Haraldur Jónsson

Haraldur Jónsson was born in Helsinki on the Day of the Book, April 23rd 1961. After graduating from Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík secondary school in 1980 he studied French literature and cultural history at Paul Valéry University in Montpellier, and later fine art at the university of Aix en Provence, from 1982-1983. Haraldur received his Meisterschüler degree from the Art Academy of Düsseldorf in West-Germany in 1990 and went on scholarship by the city of Paris to Institut des Hautes Études en Arts Plastiques in Paris, 1991-92. Haraldur later continued his fine art studies at the Reykjavík Art School and The Icelandic College of Crafts and Arts, graduating in 2007.

Haraldur’s first book, stundum alltaf (sometimes always), was published by Bjartur in 1995 and the book Fylgjur (Followers) followed in 1998. The latter book was awarded the Reykjavík Culture Night Prize and nominated for the DV Cultural Prize of that year. His novel EKKI, ástarsaga (NOT, a Love Story) was published by Bjartur in 2001. Haraldur has also worked as a translator, among his translations is Hugmyndabók (Ideabok) by Fredrik Hären, published by Salka in 2008. The book TSOYL, a book-as-work-of-art, was published by TSOYL in 2010. Haraldur has also written radio plays and screenplays, his radio play Mannlaus íbúð (Empty Apartment) was broadcast by the National Broadcasting Service’s Radio Theatre in 1997.

Haraldur is a working artist, who uses language in various ways as material for his paintings, happenings, and audio and space installations. He has held dozens of private exhibitions around the world. His art is in the collections of the major public museums in Iceland as well a sprivate collections in the United States and Europe. Haraldur Jónsson was designated Reykjavik City Artist for the years 2019 - 2020.

Haraldur’s website is www.this.is/comet