Biography
Born in Reykjavík, Iceland in 1986, Steingrímur Gauti has become known for his immersive, large-scale abstract paintings, as well as his active role in Iceland’s contemporary art scene. After studying at the Reykjavík School of Visual Arts and at Universität der Kunste in Berlin, he completed a Bachelor of Arts from the Iceland University of Arts in 2015. Today, Steingrímur exhibits consistently on an international scale, with his works held in collections across Europe, the United States, and Asia.
Steingrímur’s approach to painting is centered on process, materiality, the continuous practice of non-attachment and letting go. His work leans on imprecision, repetition, and a slow unfolding of form, evoking the Zen philosophies that influence him, resisting intellectualization. Drawing on the legacy of Abstract Expressionism, he embraces the paradox of freedom and discipline. As he works, each canvas becomes a space where the ego and the need for control are set aside, allowing the act of painting to evolve intuitively. His canvases embody a philosophy where art and life intermingle, and the mundane and the spiritual coexist.
His process is influenced by his years as a Zen student, with emphasis on presence and simplicity, where each moment with the canvas is an awareness practice. Inspiration comes naturally from working with his hands, where the mind follows the hand in an automatic, almost subconscious conversation with the evolving work. His ultimate aim is to create paintings that embody a balance of the physical and the serene, pulling the viewer in through a visceral, sensory experience.
CV
Education
BFA Fine Arts, Iceland University of the Arts 2015
Universitat Der Kunste, Berlin 2012-2013
The Reykjavík School of Visual Arts, Foundation 2010
Grants and residencies
2024 Saruya Artist Residency - Fujiyoshida, Japan
2021 Project Grant - The Icelandic Visual Art Copyright Association (Myndstef)
2019 Circolo Scandinavo / Nordic Artists’ Residence Program, Rome
Selected Exhibitions
2024 Árekstur (duo w/ Árni Már Viðarsson) - Gallery Port, Reykjavík
2024 Art021 via Galerie Marguo - Shanghai Exhibition Center, Shanghai
2024 Kiaf Seoul via Galerie Marguo - Coex, Seoul
2024 Free Flow / Performance with Magnús Jóhann - State of the Art Festival, Reykjavík
2024 Lingering Space (solo) - Listval Gallery, Reykjavík
2024 Chop Wood, Carry Water (solo) - Galerie Marguo, Paris
2023 Art Paris via Galerie Marguo - Grand Palais Éphémère, Paris
2023 Mens et Manus - Listval Gallery, Reykjavík
2022 Art021 via Galerie Marguo - Shanghai Exhibition Center, Shanghai
2022 Mutes (solo) - Gallery Port, Reykjavík
2022 Mens et Manus - Embassy of Iceland, Copenhagen
2022 Art Paris via Galerie Marguo - Grand Palais Éphémère, Paris
2021 Withinover (duo w/ Áslaug Íris Katrín) - Gallery Port, Reykjavík
2021 Art021 via Galerie Marguo - Shanghai Exhibition Center, Shanghai
2021 Art Paris via Galerie Marguo - Grand Palais Éphémère, Paris
2021 Soft Approach (solo) - Galerie Marguo, Paris
2021 Presentation of Marguo Artists - Galerie Marguo, Paris
2021 Life in a Day (duo w/ Sigtryggur Berg Sigmarsson) - Diller Daniels, Zurich
2020 Vision Acuity - Clandestina Gallery x DSQ Project Space, Miami
2020 The Studio (duo w/ Halldór Ragnarsson) - Mokka, Reykjavík
2020 Zeitgeist - Listasafn Árnesinga Art Museum, Hveragerði
2020 Ný verk (solo) - Gallerí Grótta, Seltjarnarnes
2019 Allt á sama tíma / Everything at the Same Time - Hafnarborg Art Museum, Reykjavík
2019 En svo vissi ég minna (solo) - Gallery Kjallari, Reykjavík
2018 Ekki gera neitt (solo) - Tveir Hrafnar Gallery, Reykjavík
2018 For the Time Being (solo) - SÍM Gallery, Reykjavík
2018 Undir (solo) - Mosfellsbær Art Gallery, Mosfellsbær
2017 Citius (solo) - Mokka, Reykjavík
2017 Blues (duo w/ Logi Bjarnason) - Ekkisens, Reykjavík
2017 Stund (solo) - Icelandic Printmakers Association, Reykjavík
2016 Texture (duo w/ Kristín Morthens) - Gallery Port, Reykjavík