CULTURE
Visual art
Mind t ravel
Tolli discusses his art and the power of mindfulness and meditation. TEXT: Eyglo Svala Arnarsdottir PHOTO: Arni Saeberg
“You enter a dragon’s cave and meet your biggest fear. It’s crucial to always approach it with love.” Visual artist Tolli (Thorlakur Kristinsson Morthens) is passionate about mindfulness. He has meditated every morning and evening for about a decade. “Meditation is a rendezvous with oneself.” He likes meditating outside in nature and also practices sweat, purification ceremonies inside a closed tent with hot rocks in the centre. Nature also inspires Tolli’s art. He recently exhibited landscape paintings in four airports around Iceland. “These are landscape themes from here and there, depending on what the paintbrush wants to see. But in
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fact, the motive is secondary. The process of painting a picture is the main issue. That the painting follows its own principles, not that it’s an image of a mountain or a place”, explains Tolli. His works are characterised by bold brushstrokes, a strong character and vibrant colours. “There’s always an interplay between light and shadow. The light plays the main part and leads the narrative.” Tolli explains that airports are excellent locations for art shows because of the spacious capacities and high ceilings. “Thousands of people constantly flow through the building and stop for 10–15 minutes, maybe longer, and enjoy for a while before boarding the plane or picking up their
bags, and then a conversation takes place.” The project is a collaboration between Tolli and Isavia, the airports’ operator. They now plan to use the terminals as makeshift cultural institutions for introducing the works of young artists. Tolli regularly gives courses in mindfulness and meditation at various workplaces and in prisons. “I try to bring the light from the paintings into the prisons”, he says. “Among those who begin to practice and connect to my teachings the results are indisputable. Changes happen regardless of who you are. It doesn’t matter if you’re a prisoner or a bank director; if you pick this up it will change you for the better.”
