Guðmundur Thoroddsen

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Overview

Guðmundur Thoroddsen

Guðmundur Thoroddsen (b. 1980) graduated with a BA degree from the Iceland Academy of the Arts in 2003 and an MFA degree from the School of Visual Arts in New York in 2011. He has held numerous solo exhibitions in Iceland, New York, and across Europe, with recent shows including Up and Down at Asya Geisberg Gallery, New York (2025), Skriður / Drifts at Þula, Reykjavík (2024), and Howling Hills at Asya Geisberg Gallery, New York (2021). Earlier solo projects include Colorsynthesis at the Reykjavík Art Museum, Earth to Earth at Asya Geisberg Gallery, New York (2019), and SNIP SNAP SNUBBUR at Hafnarborg, Hafnarfjörður (2018), for which he was nominated for the Icelandic Art Prize in 2019.

Thoroddsen has also participated in group exhibitions such as Þverskurður / Cross Section at Þula, Reykjavík (2025), Nightshade: The World in the Evening at Oakland University Art Gallery, Michigan (2025), Some Recent Works – New Acquisitions at the National Gallery of Iceland (2023–24), Future Fair in New York (2023), and Iðavöllur: Icelandic Art in the 21st Century at the Reykjavík Art Museum (2021). Guðmundur participated in CHART Art Fair, Copenhagen in 2025, Untitled Art Fair, Miami in 2019 and 2013, and NADA Art Fair, New York in 2014. His work has been reviewed in publications including Artforum, The New York Times, Time Out New York, Twin Magazine, and Dazed Digital.

Thoroddsen’s abstract paintings are deeply rooted in the Icelandic landscape, serving as a conceptual and atmospheric point of departure. Utilizing oil sticks that he crafts himself, he achieves a distinct surface quality and a rich visual texture, often contrasted with passages of brush-applied oil paint. This dialogue between density and openness across the canvas results in a practice that hovers between landscape, textile, and contemporary abstraction. His works are included in several major public and private collections.

Guðmundur Thoroddsen lives and works in Reykjavík, Iceland.

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Works

Hringleikar / Round About, 2025
Klifjar / Baggage, 2025
Klofningur / Cleft, 2025
Melar / Gravelbed, 2025
Mórauði / Red Peat, 2025
Big Blue, 2024
Eftirvænting / Expectation, 2022
Ró / Calm , 2022

Biography

NÁM / EDUCATION

2011 MFA- gráða í myndlist frá School of Visual Arts, New York.
2006 Kvikmyndafræði við Háskóla Íslands.
2005-6 Gestanemandi hjá Katharinu Grosse við Kunsthochschule Berlin, Weissensee.
2003 BFA- gráða úr myndlistadeild Listaháskóla Íslands.
2000 Stúdentspróf frá myndlistadeild Fjölbrautaskólans í Breiðholti.

EINKASÝNINGAR / SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2025 Up and Down, Asya Geisberg, New York, USA

2024 Skriður / Drifts, Þula, Reykjavík, Iceland.

2022-23 Kannski, kannski / Maybe, maybe Hverfisgallerí, Reykjavík, Iceland.

2021 Howling Hills, Asya Geisberg Gallery, New York, USA

2020 Houndshills, Houndshollows, Hverfisgallerí. Reykjavík, Iceland.

2019 Earth to Earth, Asya Geisberg Gallery, New York, NY.
2018 SNIP SNAP SNUBBUR, Hafnarborg, Hafnarfjörður, Iceland.
2018 Allt í klessu, Harbinger, Reykjavik, Iceland.
2017 Tittlingaskítur, Hverfisgallerí, Reykjavík, Iceland.
2016   Dismantled Spirits í Asya Geisberg Gallery, New York, NY.
2016   Untitled Miami. Einkasýning á listamessu, Miami, FL.
2015   Á heimavelli, Týsgallerí, Reykjavík, Iceland.
2014   Hlutir, Listasafni ASÍ, Reykjavík, Iceland.
2014   NADA Artfair, einkasýning á listamessu, New York, NY.
2013   Hobby and Work, Asya Geisberg Gallery, New York, NY.
2012   Fornvinir, Kunstschlager, Reykjavík, Iceland.
2012   Hlandvættir, ÞOKA (Gallerí), Reykjavík, Iceland.
2012   Father’s Fathers, Asya Geisberg Gallery, New York, NY.
2011 Feður Kúka, Gallerí Klósett, Reykjavík, Iceland.
2008 Neðangarðs, Ibiza Bunker, Reykjavík, Iceland.
2008   Sullur, Lost Horse gallery, Reykjavík, Iceland.
2007   Rjómaísland, 101 gallery, Reykjavík, Iceland.

