Harpa Árnadóttir (b. 1965) is known for her paintings, both those she calls “crack paintings” and those rendered in watercolour on paper and canvas. Both involve experimental study into surface and transparency. Her paintings are composed of layers of water-dissolving pigment and glue that eventually crack, thereby creating landscape-like structures on canvas. The foundation of her work, however, is often the relationship between painting and literature, more specifically the idea that painting can be considered a visual poetry. Árnadóttir turned to the visual arts after completing her bachelor’s degree in history and literature at The University of Iceland. She began her art education at the Icelandic College of Art and Crafts and then moved to Sweden for further studies at Konsthogskolan Valand in Gothenburg. Árnadóttir’s works have been acquired and exhibited by museums throughout Europe and have been featured at the first Gothenburg Biennial and Momentum, the 6th Nordic Biennial of Contemporary Art. In the summer of 2011, Crymogea Reykjavík published a collection of texts and watercolors by Harpa titled Júní / June. Árnadóttir lives and works in Reykjavík and Stockholm.