Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir to Represent Iceland in Venice

The Reykjavik-born artist's films, installations, and sculptures delve into the spiritual and esoteric dimensions of human experience.

Reykjavik-based artist Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir will represent Iceland's Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026.

Sigurðardóttir is a visual artist, composer, and poet, celebrated as one of Iceland's most innovative contemporary performers.

Her films, installations, and sculptures delve into the spiritual and esoteric dimensions of human experience, reflecting on how intuition can reconnect us to ourselves and each other in an age of increasing technology-induced detachment.

'I am honoured and excited to represent Iceland at the 2026 Venice Biennale,' Sigurðardóttir said. 'I have the feeling it will be a thrilling experience, fuelled with splendid serendipity. I am over the moon I have to say, like we say in Icelandic ég er himinlifandi, which literally means I am sky-alive.'

Sigurðardóttir studied at Iceland University of the Arts and is a prolific writer with five published books. She co-founded the artist-led gallery Kunstschlager in Reykjavík in 2012 and the experimental poetry festival Suttungur.

The Icelandic Pavilion is commissioned by the Icelandic Art Center. The Nordic island country has participated in the Biennale Arte since the 1960s, establishing its national pavilion in 1984.

Reykjavík-born artist Hildigunnur Birgisdóttir represented Iceland at the 60th Venice Biennale; an interview on her presentation can be read on Ocula here.

Many countries have yet to announce the artists that will represent their national pavilion. So far, Abbas Akhavan has been selected to represent Canada, Yto Barrada will exhibit at the French Pavilion, Merike Estna will represent Estonia, Aline Bouvy will represent Luxembourg, and Isabel Nolan for Ireland. —[O]