EGGERT PÉTURSSON - FLORA

From a distance, Eggert Pétursson’s [b. 1956] paintings may look like abstract colour compositions, but a closer look reveals landscapes of minutely rendered flowers. The paintings are a fascinating blend of botanical accuracy and free painterliness. From an early age Pétursson began to study the flora of his native Iceland, and he later illustrated the first botanical guide of Icelandic flora with colour illustrations. Pétursson’s academic training centred on conceptual and experimental art. He has playfully said that Fluxus taught him that pictures too – floral paintings – can be (contemporary) art. Eggert Pétursson lives and works in Reykjavik. With his unique persistence, close association to local traditions of both landscape and lyrical art, Eggert has acquired a status as one of the most beloved contemporary artists in Iceland.

Produced by the Pori Art Museum, the exhibition Eggert Pétursson – Flora showcases the artist’s paintings from the early 1990s to the present. His most recent works from 2015 are now on show for the first time. The exhibition is produced in co-operation with the Icelandic i8 Gallery. Works for the show have been loaned by private collectors, the National Gallery of Iceland, EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art, and the Sara Hildén Art Museum.