Shoplifter (real name Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir) is a New York City-based contemporary artist who works with synthetic and natural hair.[1] When Arnardóttir moved to New York in 1994, her birth name was mispronounced as Shoplifter and she has gone by that name ever since.[2][3]

Shoplifter
Born
Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir

Reykjavik, Iceland
NationalityIcelandic
Websitewww.shoplifterart.com

Shoplifter is known for her sculptures, wall murals, and site-specific installations and has shown her work worldwide and collaborated with artists from various countries.[4] In 2004, she collaborated with musician Björk and created the hair mask for the cover of her album Medúlla.[5][6] In 2008, she worked in collaboration with Aimez Vous Avec Ferveur to create a large-scale window installation at MoMA.[7]

Shoplifter represented Iceland at La Biennale di Venezia in 2019[8] with her installation Chromo Sapiens.

Early life and influences

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Shoplifter was born in Reykjavik, Iceland.[9] At an early age, she was introduced to the art of hair by her grandmother, who stored one of her cut-off braids in her bedroom drawer.[10] She works with hair in various ways, creating multi-colored structures.[11] Shoplifter has a background in painting and works within the spaces of art, design, and fashion.[12]

She has collaborated with brands such as Moncler, Comme des Garçons, & Other Stories, and HAY.[13][14][15]

Shoplifter completed her BFA at the Icelandic College of Art and Crafts in Iceland and her MFA at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.[16]

References

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  1. ^ "Icelandic Artist Creates Enormous Installations Using Hair". mymodernmet.com. 18 November 2018.
  2. ^ "We meet Icelandic artist Shoplifter at her hair-filled Brooklyn studio". 20 January 2016.
  3. ^ "Icelandic artist and björk collaborator shoplifter has a hair fetish". 23 June 2017.
  4. ^ Stefánsdóttir, Björg. "Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir / Shoplifter (2019)". Icelandic Art Center.
  5. ^ Sayej, Nadja (June 23, 2017). "icelandic artist and björk collaborator shoplifter has a hair fetish".
  6. ^ "As Björk Opens at MoMA, Behind the Scenes of Her Most Iconic Images". 2 March 2015.
  7. ^ "assume vivid astro focus and Shoplifter Get Psychdelic and Hairy at the MoMA - PAPER". 24 June 2008.
  8. ^ "Iceland Goes With Shoplifter for 2019 Venice Biennale". 5 June 2018.
  9. ^ Phaidon Editors (2019). Great women artists. Phaidon Press. p. 40. ISBN 978-0714878775. {{cite book}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  10. ^ "10 Contemporary Nordic Artists You Should Know". 12 October 2018.
  11. ^ "Talking Textiles with Shoplifter | art | Phaidon". www.phaidon.com.
  12. ^ "Step Inside the Neon Hair Cave of Shoplifter, the Artist Behind Iceland's Immersive Pavilion at This Year's Venice Biennale". 9 May 2019.
  13. ^ "Shoplifter is the Icelandic artist bringing camp hair art to the Venice Biennale". www.sleek-mag.com.
  14. ^ Igneri, Jenna. "& Other Stories Just Launched A Collaboration With The Artist Shoplifter". Nylon.
  15. ^ "Noir Kei Ninomiya Fall 2020 Ready-to-Wear Collection". 29 February 2020.
  16. ^ "Hrafnhildur Arnardottir aka Shoplifter".