Art of the Faroe Islands

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The Faroe Islands are a self-governing part of Denmark, and are an isolated group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. Therefore they have traditionally been isolated from the main cultural phases and movements that have swept across parts of Europe.

Hvítanes and Skálafjørður by Sámual Mikines.
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Hvítanes and Skálafjørður by Sámual Mikines.
Faroese landscape: a view from Sornfelli on the Island of Streymoy.
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Faroese landscape: a view from Sornfelli on the Island of Streymoy.

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[edit] Painting

Painting has only really taken off in the 20th century in the Faroes. Famous Faroese painters include Sámuel Joensen-Mikines, Ingálvur av Reyni, Ruth Smith, Tróndur Patursson, Steffan Danielsen and Amariel Norðoy among others.

[edit] Artists

The first recognised painter of the Faroe Islands was Sámuel Joensen-Mikines (born 1906 died 1979). He was followed by others of his generation e.g. Ingálvur av Reyni. These painters came to be known as the first generation of Faroese artists. What these painters all had in common was that the Faroese landscape, with its traditional small villages, mountains and fjords, played a significant part in most of their paintings. Whether it was expressionistic painting as by Mikines or abstract as with av Reyni, the landscape painting came to signify Faroese painting.

Landscape painting by Zacharias Heinesen
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Landscape painting by Zacharias Heinesen

However, the second generation from the 1960´s onwards seem to move away from Faroese landscape painting, such as Hansina Iversen, or Hanni Bjartalíð. Their artwork is just as much European as it is Faroese. But still among certain painters the landscape strongly features e.g. Amariel Norðoy and Zacharias Heinesen.

[edit] Art Galleries

There are a couple of art galleries in the capital Tórshavn including the national art museum Listaskálin. But there are also other art galleries on the Faroes. Some are dedicated to local artists, while others have regular exhibitions. Listaskálin has two exhibitions a year that focus exclusively on Faroese artists. The first one is the spring exhibition in May; the second is the annual Saint Olav's Day exhibition in late July. Where the first one exclusively features professional artists, the latter one mainly features amateurs.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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