Process

PRESS RELEASE (1993)

“Reveal of the Municipality of Hattfjelldal sculpture in Artscape Nordland

On Saturday 21 August, at 4 p.m., Museum Director of National Gallery of Iceland will reveal Hreinn Fridfinnsson's sculpture “Alveborg” in Hattfjelldal.

Hreinn Fridfinnsson's sculpture “Alveborg” incorporates aluminium, natural rock, polished granite and crystal, and it stands 320 cm tall.

Hreinn Fridfinnsson was born in Iceland in 1943. In the 1970s, he moved to Amsterdam, where he has lived ever since. However, Fridfinnsson has kept in touch with his home country, and he has also had exhibitions in the other Nordic countries. This year, he is representing Iceland in the Venice Biennale, a major international art exhibition.

Hreinn Fridfinnsson's recent artworks often focus on the invisible—which, unseen by our eyes, nevertheless has a significant impact on our view of the world. These thoughts and sentiments are conveyed by the artist's use of shapes and materials. His lyrical-poetic expression ties him to the invisible world of Icelandic mythology. As an artist, Fridfinnsson does not allow the personal or trivial to crowd his focus; he focuses on universal themes and questions.

The title “Alveborg”, or Elven Castle, evokes thoughts of Norse mythology with its trolls and elves, but also of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, who used the tetrahedron (four identical triangles) to symbolize the universe and the Nordic mythology. The crystal on the beautiful polished natural rock symbolizes both the light and the clarity the elves embody. In Hattfjelldal, it also alludes to the municipality's crystal mining past.

It is important to Hreinn Fridfinnsson to allow those viewing the sculpture to make their own interpretations by letting their minds wander.