Career
He lived in the Netherlands in the 1970s where he received a Dutch stipend. There he came into more direct contact with the international avant-garde. In 1977, he was one of four Icelanders invited to exhibit in the new-opened Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, France.
He moved back to Iceland in 1979.
Kristján"s art reflects both prevailing traditions in late 20th century western art in general, and the dominance of abstract and conceptual art in the post-war art of Iceland in particular. He has said, "I am trying to work within the field of tension that exists between nothing and something".
In 1982 he represented Iceland at the Venice Biennale. 1993 he was one of three winners of the Prince Eugen Medal conferred by the King of Sweden.
He got it with his sound-absorbing pieces.
