The Western Horizon: Steinunn Gunnlaugsdóttir

Gallery Gudmundsdottir is proud to present The Western Horizon,
the first solo exhibition by Steinunn Gunnlaugsdóttir at the gallery, opening on January 17, 2025. This exhibition brings together a collection of recent and new works that Gunnlaugsdóttir describes as a “still life of Western culture,” offering an exploration of contemporary cultural narratives and the tensions that define them.

The exhibition features three large-scale works that are both interconnected and distinct, each challenging perceptions of cultural symbols and time as well as their associated meanings. Using a minimalist palette of primary colors—yellow, red, and blue—accented with black and white, Steinunn creates a visual clarity that amplifies the meaning of her pieces. Her works invite reflection and dialogue, dissecting the layers of Western identity and its historically complicated relationship with the rest of the globe.

Born in Iceland in 1983, Steinunn Gunnlaugsdóttir is a visual artist whose multidisciplinary practice encompasses sculpture, video, sound, and installation. After earning her BFA from the Iceland University of the Arts in 2008, she participated in the prestigious HWP Art Program at Ashkal Alwan in Beirut, Lebanon (2013–2014). She was nominated as Iceland’s “Artist of the Year” in 2018 and received the Richard Serra Fund Award in 2021 for her outstanding contributions to sculpture.

At the core of Steinunn’s work lies an exploration of the human existential struggle—how individuals confront, resist, or surrender to the material and intangible structures shaping their being. Her practice examines the tension between autonomy and control, offering a poignant commentary on the human condition within societal frameworks.