FLOW, Iceland Exhibition

The geography of Iceland is inspirational and unique for many reasons.  Walking through the gully between two tectonic plates, moving in opposite directions, creates a strong feeling of unease, as does climbing a volcanic mountain which is expected to erupt at any moment.

Travelling around the coastline of Iceland is spectacular.  There are mountains dotted with jets of steam, valleys of bubbling mud and carving glaciers, which are curious and compelling.  However, the waterfalls, were for me, captivating and memorable.  The sheer volume of water flowing into the northern sea from the waterfalls of Iceland is enormous.

Situated in the intensely wet North Atlantic Ocean, Iceland has massive glaciers and snow throughout its central area.  Climate change is impacting the glaciers creating huge volumes of water flowing from an estimated 10,000 waterfalls throughout the island.  The noise, spray and power of flowing water can be sensed way before seeing the falls.  The experience of viewing these massive bodies of water flowing through the mountains and out into the northern ocean is mesmerising.  Water is such a precious commodity in so many parts of the world, yet in Iceland it flows continuously from every corner of the island.

In this exhibition I have attempted to capture a sense of the mystery and awe of standing before a massive body of water in a cold and mostly bleak environment.  My enjoyment of being in the wilderness is to reflect on the raw power, beauty and fragility of nature.  I have been interested in simplifying complex structures and attempting, in this series, to capture a sense of the volume of falling water.  I’ve worked with oil on linen with layers of glazed pigment in a semi abstract method and then in the final layers drawing out some more realistic features of the landscape.

Degas said “It is very good to copy what one sees; it is much better to draw what you can’t see any more but in your memory.  It is the transformation in which imagination and memory work together.  You only reproduce what struck you, that is to say the necessary.  That way, your memories and your fantasy are free from the tyranny of nature.  A painting requires a little mystery, some vagueness, some fantasy.  When you always make your meaning perfectly plain you end up boring people.”

My watercolour, mixed media works have been an ongoing interest in the structures, patterns and layers found in the environment.  These works are based on aerial photographs of melting ice on the glaciers and ice caps of Iceland and Greenland.

Lois Robertson 2019