Iceland is rich in centuries of artistic creation, influenced by major European trends, yet it has preserved its unique identity. The country’s literary heritage originates from the 12th and 14th Century, and today’s Icelandic culture thrives with professional theatres, art galleries, museums, cinemas, a symphony orchestra, and opera.

Gudrun Newman is one of the most successful contemporary artists to emerge out of Iceland in recent years. Gudrun started to draw figures and create art at a very young age. She studied with noted Icelandic artists Louisa Matthiasdottir and Hringur Johannesson. She was also influenced by many of Iceland’s prominent visual artists, including ERRO and Johannes S. Kjarval, and credits other European masters such as Wolf Kahn and Kandinsky as major forces in her artistic development