Curriculum Vitae

Art Exhibitions

Solo Shows  
2025 “War is in the Air”, Gallery Port, Reykjavik
2024-2025 “Havoc”, Retrospective, Reykjavik Art Museum
2024 “Victims of War”, Kompan, Siglufjörður, Iceland
2024 “Group Portraits of the Self” Nordatlantens brygge, Copenhagen, Denmark
2024 Nordatlantisk hus, Odense, Denmark
2023 Listamenn Gallery, Reykjavik, Iceland
2021 Community Centre, Neskirkja, Reykjavík, Iceland
2019 “Women Hungry, Men Angry”, Tveir hrafnar listhús, (2 Ravens Gallery) Reykjavik
2015 “Acrylic on Darkness I”, Tveir hrafnar listhús, (2 Ravens Gallery) Reykjavik
2015 “Visitation”,Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen
2014 “The Paris Package”, Tveir hrafnar listhús, (2 Ravens Gallery) Reykjavik
2013 “The Paris Package”, Tveir hrafnar listhús, (2 Ravens Gallery) Reykjavik
2012 “The Picture Hunting Season”, Gerduberg Culture Center, Reykjavik
2009 “The Icelandic Expansion 2009”, The Contemporary Art Gallery, Reykjavik
2007 “The Kodak Moments”, Gallery Turpentine, Reykjavik
2006 “Putting Oil on Canvas”, Gallery Turpentine, Reykjavik
2003 “Grim Time”, Art Museum, Kópavogur, Iceland
2000 “More Tales of Grim”, Slunkaríki, Ísafjörður, Iceland
2000 “Heimir, the Men’s Choir of Skagafjörður”, Gallerí Sævar Karl, Reykjavík
1999 “More Tales of Grim”, Gallery oneoone, Reykjavík
1998 “Á Seyði”, Art Festival, Seyðisfjörður, Iceland
1997 Galerie Philippe Rizzo, Paris
1996 “Tales of Grim”, Gallerí Sævar Karl, Reykjavík
1995 Galleri Isidor, Malmö
1994 Galerie Alain Gutharc, Paris
1992 The Living Art Museum, Reykjavík
1991 Reykjavik Art Museum, Reykjavík
1990 Gallerí Gangur, Reykjavík
1990 “Tales of Grim”, Gallerí Sævar Karl, Reykjavík
1988 Hal Bromm Gallery, New York
1987 The Living Art Museum, Reykjavík
1986 Bromfield Gallery, Boston
1986 Gallery Hallgerður, Reykjavík
1985 Gallery Gangur, Reykjavík
1985 Mocca-café, Reykjavík
1985 The Art House, Reykjavík
1984 The Living Art Museum, Reykjavík
1984 Café Mokka, Reykjavík
1984 Gallery Ásmundarsalur, Reykjavík
1983 The artist’s appartment, Reykjavík
Group Shows  
2026 “Darkening Conflict”, Akureyri Art Museum, Iceland
2026 “Brief and Neverending”, Christine X Gallery, Sliema, Malta
2023 “DontGiveADamns 2”, Volery Gallery, Dubai, UAE
2022 “Winter Group Show”, Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen, Denmark
2019 Human Condition – Draft of Icel. Cont. Art History, III, Reykjavik Art Museum
2016 “Whatever… Works!”, Tveir hrafnar listhús, Reykjavik
2015 “Just Painted 2”, Reykjavík Art Museum, Reykjavik
2015 “100 kápur á Frakkastíg”, Reykjavik Art Festival
2014 Icelandic Contemporary Portraits, Akureyri Art Museum
2011 “Jór! The Horse in Icelandic Art”, Reykjavik Art Museum
2008 “Bye, Bye Iceland”, Akureyri Art Museum, Akureyri
2006 Computer Prints, Hoffmannsgalleri, Reykjavik
2005 “The Ninth, Cartoon Fair” Reykjavik Art Musuem
2004 “Des dels confins de la terra”, La Capella, Barcelona, Spain
2002 “The Golden Brush”, Thorshavn Art Museum, Faroe Islands
2001 “The Golden Brush”, Reykjavik Art Musuem, Reykjavik
2001 “The Golden Brush”, Scandinavian Embassy, Berlin
2000 “Hors les cartes”, Centre Régional d´art, Sète, France
2000 “Tilfelli”, art/design, Epal, Reykjavik
1999 Centre regional des arts, Sète, France
1999 “Dehors des cartes”, Kópavogur Art Museum, Kópavogur
1999 “Icelandic Cartoons”, Nordic House, Reykjavík
1999 “Ainsi de suite 3”, Centre d’Art, Sète, France
1998 “Flögð og fögur skinn”, The Living Art Museum, Reykjavík
1997 “Colorblind”, Salle de Bains, Rotterdam
1997 “Mutants”, Galerie Philippe Rizzo, Paris
1997 Selfportraits, Café Mokka, Reykjavík
1996 Galerie Alain Gutharc, Paris
1995 “Hot Spot”, Kulturbahnhof Eller, Düsseldorf
1995 “Wolemi-fura”, Kópavogur Art Museum, Kópavogur
1995 Galerie Alain Gutharc, Paris
1995 “L´art d´aimer”, Espace Paul Boyé, Sète, France
1995 “Bazar du Jour”, Galerie du Jour, Paris
1995 “Cartoons in Art”, Galerie by the Rock, Hafnarfjörður, Iceland
1994 “Salon”, Gallery Greip, Reykjavík
1994 “Art Hotel”, Hilton-hotel, Amsterdam
1992 Aurora 5, Biennal for Young Nordic Artists, Taidemuseo, Joensuu, Finland
1992 “Visions d’Europe”, Eiffel-tower, Paris
1992 Icelandic Artists, Växjö Konstahall, Växjö, Sweden
1992 “Refill”, Café Mokka, Reykjavík
1990 Exhibition of portraits with Helgi Þorgils Friðjónsson,
Reykjavík Art Museum, Reykjavík
1988 Selfportraits, Reykjavík Art Museum, Reykjavík
1988 Selfportraits, Reykjavík Art Museum, Reykjavík
1987 IBM-show, Reykjavík Art Museum, Reykjavík
1987 Nordic Artists, Privatbanken, New York
1987 Gallerie Leger, Malmö, Sweden
1987 Stux Gallery, Boston
1986 “Reykjavík in Art”, Reykjavík Art Museum, Reykjavík
1986 Hal Bromm Gallery, New York
1985 Now Gallery, New York
1983 Gallerí Gangur, Reykjavík
1983 “New Painting”, JL-House, Reykjavík
1983 “Young Artists”, Reykjavík Art Museum, Reykjavík

