artist
Bárður Jákupsson
- Born
- Faroe Islands
As the director of the National Gallery of the Faroe Islands, Bárður Jákupsson has been a key figure of the Faroe cultural scene for decades. Since resigning in 2003, he has devoted his time to his own artistic practice, mainly creating monumental oil paintings. Alongside this practice, Jákupsson has developed a singular style in small, pale watercolours. With organic, flowing contours and hues of varying intensity, he creates a compelling play of light. These unassuming yet exquisite works are non-figurative. Reality is dissolved into near-abstract shapes that suggest rather than depict. Like landscapes of the soul, these evocative images are infused with memories from the artist’s early childhood. They reflect the dizzying experience of being in a tiny boat at sea, where the tall cliffs along the coast make the waters seem even deeper. Barður Jákupsson was educated at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen.