Haraldur Jónsson

“I have been exploring the space between the senses,” artist Haraldur Jónsson says when asked what his current work is focused on. He is without doubt one of Grapevine’s favourite local artists; elusive, divisive, thoughtful and interrogative, Haraldur’s body of work of exemplifies a certain type of playful curiosity mixed with immense ambition and skill. He is one of what makes Reykjavík bearable.

As a favourite of ours, it was only natural we’d pay him a visit to kick off our series of articles wherein we depict local artists in their working environment, and get the skinny on what’s going on with them.

Haraldur has just released a most excellent book of art. It is called TSOYL, which features “photographs of the subconscious” that he has been documenting over the last quarter century. “I am not documenting my own subconscious, specifically, rather the ‘collective unconsciousness’ – nonverbal movements that I spot from time to time.”

You may purchase the book at the Útúrdúr bookstore, located in Havarí on Austurstræti. You can also view Haraldur’s artwork on display in various places around town. The show ‘Reality Check’ features his piece, ‘Surveillance,’ on the corner of Mýrargata and Ægisgata. ‘Containers,’ is featured at the show Vanitas, currently running at Reykjavík Art Museum – Hafnarhús. Lastly you may observe a piece entitled ’37°C at ‘Alternative Eye’ in Kjarvalsstaðir.