Press

2025 “28 Attempts at The Scream – Death in the Art of Hallgrimur Helgason”, article by Gudni Elísson for Skírnir magazine, Reykjavik.
2024 “Havoc” – Catalogue for the HH retrospective at Reykjavik Art Museum, with articles by Aldís Snorradóttir, Ragna Sigurðardóttir, and Silja Bára Ómarsdóttir
2024 Group Portrait of the Self, Catalogue for exhibition at Bryggen, Copenhagen, Denmark, article by Mai Misfeldt
2013 Hallgrímur Helgason at Tveir hrafnar listhús (2 Ravens Gallery) by Douglas Coupland, Art Forum, december 2013

Collections

Reykjavík Art Museum, Reykjavík
Art Museum of Iceland, Reykjavík
Kópavogur Art Museum, Kópavogur, Iceland
Ísafjörður Art Museum, Ísafjörður, Iceland
Private collections in Paris, Genf and Los Angeles
FRAC, Poitou-Charentes, Angouleme, France
Reykjavík Art Museum, Reykjavík
Art Museum of Iceland, Reykjavík
Kópavogur Art Museum, Kópavogur, Iceland
Ísafjörður Art Museum, Ísafjörður, Iceland
Private collections in Paris, Genf and Los Angeles
FRAC, Poitou-Charentes, Angouleme, France
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Writings

2024 Sixty Kilos of Sundays, a novel, JPV, Reykjavik
2024 Havoc, the catalogue to the retrospective, Reykjavik Art Museum
2021 Koma jól? Christmas Poetry for Children – with Rán Flygenring, Angústúra, Reykjavik
2021 Sixty Kilos of Knockouts, a novel, JPV, Reykjavik
2020 We Shot Pins, poetry, JPV, Reykjavik
2019 “Tartuffe”, translation of the play by Moliere, JPV, Reykjavik
2018 “Sixty Kilos of Sunshine”, a novel, JPV, Reykjavik
2017 “Fish from Above”, poetry book, JPV, Reykjavik
2016 “Othello”, translation of Shakespeare’s play, Vaka-Helgafell, Reykjavik

