Ragnar Kjartansson

Ragnar Kjartansson is an Icelandic artist known for his multi-disciplinary works that often involve performance, music, and video installations. He was born in Reykjavík in 1976 and studied at the Iceland Academy of the Arts and the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts.

Kjartansson has gained international recognition for his endurance performances and durational works, which often involve repetition, humor, and melancholy. His pieces are deeply rooted in the history of performance art and draw inspiration from music, theatre, and film.

One of Kjartansson's most well-known works is "The Visitors," a nine-channel video installation featuring musicians playing together in different rooms of a decaying mansion. The piece has been exhibited at major museums around the world, including the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C., and the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo in Turin, Italy.

Kjartansson has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including representing Iceland at the 55th Venice Biennale in 2013. His work has been exhibited in solo shows at institutions such as the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, the Barbican Centre in London, and the New Museum in New York.