Einar Thorsteinn

(IS)

Einar Thorsteinn (1942–2015) was a visionary architect, artist, and geometer whose innovative contributions spanned disciplines including architecture, space exploration, and contemporary art. His long-standing collaboration with Olafur Eliasson resulted in some of the most iconic works of modern art, including Model room (2003), which has become a cornerstone of Eliasson's artistic practice and is now part of the Moderna Museet collection.

The Role of Einar Thorsteinn in Model room

Model room is a dynamic landscape of geometric models and objects, a three-dimensional archive started in 1996 by Olafur Eliasson in collaboration with Einar Thorsteinn. It represents over two decades of creative experimentation and includes both realized and unrealized ideas. Einar’s deep expertise in geometry, particularly non-Euclidean geometries and fivefold symmetry, was instrumental in shaping the models and, by extension, Eliasson’s larger body of work. Eliasson himself referred to Model room as containing “the very DNA of my work,” a statement that acknowledges the profound influence of Einar’s contributions on his artistic vision.

Einar’s fascination with geometry was not merely academic but profoundly tactile and experiential. He believed that understanding complex forms required hands-on interaction, as “fingers can understand.” This philosophy is reflected in the meticulously crafted models within Model room, which invite viewers to engage with the foundational structures underlying Eliasson’s installations, pavilions, and monumental projects.

Acquisition by Moderna Museet

In 2015, Model room found a permanent home at Moderna Museet, a fitting location for a work that embodies both spatial and conceptual complexity. As Eliasson described, Model room “holds the very DNA of my work in a generous, spatial archive.” It also serves as a tribute to his collaboration with Einar Thorsteinn, highlighting the pivotal role the Icelandic architect and mathematician played in shaping Eliasson’s artistic practice. Moderna Museet’s director, Daniel Birnbaum, hailed the acquisition as “one of the key works of contemporary art,” providing Swedish audiences with unparalleled insight into the creative processes behind Eliasson’s art.

Einar Thorsteinn’s Broader Contributions

Beyond his collaboration with Olafur Eliasson, Einar Thorsteinn’s career encompassed a diverse range of projects, from working with NASA on lunar research habitats to proposing innovative urban designs such as the “Icelandic Oasis.” This proposed city in Iceland’s interior was conceived as a sustainable, futuristic community powered by geothermal energy, a vision that underscored Einar’s commitment to environmental harmony and human ingenuity.

Einar also exhibited his geometric explorations on multiple occasions at Stalke Galleri in Denmark, where his models were celebrated as works of art in their own right. These exhibitions, alongside his contributions to Model room, reveal the aesthetic and intellectual depth of his practice, which bridged architecture, mathematics, and art.

A Life of Experimentation

Einar Thorsteinn once remarked that he wanted his life to be “one big experiment,” a statement that aptly encapsulates his relentless curiosity and boundary-pushing creativity. His legacy lives on in works like Model room, where his geometric experiments continue to inspire and inform, and in his many contributions to architecture and design. Through his collaborations and independent projects, Einar demonstrated the power of interdisciplinary thinking, leaving an indelible mark on both contemporary art and the broader landscape of human creativity.

Artstamp.dk Guest

After Einar Thorsteinn's death in 2015, Artstamp released a special artstamp in 2019, which he had designed and approved prior to his passing. The stamp serves as a tribute to Einar's visionary work with geometry and experimentation, which left a lasting impact on art and architecture – particularly through his collaboration with Olafur Eliasson.

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