Foreign Publications

2027 Sixty Kilos of Sundays, Kagge, Norway
2026 Sixty Kilos of Knockouts, Kagge, Norway
2026 Sixty Kilos of Sunshine, Kagge, Norway
2026 Sixty Kilos of Knockouts, Gallimard, France
2025 Woman at 1000 Degrees, Gorodets, Russia
2024 Sixty Kilos of Sunshine, Gallimard, France
2024 Sixty Kilos of Knockouts, L&R, Denmark
2024 The Author of Iceland, Gorodets, Russia
2024 Sixty Kilos of Knockouts, Alma Littera, Lithuania
2023 Sixty Kilos of Sunshine, L&R, Denmark
2023 Sixty Kilos of Sunshine, Gorodets, Russia
2021 Sixty Kilos of Sunshine, Alma Littera, Lithuania
2019 “The Woman at 1,000 Degrees”, (paperback), Algonquin Books, New York
2018 “The Woman at 1,000 Degrees”, (hardcover), Algonquin Books, New York
2018 “The Woman at 1,000 Degrees”, (hardcover), Oneworld Publications, London
2018 “The Woman at 1,000 Degrees”, (paperback), Oneworld Publications, London
2017 “Seasick in Munich”, in Danish, Lindhardt & Ringhof, Copenhagen
“The Woman at 1000°”, in Albanian, Agim Doksani, Tirana
2016 “The Hitman’s Guide to Housecleaning” in Serbian, Dereta, Beograd
2015 “Seasick in Munich”, in German, Tropen, Stuttgart
2015 “The Woman at 1000°”, in Norwegian, Cappelen Damm, Oslo
“The Woman at 1000°”, in Lithuanian, Vilnius
Woman at 1000 Degrees, Al

Theatre

2024 Sixty Kilos, One Man Show About Three Novels, written and performed by Hallgrímur Helgason, City Theatre, Reykjavik
2019 “Tartuffe”, translation of the play by Moliere, National Theatre, Reykjavik
2016 “Othello”, translation of the play by Shakespeare, National Theatre and Vesturport, Reykjavik
2014 “The Woman at 1000°”, stage version of the novel, National Theatre, Reykjavik
2011 “The Hitman’s Guide to Housecleaning”, stage version of the novel, Schauspielhaus Salzburg, Austria
2008 “Love is Disco—Life is Punk”, a musical, National Theatre, Reykjavik
2003 “Things Are Going Great”, stage version of the novel, National Theatre, Reykjavik
2003 “Cooking with Elvis”, translation of the play by Lee Hall, Loftkastali Theatre, Reykjavík
2003 “Elling”, translation of the play by Ingvar Ambjörnsen, Blueeyes Productions, Reykjavík
2002 “Romeo & Juliet”, translation of the play by Shakespeare, Vesturport, Reykjavík
2001 Icelandic School of Commerce, Reykjavík
“Wake Me Up Before You Gogo”, a musical,

Stand-up Comedy

1995 “An Evening with Hallgrímur Helgason, at The Theatre Café, Reykjavík, 15 shows, recorded and shown on TV Channel Two, Iceland

TV

2011 “How to Stop Doing the Dishes and Start Reading Icelandic Literature”, documentary about Hallgrimur Helgason, ORF, Austria
2011 “Iceland’s Artists and Sagas”, a film by Helga Brekkan, ZDF, Arte and more.
2002 “The Issue”, weekly programs on Screen One
“Áramótaskaup 2002”, (“The Year 2002 in Review”), RÚV, Icelandic State Television
2001 “Áramótaskaup 2001”, (“The Year 2001 in Review”), RÚV, Icelandic State Television
1999 “Nonni Sprengja”, weekly program, Screen One
1997 Ten Comic sketches for RÚV, Icelandic State Television
1996 “Gríngellur”, script, RÚV, Icelandic State Television
1996 “Áramótaskaup 1996”, (“The Year 1996 in Review”) RÚV, Icelandic State Television
1994 Three short pieces for “Daylight”, RÚV, Icelandic State Television

Radio

1998 Weekly programs on Bylgjan Radio, Reykjavik
1995-98 Weekly programs on Bylgjan Radio, Reykjavik
1992-93 “Radio Manhattan”, weekly programs on Icelandic State Radio, Channel Two
1992 “Only in Paris”, weekly programs on Icelandic State Radio, Channel One
1989-91 “Radio Manhattan”, weekly programs on Icelandic State Radio, Channel Two

