Svavar Gudnason (1909-1988) was the leading Icelandic avant-garde artist and one of Europe’s most noteworthy painters of the 1940´s and 50´s. He became acquainted with the famous Cobra, and was the first Icelandic artist to develop an abstract expressionist style. CoBrA was formed by Asger Jorn, Karen Appel, Constant Corneille, Christian Dotremont, and Joseph Noiret on November 8, 1948 in the Café Notre-Dame in Paris. Gudnason‘s works are to be found in major modern art museums in Europe and Scandinavia, for example in Louisiana in Denmark and the CoBrA Museum in the Netherlands.
On Gudnason‘s centennial, a young publishing house in Iceland, Verold, published a critically acclaimed coffee table book on his life and works in Icelandic – the first ever made. It was a gigantic task for a small publishing house but the book was extremely well received by the general public, art patrons and critics. The book was nominated for the Icelandic Literary Award. Now, the goal is to give the world a unique opportunity to experience the life and works of a painter who Icelanders and devoted admirers of CoBrA are familiar with but may be is less known to art lovers in general.
The book is 160 pages and the size is 29 x 30.5 cm (11.6“ x 12.2“) printed on Garda Matt premium paper. Smythe sewn hardcover with cloth and a dust jacket. Foil stamping front and spine. It will be printed at Oddi Printing´s plant in Reykjavik, Iceland which is a highly respected art book printer.
The author of the book is the art historian Kristin G. Gudnadottir. Previously, she‘s written a coffee table book on the Icelandic painter Johannes S. Kjarval which brought her the Icelandic Literary Award.
Excerpts from reviews on the Icelandic edition of Svavar Gudnason:
„This is a distinguished work; at last, at last we get a thorough overview of this man´s life and works. ... Magnificent book about our greatest artist.“ Frettabladid newspaper
„Elegant book ... first class printing ... a beautiful and accomplished work.“ Morgunbladid newspaper.
