Olafur Eliasson
Full Name and Common Aliases
Olafur Eliasson is a Danish-Icelandic artist known professionally as Olafur Eliasson.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on February 7, 1967, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Still alive.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Danish-Icelandic Artist and Light Installations Specialist
Early Life and Background
Olafur Eliasson grew up in a family of artists. His mother was an art teacher and his father a poet. He spent much of his childhood between Denmark, Iceland, and Germany. This diverse cultural background likely influenced his eclectic artistic style.
Eliasson studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from 1986 to 1990. After completing his studies, he moved to Berlin, where he lived for several years before moving back to Copenhagen in 2003.
Major Accomplishments
Olafur Eliasson's work has been exhibited globally in museums and galleries. He has had solo exhibitions at the Tate Modern in London, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, and the Guggenheim Museum in New York City.
Eliasson is particularly known for his large-scale light installations that explore themes such as perception, space, and our relationship with nature.
Notable Works or Actions
Some notable works by Eliasson include:
The Weather Project: A 2003 installation at the Tate Modern in London that transformed the Turbine Hall into a warm and inviting space filled with light.
Your Rainbow Panorama: A colorful, dome-shaped installation at the ARoS Aarhus Art Museum in Denmark that offers visitors a unique perspective on the world.
Impact and Legacy
Olafur Eliasson's work has had a significant impact on contemporary art. He is one of the most influential artists working today, with exhibitions and installations around the globe drawing millions of viewers.
Eliasson's focus on light as a medium for artistic expression has inspired countless other artists to explore this theme in their own work.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Olafur Eliasson is widely quoted and remembered due to his thought-provoking and visually stunning works. His use of light to create immersive experiences that challenge viewers' perceptions has left a lasting impact on the art world.
His ability to engage audiences and inspire new perspectives through his work has made him one of the most celebrated artists working today.
Additional Information
Olafur Eliasson continues to live and work in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Quotes by Olafur Eliasson
Olafur Eliasson's insights on:
I don’t know a single collector or museum director who says: ‘Oh, he’s on a list, so I think I’ll buy something of his.’ The people who buy my art put a little more thought into it than that.
In the past Berlin was much more radical and extreme and now it’s becoming much more of a conventional European city.
I don’t think you need to be so result-oriented when you’re trying to define the success of an art work. I think we can allow some unpredictability.
I want to expose and evaluate the fact that the seeing and sensing process is a system that should not be taken for granted as natural – it’s a cultivated means of reality production that, as a system, can be negotiated and changed.
My goal is to formulate a new color theory based on the full spectrum of visible light.
Having an experience is taking part in the world. Taking part in the world is really about sharing responsibility.
Over the years, in making art, I have constantly explored issues dealing with space, time, light, and society. I am particularly interested in how the light of a space determines how we see that space and similarly, in how light and color are actually phenomena within us, within our own eyes.
I always try to make work that activates the viewer to be a co-producer of our shared reality.
Ive walked a lot in the mountains in Iceland. And as you come to a new valley, as you come to a new landscape, you have a certain view. If you stand still, the landscape doesnt necessarily tell you how big it is. It doesnt really tell you what youre looking at. The moment you start to move the mountain starts to move.