Kristján H. Magnússon - Posters

In addition to his fine art, Kristján Helgi Magnússon also trained as a commercial artist during his advanced studies at the National Academy of Design in New York, 1926–27, and from that time onward he worked in this field alongside his artistic practice, in New York and in Reykjavík. Kristján’s experience in lithography and advertising design stood him in good stead when he designed advertisements and posters for Eimskipafélag Íslands (the Iceland Steamship Company), 1929-34. The Art Deco style in crafts, design and architecture, which had been launched at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris in 1925, was flourishing in New York at that time. Art Deco influence is evident in Kristján’s posters, which will be displayed at the House of Collections on Hverfisgata at the same time as his paintings and drawings are on exhibition at the National Gallery of Iceland.