On the Trail of Odysseus - Daði Guðbjörnsson

In his new paintings, Daði finds his source in the Greek epic poem The Odyssey. The poem recounts the trials and tribulations that befall the Greek hero Odysseus on his long journey home from the Trojan War. In the paintings we encounter unicorns and Pegasus, as well as Sirens, Medusa, Venus, Paris and the rosy-fingered goddess of the morning. Although these symbolic figures refer directly to Homer’s epic poem, the paintings are not illustrations but a personal contemplation of the deceptions of the world. In his unique style, Daði connects Odysseus’s journey to Eastern philosophy and to the spiritual quest of the soul. He has described the paintings as “an effort to harness the light and the ever-changing force of creativity, which slips through one’s fingers as soon as one tries to grab it”. The series, he adds, represents an “Odyssey of painting in the 21st century”. 

In addition to the Odyssey series, a small selection of Daði’s older work has been selected for this exhibition.