Ragnhildur Þóra Ágústsdóttir has mastered the nuances of watercolors to paint her subject matter, where Icelandic birds play a central role, with exceptional precision and feeling. Ragnhildur works in watercolors, gouache and coffee on paper. In this difficult medium where no mistakes are afforded, she draws with very fine brushstrokes requiring the utmost attention.
Ragnhildur's bird paintings have few contemporary parallels and it can be said that they are at odds with most of what is happening in the art world today. In her work there is a certain retrospection and attention to the past and its aesthetics, as she draws on the subjects and methods of natural scientists and artists of the 19th century. More specifically, Ragnhildur draws influence from bird portraits of the naturalist, illustrator and poet Benedikt Gröndal (1826-1907) and the English ornithologist John Gould (1804-1881).
Although Ragnhildur revives ancient subjects of natural history with her bird paintings and joins the company of numerous artists who have painted birds through the centuries, her works have no less strong roots in Icelandic cultural history. Birds in Ragnhildur´s work have the appearance of a national symbol, striking a chord with the steadfast prevalence of certain signature birds in Icelandic folk culture and folklore. In particular, the falcon is associated with Iceland´s struggle for independence and was for a time the national symbol of Iceland. By Royal Decree from October 3, 1903, it was determined that Iceland's coat of arms should be a "white falcon with a blue base". The expressive and majestic falcon that appears repeatedly in Ragnhildur´s exhibition is an exact replica of the bird in the coat of arms. It is believed that the falcon symbol has even deeper roots in Icelandic cultural history, tracing all the way back to the coat of arms of Lopt “The Rich” Guttormsson (1375-1432), who was an Icelandic ruler, magistrate, courtier and knight in the 15th century. The falcon symbol can be seen in many places in public spaces - for a time it held a place on the building of the National Parliament, and can still today be seen on the building of the National Gallery on Hverfisgata.
Many of the birds Ragnhildur paints are mentioned in Icelandic stories and lore, some as far back as the Icelandic sagas. The legend about the evil red whale that appears in Jón Árnason´s collection of folktales features the great auk. The most famous example of birds in Icelandic folklore is the story of another great auk, the last one, killed on June 4, 1844 in Eldey by Icelandic fishermen at the behest of a natural artifacts collector in Denmark. There is some folklore connected to the falcon, as the bird was believed to give people an indication of fish in the sea. The falcon was also considered a forecaster of the weather, and people would use the bird's flight or manner to guess the coming weather. The Himbrimi bird is mentioned in folklore as a weather forecasting tool and has been named the signature bird of the Þingvellir national park.
The spirit of the past hovers over Ragnhildur's work, and she does not shy away from reviving subjects from the time when naturalists and artists began to explore and document nature. Although the exhibit primarily showcases Ragnhildur´s delicate and reverent interpretation of her bird subject, it also is also a call for cultural literacy and a reminder of the fragile state of the ecosystem and the precarious nature of some birds on the verge of extinction.
Vigdís Rún Jónsdóttir, Art historian.
