Ragnar Kjartansson (sculptor)

Ragnar Kjartansson ( born August 17, 1923 in Snæfellsnes, † October 26, 1988 in Reykjavík ) was an Icelandic sculptor and ceramist. He is considered one of the most famous and important artists of the country.

Life and work

Ragnar Kjartansson, son of the pastor Kjartan Kjartansson, learned ceramics at Guðmundur Einarsson frá Miðdal (1895-1963) as well as on the Swedish Keramikmanufaktur Upsala Ekeby AB and studied art at the Handíða -og myndlistaskóli ( School of Arts and Crafts ) and Ásmundur Sveinsson at the Myndlistaskólinn í Reykjavík ( art school in Reykjavík ). He taught art and was temporarily head of the art school in Reykjavík.

In 1945 he married the bank employees Katrín Guðmundsdóttir. The couple has four children. His living in Kempten ( Allgäu) daughter Inga Ragnarsdóttir ( * 1955 ) is also a sculptor and painter. His eldest son is the actor, director and playwright Kjartan Ragnarsson ( born 1945 ), the well-known Icelandic actress Guðrún Ásmundsdóttir (* 1935) got married. Her son again is the musician, performance artist and sculptor, Ragnar Kjartansson ( b. 1976 ), who was named after his grandfather.

As a pioneer Icelandic ceramic he founded with others in 1947 and 1958 Glit Funi ceramic pottery that uses the developed by him Lava decor today. He was also known by Dieter Roth, who produced for Ragnar's ceramics workshop decorative painting.

Ragnar Kjartansson drove significantly advanced the establishment of the Icelandic sculptor Association Myndhöggvarafélagið ( MHR ) in 1972, on whose board he served for many years.

Ragnar Kjartansson took part in a variety of solo and group exhibitions. His work is represented in numerous museums and can be found all over Iceland reliefs and statues of him, many of them in the public domain. These include, for example, the horses still images " Stod " ( " Horse Herd " ) in Reykjavík and " Faxi " ( "Nice mane " ) in Sauðárkrókur, the mythological sculptures " Bárður Snæfellsás " in Arnarstapi and " Auðumbla " in Akureyri, also several memorials found at drowned sailors, such as " Björgun " ( "rescue" ) in Siglufjörður, " Jöklarar " ( " glacier man" ) in Hellissandur and another " Baen " ( "Prayer " ) called on the main street of Eskifjörður. In 2003 there was the occasion of his 80.Geburtstags to a large memorial exhibition.

See also: Icelandic painting and sculpture

Swell

• Guðrún Ásmundsdóttir, Jón Gunnar Arnason, Jón Óskar, Niels Hafstein, Orri Vigfússon, Ragnar Ólafsson include: Ragnar Kjartansson myndhöggvari ( Obituaries ). In: Morgunblaðið v. November 2, 1988, pp. 20f. ( Icelandic) ( online at Tímarit.is )
• Niels Hafstein, Ragnhildur Stefánsdóttir, Jón frá Pálmholti include: Ragnar Kjartansson ( Obituaries ). In: Þjóðviljinn v. November 2, 1988, pp. 8f. ( Icelandic) ( online at Tímarit.is )
• Metnaðarfull hönnun above öflug tilraunastarfsemi. In: Lesbók Morgunblaðsins v. August 9, 2003, pp. 6f. ( Icelandic) ( online at Tímarit.is )