Sigurjón Jóhannsson
Painter, designer and scenographer
Where can you purchase Sigurjón’s work?
Directly from the artist
In Gallerí FOLD
Rauðarárstíg Reykjavík.
Gallerí LISTFLÉTTAN
Akureyri.
What’s next on Sigurjón’s agenda
Pictures from Burnt Njàll`s Saga at The Saga Centre, Hvolsvollur Iceland
About Sigurjón Jóhannsson the artist
Sigurjón is born in Siglufjörður 1939. He graduated from MR, Junior College Secondary Grammar School, 1959 and practiced painting and architecture in Italy. Sigurjón studied at the Icelandic College of Art and Craft and in the Artschool of Reykjavík to 1963 when he went to London for a one year study visit.
Sigurjón was one of four founders of the SÚM group that had its first exhibition 1965 in Ásmundarsalur and Mokkakaffi. He made his first set design with Gríma’s show “I am my grandfather” 1967.
From 1968 to 1973 Sigurjón lived in Copenhagen where he practiced set and costume design which he has done ever since.
Schenographic carrier
Sigurjón made his first set design for the National Theatre 1972, and was the Chief Designer there from 1976 till 1988 and a member of the National Theatre board from 1984 to 1988 on the behalf of the Society of Icelandic Actors.
Among the set designs that Sigurjón has done for the National Theatre are: Bishop Jón Arason, Merchant of Venice, The good person of Sezuan, The good soldier Schweik in world war two, Per Gynt, The 13th crusade, The Niebellungen ring, Broaken glass, Fiddler on the roof, Singing in the rain and the Power station.
Sigurjón has also made set designs for The Reykjavík City Theatre, The Akureyri Town Theatre, The Icelandic Opera and The Iceland Dance Company, for example: Othello and La Traviata for the Opera. Blindfolded and Dafnis and Clöe for the Dance Company, The Bell of Iceland and Oliver Twist for Akureyri Town Theatre and the Seagulls laughter and Chicago for the Reykjavík City Theatre.
Sigurjón has done over one hundred theatre sets and many production designs for films, e.g.: The Rainbows end, The Atomic station, Nonni and Manni, Tear of stone, No trace and Cold light.
Designer carrier
- The Icelandic Museum of Natural History, 1968
- “The Icelanders and the ocean”, 1968
- Interior design for restaurants in Copenhagen, 1968 – 1973
- Óðal, night club in western stile, 1980
- Revived - The Icelandic Museum of Natural History, 1989
- Guest designer at Heureka Science Centre in Helsinki,1990
- Education material about the ocean for the Marine Research Institute, 1992
- Travelling exhibition on environmental issues for the Icelandic Environmental Association, 1993
- Dinosaur exhibition in the Coal depot Kolaportið, 1996
- Exhibition on the geology of Hvalfjörður for the town of Akranes, 1998
- Wiking exploration of the new world in the National Centre for Cultural Heritage 2000
- The boat exhibition in Keflavík, 2001
- Saga Museum in Perlan, 2002
- Technical Museum of East Iceland, 2003
- The Icelandic Herring Era Museum in Siglufjörður, The Boat house 2004
- The Harbour hall at the Maritime Museum VÍK in Reykjavík, 2007
Sunday afternoon at Mokkakaffi, collage from 1965, owner The National Gallery af Iceland.
Scenography for Per Gynt at The National Theatre of Iceland1990
Old nordic pagan cosmos designed for The National Culture Hous 2000, for the exibition of nordic exploration of the North-Atlantic and the discovery of America.
Sigurjón Jóhannsson
painter
designer
scenographer