SÍM

Torg Listamessa, Reykjavík 4th edition

organic

Contemporary art by definition is about the now. Local and/or international, with these terms diverging in
meaning more and more, as many types of borders shift.

Not so long ago, some playfully (?) wished for interesting times, re-appropriating a centuries’ old proverb.
Well they definitely got them; although interesting is almost a non word in art, the times are rather divisive,
and hence irony doesn't cut it anymore [if it ever actually did].

Artists are sensitive receptors, decoders and encoders initiating connection; these are their
non-intermediated, organic positions.

Scale is everywhere these days, in the economies of, in marketing, in technology and social media. Often
paired to growth in its strictly qualitative sense, it does not seem to be taking [most of] us to any sort of
promised land, environmentally, socially or otherwise.

Iceland is somewhat a counter-paradigm candidate, due to population, location and cultural history. The
purpose changes here [and in a way has never changed]. Self reliance and the consciousness necessary for
it, require less noise and white noise, more sincerity, more reflection, more research into our connection to
our environment and to each other.

Not usual. Not cool.

No NFT's, no big metaphors and no mega events here. Just affordable contemporary art and a dedicated
community of its recipients and creators relating IRL.

Allir velkomnir.

the scale of honesty in the work.
the scale and depth of the human connection in experiencing art.
remote can also be close.
raw can also be intimate.
what is peripheral if the centre is becoming obsolete?
Towards the lost social relevance - value of contemporary art; the ephemeral needs its defenders more than
ever*.

Ayis Zita


*paraphrase of the quote by F. Nietschze, Thus spoke Zarathustra second book