Cinema

2015 “Comeback”, Danish film starring Anders W. Berthelsen, produced by Toolbox film, based on a screenplay by Helgason
2011 “The Hitman’s Guide to Housecleaning”, rights sold to Miso Film, Denmark
2011 “Stormland” (“Rokland”), a movie based on the novel, directed by Marteinn Thorsson, produced by Pegasus, Reykjavik
2011 “Comeback” – screenplay, a development grant from the Danish Film Institute
2003 “One Kiss Away From Love”, a screenplay in progress with the British Film Concil
2001 “Open Mike” (later titled “Comeback”), a screenplay funded by the Icelandic Film Fund
2001 “Open Mike”, (later titled “Comeback”) a screenplay picked for Moonstone Screenlabs, Toscana.
2000 “101 Reykjavik”, a movie based on the novel, starring Victoria Abril, directed by Baltasar Kormákur

Articles Written in English

2016 “This Swedish Guy is More Icelandic Than the Icelanders”, Die Welt
2016 “Why is Iceland so Corrupt?”, Die Welt
2016 “600 Silver Lions: How Iceland was Betrayed, Again”, The Reykjavik Grapevine
2014 “The Magnificent 7% — Making the Case for Art in the Time of Need”, The Reykjavik Grapevine
2013 “An Ice Evening” at the Europa Restaurant & Bar, The Reykjavik Grapevine
2013 “A Shout From the Land of Shouting” (“Et råb fra råbets land”), Weekendavisen, Copenhagen
2012 “Architectural Acne”, The Reykjavik Grapevine
2012 “The Battle of Iceland”, The Reykjavik Grapevine
2011 “The Saga Machine”, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
2011 “The Author at 9 Knots Wind”, Stuttgarter Zeitung
2003 “Free the Icelanders” (original title: “Whaling and Wailing”), New York Newsday, New York
2003 “Storyland”, (About the Icelandic Sagas), Penguin Classics website
2003 “Keeping it in the Family”, (original title: “Storyland”, about the Icelandic Sagas) The Times, London
2002 “Broken Teeth”, (About 9/11) The Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa 2002
2002 “Fifa Fair Pay” (about the Football World Cup in Japan and South Korea), Weekendavisen, Copenhagen
2001 “14-2”, Weekendavisen, Copenhagen
2001 “A Little Trip to Iceland”, (“Turen går til Island”) Weekendavisen, Copenhagen

Cartoons

2004 “GRIM”, a weekly cartoon running in Frettabladid, an Icelandic newspaper
1998 “GRIM”, a weekly cartoon running in “Fókus”, a weekend section of the daily DV, Reykjavík

Awards and nominations

2021 The French Medal, Officier de l’Ordre des arts et des lettres
2021 The Icelandic Literature Prize, for the novel Sixty Kilos of Knockouts
2018 The Icelandic Literature Prize, for the novel “Sixty Kilos of Sunshine”
2017 “Othello”, the Icelandic Translation Prize for the translation of the play by Shakespeare
2017 “The Icelandic word of the year 2016” (“hrútskýring”, the Icelandic version of “mansplaining”)
2015 “The Woman at 1000°”, Icelandic Performing Arts Award Gríman, for best play (stage adaptation of the novel)
2015 “Seasick in Munich” nominated to the Icelandic Literary Prize
2013 “The Woman at 1000°” nominated for the Nordic Council Literature Prize
2011 “The Woman at 1000°” nominated for the Icelandic Literary Prize
2007 “Stormland” nominated on behalf of Iceland for the Nordic Council Literature Prize
2005 “Stormland” nominated for the Icelandic Literary Prize
2004 “Reykjavik Artist of the Year”, The City of Reykjavik
2004 “Things Are Going Great”, Icelandic Performing Arts Award Gríman, for best play (stage adaptation of the novel)
2001 The Icelandic Literary Prize, for the novel “The Author of Iceland”
2001 “Áramótaskaup 2001”, Edda Award for best TV-Comedy of the year, RÚV, Icelandic State Radio and Television
2001 The DV-Daily Cultural Prize for the play “Poets’ Night”
1999 “Thousand Island Sauce”, second prize,
The Lunch Theatre’s competition for new plays
1999 “1