HELSTU SAMSÝNINGAR / SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2025 CHART Art Fair, Copenhagen, Denmark

2025 Þverskurður / Cross Section, Þula, IS

2025 "Nightshade: The World In The Evening" Curated by Dick Goody, Oakland University Art Gallery, Rochester, MI, USA

2023-24 Some Recent Works- New Acquisitions, National Gallery of Iceland, IS

2023 Future Fair, New York, NY.

2021 Iðavöllur: Icelandic Art In The 21st Century, Reykjavík Art Museum, IS

2019 Untitled Art Fair, Miami, FL.

2018  Young Icelandic Art, Bredgade Kunsthandel, curated by Lars Olesen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
2017 Morph, Asya Geisberg Gallery, New York, NY.
2016 Í drögum, Listasafni Akureyrar, Ketilshúsi.
2015   Around Flat, The Knockdown Center, New York, NY.
2015   Nýmálað II, Listasafni Reykjavíkur, Kjarvalsstöðum.
2015 Ð-Salur, Kunstschlager, Listasafni Reykjavíkur, Hafnarhúsi.
2015   Reykjavik Stories, Quartair, Den Haag, Hollandi.
2015   Culturescapes, Ausstellungsraum, Basel, Sviss.
2014   Vara-litir, Hafnarborg, Hafnarfirði.
2013   Untitled Art Fair, Miami, FL.
2013   Lög unga fólksins, Listasafni Reykjanesbæjar, Reykjanesbæ.
2013   LOVE, The Willows, Brooklyn, New York, NY.
2012   Untiled Art Fair, Miami, FL.
2012 SiteLab, 54 Jefferson, Grand Rapids, MI.
2012 Festisvall, Nútímalist, Reykjavík.
2011 Úlfur, Úlfur, Listasal Mosfellsbæjar, Mosfellsbæ.
2011   This is Then, DODGE Gallery, New York, NY.
2011   Fragmentation, DODGE Gallery, New York, NY.
2011   Things Fall Apart, SVA Gallery, New York, NY.
2010   Ljóslitlífun, Listasafni Reykjavíkur, Hafnarhúsinu.
2010 The Garden Project, Kling og Bang, Reykjavík.
2010   G+A+M+A, Gallerí Crymo, Reykjavík.
2010   Duck and Decorated Shed, Nurture Art Gallery, Brooklyn, NY.
2007   Nói át, Nýlistasafninu, Reykjavík.
2007   Hérna, here, hier, Hangar-7, Salzburg, Austurríki.
2006   Heimsendasýning, Danziger Gallerie, Danzigerstrasse 143, Berlín.
2006 Nuevo Estoccolmo, Lunas Kulturhus, Södertälje, Svíþjóð.
2006 Likimain, The Jetty Barracks gallery, Suomenlinna í Helsinki, Finnlandi.
2005   Tívolí, Listasafni Árnesinga, Hveragerði.
2005 Grassroad, grasrótarsýningin 2005 í Nýlistasafninu, Reykjavík.
2004   Norður og Niður, í Norræna húsinu, Reykjavík.
2003   Útskriftarsýning LHÍ, Listasafni Reykjavíkur, Hafnarhúsinu, Reykjavík.

