Flights of fancy
26 August – 17 October
An exhibition by Aðalbjörg Þórðardóttir, or Abba, as she is usually known (b. 1951), of works with a mysterious and enchanting atmosphere under the title Hugarflug (Flights of fancy).
Swans are Abba’s subject matter in these pictures; a fascinating subject, since they command special reverence with many people and feature in many myths and tales. Abba explores their symbolic value as folktale motifs and symbols of the soul, also depicting them as part of the natural world.
As the artist herself puts it:
“There are Norse tales of valkyries who could change themselves into swans. They then selected men from among the slain who lay on battlefields and took them to Valhalla to feast with Óðinn. Some of them had the function of norns, and if they were of human origin, they could choose a human partner to love and protect.
Stories of swan-maidens are found in folk culture in many parts of the world. These were beautiful maidens who owned swan-shapes that they could use to fly. My swan-maidens, on the other hand, are completely my own creation, but of course some of the character of these stories has stuck in my mind and spilled over onto the canvas.
The beauty and majesty of the swan have spurred people to think about the fundamental questions of existence: life, death and divinity. The Norse poem Völuspá relates how the water in the spring Urðarbrunnur is so pure and holy that everything that touches it becomes white like new-fallen snow. All the swans in the world are descended from swans that drank from Urðarbrunnur. They choose mates for life and have therefore become symbols of fidelity and love.
Swans are a fascinating subject in art because of their complex symbolic value. They are a sort of link between the terrestrial and the heavenly regions, a bridge between life and death. In my works, I have used swans as a symbol of the soul, and I find it pleasant to bask in their radiance – a radiance that I am constantly trying to capture.”
See the artist's website: www.abba.is