsstaðir, Reykjavík Art Museum. Through his innovative approach, Tolli continues to push the boundaries of landscape painting, capturingIceland’s natural beauty with dynamic and unexpected energy.

His works are placed in numerous public and private collections both in Iceland as well as internationally. Recent solo exhibition include A Horizon in Chaos, Þula Gallery, Iceland, 2024 and Nature, Love & Peace, Davis Gallery, Denmark. Recent group exhibitions: Cross Section, Þula Gallery, Iceland, 2025 and Market Art Fair at The Icelandic Embassy, Sweden, 2024. Tolli lives and works in Reykjavík, Iceland.
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Works
  • Tolli, En ef, 2025
    En ef, 2025
  • Tolli, Frávik, 2025
    Frávik, 2025
  • Tolli, Hvað sem er, 2025
    Hvað sem er, 2025
  • Tolli, Kannastu við það, 2025
    Kannastu við það, 2025
  • Tolli, Landmannalaugar / Vor, 2025
    Landmannalaugar / Vor, 2025
  • Tolli, Snækollur, 2025
    Snækollur, 2025
  • Tolli, Við Kerlingafjöll, 2025
    Við Kerlingafjöll, 2025
  • Tolli, Þegar allt er á botninn hvolft, 2025
    Þegar allt er á botninn hvolft, 2025
  • Tolli, Söngur lífsins, 2024
    Söngur lífsins, 2024
  • Tolli, Vor á fjöllum, 2024
    Vor á fjöllum, 2024
  • Tolli, Flæði, 2023
    Flæði, 2023
Biography
Tolli

 

Selected Solo Exhibitions

 

2025

  • Nú / Now – Þula Hafnartorg, Reykjavík, Iceland

  • Rhyolite Hymns – Davis Gallery, Copenhagen

 

2024

  • Litklæði lands – Bryggjugata, Reykjavík

 

2023

  • A Horizon in Chaos – Þula, Reykjavík

  • Nature, Love and Peace – Davis Gallery, Copenhagen

 

2022

  • Ljósanótt – Keflavík, Iceland

 

2020

  • Landflow – Þula, Reykjavík

 

2019

  • Storytelling Horizon – Bredgade Kunsthandel, Copenhagen

 

2018 – 2019

  • Airport Project – Egilsstaðir, Vestmannaeyjar, Ísafjörður, Akureyri, Iceland

 

2017

  • Horizon – Gamla Seglhúsið, Faroe Islands

 

2014

  • The House of the Artist, Icelandic Landscape – St Petersburg, Russia

 

2013

  • Safnahúsið Borgarnesi. Drawings and Paintings – Borgarnes, Iceland

 

2012

  • Í ljósaskiptum – Gallery Smiðjan, Reykjavík, Iceland

 

2008

  • Reykjavík Art Gallery – Reykjavík, Iceland

 

2007

  • Abbaye de Neumünster – Luxembourg

 

2006

  • Gallery Bakken – Oslo, Norway

  • FIH Bank – Copenhagen, Denmark

  • Kong Hans Salen, Magasin du Nord – Copenhagen, Denmark

 

2005

  • Air Gallery – London, England

 

2003

  • Ardean Gallery – London, England

  • Latin America Culture Center – Monte Carlo

  • Betty Wagner Gallery – Bonn, Germany

 

2002

  • Sparkassen – Trossingen, Germany

  • Greifswald Kunstfestival, Max Planck Institute – Germany

  • Commune Berg – Luxembourg

  • Museum of the Red Cross – Geneva, Switzerland

  • Ministerium für Wirtschaft – Magdeburg, Germany

 

2001

  • Gallery Hotel Sorat – Berlin, Germany

  • Konrad-Adenauer Stiftung – Berlin, Germany

 

1999

  • Listhúsið á Akranesi – Akranes, Iceland

  • Á seiði – Listahátíð Seyðisfjarðar – Seyðisfjörður, Iceland

 

1998

  • Nameless Area (installation project) – Kópavogur, Iceland

 

1997

  • Gallery Borg – Reykjavík, Iceland

 

1996

  • Reykjavík Art Festival, Regnboginn – Reykjavík, Iceland

  • Art on the Olympic – Atlanta, USA

 

1993

  • Gallery Álafoss Mosfellsbæjar – Mosfellsbær, Iceland

 

1992

  • Listasafn ASÍ – Reykjavík, Iceland

 

1991

  • Gallery Scac – Copenhagen, Denmark

 

1990

  • Korean Art Gallery – Seoul, Korea

  • Reykjavík Art Museum – Iceland

  • Gallery Slunkaríki – Ísafjörður, Iceland

 

1989

  • Gallery Scac – Copenhagen, Denmark

  • Gallery Luciano – Uppsala, Sweden

  • The Consult Hall – Aveiro, Portugal

 

1988

  • Gallery Yoon – Seoul, Korea

 

1987

  • Gallery Akoges – Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland

  • Kulturhuset – Ballerup, Denmark

  • Kulturhuset – Frederikssund, Denmark

 

1986

  • Listasafn ASÍ – Reykjavík, Iceland

 

1985

  • Culture House – Eyrarbakki, Iceland

  • Culture House – Sauðárkrókur, Iceland

 

1984

  • Gúmmívinnustofan – Reykjavík, Iceland

 

 

 

 

Selected Group Exhibitions

 

2025

  • Cross Section – Þula, Reykjavík

 

2023

  • Icelandic Art for 50 Years – Reykjavík Art Museum, Kjarvalsstaðir, Reykjavík, Iceland

 

2017

  • The Icelandic Connection – Bredgade Kunsthandel, Copenhagen

 

2013

  • Háflæði I – Harpa, Reykjavík, Iceland

 

2008

  • Horses in Icelandic Art – Reykjavík Art Museum, Kjarvalsstaðir, Reykjavík, Iceland

 

2007

  • Icelandic Paintings from 1980–1984 – National Gallery of Iceland, Reykjavík

 

2000

  • The Living Art Museum – Reykjavík, Iceland

 

1994

  • Art from Above – London, England

 

1992

  • Els vents del nord – Casa Golferichs, Barcelona, Spain

 

1991

  • Nordisk Kunst – Copenhagen, Denmark

  • Das Nissen-Museum – Husum, Denmark

 

1990

  • Icelandic Art – Cologne, Germany

 

1988

  • Reykjavík Art Museum, Kjarvalsstaðir – Reykjavík Arts Festival – Iceland

  • Sophie Holm – Copenhagen, Denmark

 

1987

  • Young Artists at Kjarvalsstaðir – Reykjavík, Iceland

  • The Korean Arts Institute – Paris, France

  • Icelandic Art – Southern France

 

1986

  • Reykjavík’s 200 Year Anniversary – Reykjavík Art Museum, Kjarvalsstaðir, Iceland

  • Museum für Naturkunde, Rendezvous – Germany

  • The Modern Arts Museum – Reykjavík, Iceland

 

1985

  • Treffpunkt in Berlin – Berlin, Germany

  • Gallery Roho – Berlin, Germany

 

1984

  • Gallery Kleister – Berlin, Germany

 

1983

  • The Gold Coast is Breathing – Reykjavík, Iceland

 

1982

  • Seven – The Nordic House, Reykjavík, Iceland

  • The Red House – Akureyri, Iceland

Exhibitions