Katrin Fridriks was born in Iceland in 1974. She lives between Luxemburg and Paris.

Her work creates a visual universe and language combining Japanese calligraphy, abstract expressionism and graffiti-inspired aesthetics, all filtered through a concept of installation works with strongly contemporary color palettes.  Natural elements such as water, earth, air and fire, as well as cosmic energies, are sources of inspiration.

Her paintings reveal a power which can be as irruptive as the volcanoes of her native land or the streets of the megalopolis.

Interview

“At the age of ten years old I absolutely wanted to become an architect. Playing with Legos and space fascinated me. The idea of infinitely big and small, the cosmic universe and my native country Iceland very much inspired me, but mathematics wasn’t my cup of tea.  So I searched for other expressions, studied Japanese.  Soon came calligraphy, the colors of Pop Art and graffiti writing. They were at the core of my first expression on canvas.  Painters such as Léger, Pollock and Warhol influenced my work before I moved into more conceptual thinking, which led me to installations. I generally conceive my work as painting and installation work, thus creating a whole universe for all the senses. Growing up in Luxemburg and Germany as a child opened my mind to other cultures.

One of my aims is to bring further awareness to mankind, and nature is very much related to our condition as human beings. For instance, Iceland is the biggest database of genetic codes in the world.  My exhibition “Code DNAnd Munitions” focused on the good and bad aspects of research to identify our universal DNA codes. Such research could save lives but at the same time, insurance companies have an interest in knowing which code is good or bad.  This could lead to the classification of people in society and, of course, creates ethical problems which I address in my recent works “Molecular Spaces”. What will future generations be like? We found water on the moon; we are running out of resources and maybe water could be the petrol of tomorrow.

Beneath the multiple layers of planet painting, art isn't meant to be pretty, it is food for thought.”



SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

»Paper Works« (group show)
Circleculture Gallery, Berlin, 2011

»The Urban Artist – Hamburg« (group show)
Curated by Johann Haehling von Lanzenauer, Hamburg, 2011

»Chrome«
Le Feuvre Gallery, Paris, 2011

»Leak of Information« (solo show)
Circleculture Gallery, Berlin, 2011

»The Urban Artist« (group show)
Soho House, Berlin, 2011

»Polo Jeans Co. Art Auction at Phillips de Pury«
Phillips de Pury Howick Place, London, 2010

»Crayons« (solo show)
Galerie Le Feuvre, Paris, 2010

»Moniker« International Art Fair
London, 2010

»Exposition De Groupe« (group show)
Galerie Le Feuvre, Paris, 2010

»Volta6 Art Fair Basel«
Circleculture Gallery, Basel, 2010

»There Is No Such Thing As A Good Painting About Nothing« (group show)
Circleculture Gallery, Berlin, 2010

»Pierre Bergé & ADG« (group show)
Palais de Tokyo , Paris, 2010

»The Show by Jeremy Rocher« (group show)
Jeremy Rocher, Paris, 2009

»Street Art«
Palais de Tokyo, Paris, 2009

»Valentina Volchkova Gallery« (group show)
Valentina Volchkova Gallery , Paris, 2009

»Salon 2009 Official selection«
Cercle Artistique du Luxembourg Luxemburg, 2009

»Bailly Contemporain « Salon du Collectionneur (group show)
Grand Palais, Paris, 2009

»Summer exhibition« (group show)
Le Feuvre Gallery,Paris, 2009

»Suty Gallery« (group show)
Suty Gallery ,Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon & Bruxelles, 2009

»Tag & Graff« Collection Gallizia (group show)
The Grand Palais, Paris, 2009

»Biennial of Liverpool«
Novas Contemporary Urban Centre, Liverpool, 2008

»Made up risk boxes«
Biennial of Liverpool - Grants support Center of Icelandic Art, UK, 2008

»Nice08« (group show)
Novas Contemporary Urban Centre, Liverpool, 2008

»Stereographic @ play« curated by David Letourneau (group show)
Chappe Gallery Paris, 2008

»Independence day« (group show)
Lost Horse Gallery, Reykjavik, 2008

»KiloWatt«
Oel-Früh Gallery, Hamburg, 2007

»Decoding Iceland«
Fortis Bank Grand Duchy of Luxemburg- Invite honor, Stefàn Johannesson, Ambassador of Iceland in Belgium, 2007

»Digital Experience« curator for Visual Systems Shanghai
eArts Festival, China, 2007

»Sequences«
Art Festival of Reykjavik, Iceland, 2007

»Ice07«
United Kingdom, 2007

»Barbie-Q«
Center of Icelandic Art & SIM Reykjavik, 2007

»Paris is burning« (group show) curated by Rashaad Newsome
Rush Art Gallery , NYC, 2006

»Salon 2009 Official selection«
Cercle Artistique du Luxembourg, Luxemburg, 2006

»Monsters of Sound« (two-man show)
Espace à Vendre Gallery - Nice, France, 2009

»Visual Identity«
Nuziq Music Festival - Nice, France, 2005

»Kathedrale« (perfomance & video installation)
Palais de Tokyo, Paris, 2005

»Silent Auction«
Scope Fair, London, 2005

»Girls@Work«  (group show)
Philippe Chaume Gallery Paris, 2005

»Artsenal«  (group show)
Artsoum Gallery, France, 2005

»Stock Option« (group show)
Jungle Art Gallery, Paris, 2005

»Thunder from a Hero«
National Museum of Reykjavik - Permanent collection, Iceland, 2004

»Salon Art Paris - Carrousel du Louvre«
Jungle Art Gallery Paris, 2004

»Elliot of Faithfield« collaboration with Aurèle (two-man show)
Rambaud Martel, Paris, 2004

»Step into my Underground«
Vertu Gallery, Paris, 2003

»L’art Emmêlé« (group show)
City Hall of Paris Paris, 2003

»Erotika« (group show)
Riva Gallery, New York, 2002

»Space Walk«
Avenue Montaigne, Paris, 2002

»Comité du salut artistique« (group show)
Paris, 2002

»Music for the eyes & art for the ears«
BGH Gallery & Absolut Vodka , Los Angeles, USA, 1999

»Beauty & the Beast« (video installation)
BGH Gallery, Los Angeles, USA, 1999

»Art Com« (group show)
Espace Paul Ricard Paris, France, 1999

»Salon Who’s Next «
Paris, 1998

»Fantasy-Box«