Gugguson (Johann Gudbjargarson) was born in Iceland in 1972 and lives and works there.
Since 2016 he has focused on abstract subjects in nature, especially ice, water flow and rock formations which have unique patterns or resemble living beings.
The Icelandic nation has been shaped by nature since the country‘s settlement, over 1100 years ago. The harsh elements have often taken a great toll; therefore, it is not surprising that respect for and fear of nature have become an integral part of the soul of the nation. It is not hard to imagine perilous journeys during moonlit nights or winter blizzards – when cliffs, whirlpools, ice formations, and other natural phenomena disappear and reappear in a split second – shaping and contributing to superstition and belief in fairies, trolls, and other supernatural creatures.
This part of the nation´s psyche has been an important source of inspiration for many an artist for centuries, be that poets or visual artists. The human brain is a fantastic “pattern recognizing machine,” and immediately tries to interpret what we see to create an image in our mind that resembles something we know.
In our modern, safe, and comfortable lives, we do not always notice nature’s transient wonders. In his works, Gugguson continues the tradition of earlier visual artists, and takes on the challenge of revisiting nature with an open mind, capturing unique moments that will inspire the viewer to look for and find patterns in the images – mystical, mythical and even supernatural.
