The solo exhibition Noon by Guðný Guðmundsdóttir at the Schwartzschen Villa refers to nymphs, which the artist explores in her three forms of existence through the media of photography, installation, ceramics, and drawing: water lilies, dragonflies in their developmental stage, and spring nymphs. These elements are connected to another theme that has often been woven into Guðmundsdóttir’s visual world in the past — namely, the aesthetics of heavy industry, represented by seemingly invincible machines and industrial structures, which, however, are not nearly as powerful in relation to the sun or the universe as they may appear at first glance.
The aim of the exhibition, curated by Christine Nippe, is to present a depiction of a type of society or world that follows the natural cycle of growth and decay and thrives in this way. A plant germinates, grows, and flourishes until it withers and becomes one with the earth, sinks into the mantle, transforms there into oil, which then, with the help of powerful machinery, finds its way back to the surface and drives the modern world forward.
In Greek mythology, water nymphs symbolize nature itself. Like nature, they are neither good nor evil, but can act mercilessly depending on the circumstances. Today, the oil platforms of the modern age, surrounded by salty seas, could be as much their domain as the waters of the water lilies have always been.
The artist states: “My assumption is that the world of the nymphs, if it exists, at first glance appears both highly cultivated and beautiful, but behind this elegant façade, conflicts such as intrigues and acts of oppression can often simmer, even escalating to a struggle for life and death — especially when it concerns the wealth generated by oil extraction.”
These themes flow into works on paper, clay, and a large-scale sculpture inspired by the Foro di Traiano in Rome — a kind of central assembly place for the nymphs, where discussions and negotiations take place and where future plans are forged. The title NOON of Guðný Guðmundsdóttir’s solo exhibition also points to this: it is the hour of the day when anything can happen.
In these highly aesthetic works, morphological similarities between oil platforms and water lilies are explored. Parallels emerge between the largest and the smallest, quietly prompting questions about our human perspective.
