Snorri Asmundsson is an artist that often seeks to affect the society by public events. He has disturbed the community he lives in for some years with extensive and remarkable performances where he works with social taboos like politics, sex and religion. He has observed the reactions of the society, that is peoples response when accepted values are turned upside down, for example when a powerless individual takes in his hands power that normally is assigned by predetermined rules. Howsoever people react to these grandstand performances of the artist; he is first and foremost challenging sociological and religious values. He seeks sharp responses and examines the limits of his fellow man as well as his own.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Never will I forget the moment Snorri Ãsmundsson first entered the classroom 1.D in the Glerar elementary school, in Akureyri. He was so little. My first thougt was that perhaps he had been raised one class up and were therefore a year younger than the rest of us. That turned out to be incorrect, and I was soon to discover in Snorri a sparkling intelligence and a fun-loving kid in spite of his size, or lack thereof. He turned out to be so fun-loving that today a boy of such character would be sent directly to the school psychiatrist or worse. His competitiveness was apparent and cought my attention, as did his extraordinary dreams of the future. In Akureyri, as in many small communities, the youth..s wildest dreams of the future revolve around having children of their own and Snorri was in that respect unique in his class and even had to suffer bullying, for in small communities the inclination is to discourage or belittle those outstanding. But this has all proved to be a blessing. The american comedian and academy award winner Robin Williams was hyperactive as a child. This comes as a surprise to no one who has seen Williams on the Tonight show and other quality television shows where he energetically jests and jokes, to the degree of offending, especially the elderly. If the famous actor were a child today he would be prescribed Ritalin. One can well imagine that if he would have got his medecine, which he so thoroughly deserved, for he was, after all, such a good boy, he would have been spared the hardship of his youth, but then he would not have become the magnificent artist he is today. The same applies to Snorri Ãsmundsson. One cannot be spared the catharsis essential for joining the league of the chosen. It would be better to kill the children at birth. Af course there are those who lie, cheat and sweet-talk their way to this exclusive group, but history will judge them. What, for example, has Ólafur Ragnar GrÃmsson sacrificed? The answer is obvious. Nothing.Millions of people around the world make a living from belittling their fellow men, and nothing can be done about it. Not everyone does this. Snorri Ãsmundsson has from the beginning stood up for the underdog and the righteous. This is appearent in Ãsmundsson..s contribution to culture ant the arts. Unselfishly, he has created works of art that not only encourage people to realize their dreams, but also serve to expand the dreams of the ordinary man. Ãsmundsson has a solid connection to the people of this country, having held jobs as a fisherman and in a soda pop factory no name but a few. In this artist coincide a noble soul and a limitless eagerness for satisfying creativeness. His creative process has no limits for the possibilities of Man and individuals within the species are limitless. Last year he was made honorary citizen of Akureyri and for that occation a bust was made of the artist. Now, for the first time the citizens of Reykjavik are given the opportunity to view this sculpture that has been said to capture the artists perspective on the muses and the greatest creation of all: Man himself.The latest work of Snorri Ãsmundsson has religious overtones and is currently being displayed at the gallery Kling & Bang. The artists has relentlessly sought god and has finally, after all these years, made contact. It has given him new strength that is concentrated in a new, powerful video in which the artist hangs upon the cross of the Icelandic nation, believing not for a single moment that god has forsaken him. But whether the Icelandic nation has forsaken him remains to be seen until the presidential election next year.Agnar Eggertsson (written 2003 year before presidental election) http://this.is/snorri/president- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -http://artnews.is/issue011/011_snorri.htm
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Icelandic Art Meltdown - artnet Magazine
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