Watch This Face

Hafsteinn Michael is a painter who works on his art on Hverfisgata. The range of his works is quite impressive, including a painting of the president Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson and his wife; another features man in his primal state. Hafsteinn goes through alter egos and in one alter ego phase he painted dwarves as symbols of manhood. These days he is working with the Nýhil literary movement on publishing a book, and on Sequences, an annual cross-media festival with the focus on time-based art phenomena that will take place in different venues in Reykjavík.

How do you work and do you paint in any certain style?

I can't say that I paint in any preferred style. Mainly I paint with oil and do drawings, I work with certain themes and develop another ego that is related to certain issues that I am thinking about during the time I am working on that piece. And behind all those egos I can be found somewhere.

What themes do you work with?

I like to focus my attention on the origin of things, for example, in one painting of mine there is the primal man with his stuffed ape.

So you would say you are interested in Darwin?

Yes, I find it a fascinating theory, and also how we have developed as species. For example, The Inheritors by William Golding are Darwinistic elements are themes I work with.

Can you name any major influences?

Desmond Morris and his Naked Ape and Human Zoo. And basically anything in my environment when I am working, or books that I am reading, Kurt Vonnegut, Sartre, Kirkegaard, philosophy, history basically everything. Goya and Bacon are major influences in my art too.

How do you view your art?

I am just trying to express my view on life, basically opinions, so I tend to be open minded.

Have you exhibited your work abroad?

No, not yet. It's in the works. My main exhibitions have been with others and a major one I did last March at Sævar Karl Gallery.

Favourite place in Reykjavík?

Coffeehouses Tíu Dropar and Grái Kötturinn

Favourite place outside of Reykjavík?

Þingvellir.