UMFJÖLLUN, BÆKUR OG SÝNINGARSKRÁR / SELECTED PRESS

2019 TimeOut Magazine, The top five New York art shows this week. Howard Hallel.

2019 Art Zine, Snip Snap Snubbur: A Shift in Guðmundur Thoroddsen’s Practice. Ana Victoria Bruno.
2018 Kunst Magazine, Young Icelandic Art. Elsa Fanney Jonsdottir.
2018 The Icelandic Times, Guðmundur Thoroddsen and Eric Smith in Hafnarborg – Exhibition.
2017 Art Zine, Titles in the Neighborhood Gallery. Jon Proppé.
2016 Whitehot Magazine, Nada vs. Untitled: A Battle on the Beach. Paul Laster.
2016 Artforum, Guðmundur Thoroddsen. Johanna Fateman.
2016 New York Magazine, Gudmundur Thoroddsen: Dismantled Spirits. Jerry Saltz.
2016 Time Out New York, Gudmundur Thoroddsen: Dismantled Spirits. Michael Wilson.
2016 Hyperallergic, Jillian Steinhauer.
2016 The Observer, Paul Laster.
2016 Art F City, Paddy Johnson.
2015 Twin Magazine, issue XII, Kate Neave.
2015 Revolt Magazine, vol. 2, issue 1.
2015 Nýmálað, sýningarskrá. Listasafn Reykjavíkur.
2015 Reykjavik Stories, sýningarskrá fyrir samnefnda sýningu í Hollandi.
2014 The New York Times, Pope Chairs and Carpets at NADA NYC Art Fair. Martha Schwendener.
2014 Phaidon, Our Higlights from NADA New York.
2014 Dazeddigital, The most prominent spots at Frieze New York. Francesca Gavin.
2014 Artsy.net, Top 10 Contemporary Artists working with Ceramics. Francesca Gavin.
2013 Time Out New York, Gudmundur Thoroddsen, Hobby and Work.
2013 Artslant.com, Serious Clowning Around. Aldrin Valdez.
2013 Shrimp peels and Hair, Dirty Doodles and Hoops. Tony Mangle.
2013 Blouin Art Info, One-line Reviews. Eileen Kinsella.
2013 Morgunblaðið. Það er spriklandi líf í málverkinu. Einar Falur Ingólfsson.
2013 Lög unga fólksins. Sýningarskrá. Aðalsteinn Ingólfsson og Sigrún Sandra Ólafsdóttir. Listasafn Reykjanesbæjar.
2012 Two Coats of Paint. Tatiana Berg reports from the satellite fairs. Tatiana Berg.
2012 Michigan Live, ArtPrize 2012 juried Top 25 short list.
2012 WOOD TV8 Grand Rapids, The Short List: Some of the Top 25 and the Finalists for the 2D Juried Award.
2012 WWMT Newschannel3 Grand Rapids, Art Prize to Release Must-See Shortlist.
2012 Víðsjá, Mynlistargagnrýni. Hlynur Helgason.
2012 Víðsjá, Mynlistargagnrýni. Magnús Örn Sigurðsson.
2012 Fréttablaðið, Karlmannlegt piss. Þóroddur Bjarnason.
2012 Iceland Review Online, The Silliness of Men: Hlandvættir. Katharina Hauptmann.
2012 Artforum.com. Gudmundur Thoroddsen. Genevieve Allison.
2012 Time Out New York, Gudmundur Thoroddsen: “Father’s Fathers” The gods are brought down to earth. Jennifer Coates.
2012 Brooklyn Rail, Gudmundur Thoroddsen “Father’s Fathers” Paolo Javier.
2011 Íslensk listasaga, frá síðari hluta 19. aldar til upphafs 21. aldar. Listasafn Íslands og Forlagið.
2011 Treystið okkur! Við erum myndlistarmenn. Ritstj. Arna Óttarsdóttir, Kristín Rúnarsdóttir, Kolbrún Ýr Einarsdóttir, Þorgerður Ólafsdóttir. Crymogea.
2010 Ljóslitlífun. Sýningarskrá. Ritstj. Hafþór Yngvason. Listasafn Reykjavíkur.
2009 /Younger Than Jesus/ Artist Directory. Gioni Massimiliano, Laura Hoptman og Lauren Cornell. Phaidon Press.
2007 Art Investor, Coole Kunst des Nordens. Evelyn Pschak.
2007 HangART-7 Editon 8, Island. Hérna. Sýningarskrá. Ritstj. Sonja Gruber, Lioba Reddeker, Barbara Rudiger and Erwin Uhrmann. Basis-Wien – Kunst, Information und Archiv.
2005 Tívolí í Hveragerði. Sýningarskrá. Ritstj. Markús Þór Andrésson og Þuríður Sigurðardóttir. Listasafn Árnesinga.

STYRKIR, VIÐURKENNINGAR OG VINNUSTOFUDVÖL

2019 Nomination for the Icelandic Art Prize for the solo exhibition SNIP SNAP SNUBBUR.
2017 Listamannalaun.
2016 Verkefnastyrkur Myndstefs.
2016 Styrkur frá Kynningarmiðstöð Íslenskrar Myndlistar.
2016 Listamannalaun.
2014 Verkefnastyrkur Myndstefs.
2014 Listamannalaun.
2013 Listamannalaun.
2012 Vinnustofudvöl í The Fountainhead Residency, Miami, FL.
2012 Listamannalaun.

2012 Styrkur frá Kynningarmiðstöð Íslenskrar Myndlistar.
2011 Styrkur frá Kynningarmiðstöð Íslenskrar Myndlistar.
2011 Verkefnastyrkur Myndstefs.
2010 Námsstyrkur úr Styrktarsjóði Guðmundu Andrésdóttur.
2006 Ferðastyrkur Sleipnis.
2003 Styrkur frá Ungu Fólki í Evrópu.

Exhibitions