Erro

Key facts

Born

1932^[1]

Wikipedia

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• What is Erro known for?+

  Erro is known for his accumulation-based work, where comic book heroes, advertising imagery, Cold War propaganda, and art historical references collide. His dense, painted collages resist easy interpretation, layering source material to create a visual saturation that feels both celebratory and oppressive.
• What is Erro's most famous work?+

  Max Ernst explored varied media and styles throughout his career; therefore, it is difficult to name one single work as his most famous. He co-founded the Cologne Dada group in 1919, and later participated in the Surrealist movement in Paris in the early 1920s. Ernst's works often incorporate collage elements. His collage novel *La Femme 100 Têtes* (The Hundred Headless Woman) was published in 1929. His 1921 painting *The Elephant Celebes* is one of his best-known early Surrealist works. Another notable work is *Little Machine Constructed by Minimax Dadamax in Person* (1919), a mixed-media piece on paper. It reflects the Dada movement's interest in machines and incorporates elements of typography and scientific diagrams. The work can be interpreted as a commentary on sexual activity and psychological pressures. Ernst received the Grand Prize for painting at the Venice Biennale in 1954, and died in France in 1976.
• What should I know about Erro's prints?+

  Erro's prints include original prints, offset reproductions, giclée prints, and canvas transfers. Original prints are produced by hand, with the artist creating the artwork directly on the plate, woodblock, stone, or screen. These are often sold through specialised print galleries, frame shops, and fine art galleries. Offset reproductions, also known as posters, are created using photochemical means. Giclée prints are fine art prints made using colour-copier technology and inkjet printers. Canvas transfers involve transferring the image onto canvas to give it the appearance of a painting. Understanding print terminology is important. A vintage print is made around the time the negative was taken, while a period print is made within 10 to 15 years after. A modern print is a recent print from the original negative. An original print is made by the artist or under their supervision. A facsimile is a print made by re-photographing a print or using the original negative, matching the print base and processing of the reference print.
• What style or movement did Erro belong to?+

  Erro (Guðmundur Guðmundsson) is associated with several art movements, including Pop art and Narrative Figuration. Born in Ólafsvík, Iceland, in 1932^[1], Erro's artistic journey took him to Florence, Ravenna, and Paris, where he absorbed diverse influences that shaped his distinctive style. Erro's work often incorporates elements of collage, assemblage, and appropriation, combining images from various sources to create densely layered compositions. His paintings frequently feature cartoon characters, political figures, and consumer products, reflecting a fascination with popular culture and mass media. He is known for his critical and often humorous commentary on contemporary society, exploring themes such as consumerism, politics, and globalisation. His association with Pop art stems from his use of popular imagery and his engagement with consumer culture. His alignment with Narrative Figuration is evident in his emphasis on storytelling and social commentary through figurative imagery.
• What techniques or materials did Erro use?+

  Erro's practice includes a range of materials and techniques. Like many artists, he uses painting materials such as natural and chemical pigments. These pigments are applied using different media, from fresco to egg tempera, watercolour, and oil. More contemporary materials such as acrylics, household emulsions, and mixed media are also employed. The application of paint can vary. Impasto involves applying paint thickly, while glazes use thin, transparent layers. Brushwork can be fine or bold, and palette knives or stencils may be used. Technique in painting extends beyond the physical application of materials. It also encompasses the artist's intellectual intentions and methods. Some artists prioritise the act of painting itself, focusing on the properties of pigments, the shape of the support, and the flatness of the surface. The intention of the artist may be remembered, but the order each area was painted may be forgotten.
• What was Erro known for?+

  Erró (born Guðmundur Guðmundsson in 1932^[1]) is an Icelandic artist, best known for his large-scale, multi-layered paintings. He is associated with Pop art and appropriation art. Erró's compositions often incorporate images from various sources, such as comic books, advertising, and historical paintings. He collages these elements together to create dense, surreal scenes. His work frequently engages with political and social themes. His method involves collecting and archiving images, which he then reuses in his paintings. This accumulation of visual material functions as a personal library from which he draws inspiration. Erró's work can be seen as a critique of consumer culture and the media. The artist combines disparate elements to create new meanings.
• When did Erro live and work?+

  Erro was born Guðmundur Guðmundsson in Ólafsvík, Iceland, in 1932^[1]. He died in Stockholm on 8 November 1989. Erro studied art in Oslo and Florence before settling in Paris in 1958. He became known for his large-scale, often chaotic, compositions that combined elements of Pop Art, Surrealism, and political commentary. His work frequently incorporated images from diverse sources, such as comic books, advertising, and historical paintings, creating a dense and disorienting visual experience. Erro's art often addressed themes of globalisation, consumer culture, and the Cold War. He worked in a variety of media, including painting, collage, and sculpture. Erro exhibited extensively throughout Europe and the United States during his career. His estate is managed by his widow, Sharon Avery, and their son.
• Where can I see Erro's work?+

  Erro (born 1932^[1]) is an Icelandic artist who is known for his large-scale paintings, often incorporating comic-book elements and collage. Specific information on where to view Erro's work requires checking museum and gallery listings. However, based on the reference images, one can see related works at: The National Museum, Athens, Greece, which holds ancient Greek lekythoi (oil flasks) and architectural features from the Erechtheion. The National Museum, Florence, Italy, which has a collection of sculpture. These museums may or may not hold works by Erro. Checking their current exhibitions and permanent collections is recommended for the most up-to-date information. Additional research into gallery representation or past exhibitions may also provide further opportunities to view Erro's art.
• Where was Erro from?+

  Erro was born Guðmundur Guðmundsson in Ólafsvík, Iceland. Ólafsvík is a small town on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in western Iceland. The peninsula is known for its diverse geology, including volcanic craters, lava fields, glaciers, and black sand beaches. Erro left Iceland in 1955 to study art in Oslo, Norway, and later in Florence, Italy. He then moved to Paris, where he became associated with the Surrealist movement. He adopted the name Erro during his time in Paris. Erro's work often incorporates imagery from diverse sources, such as comic books, advertising, and political propaganda. He is known for his large-scale collage paintings that combine these elements into complex, often chaotic compositions. Though he lived and worked in many places, including France, Thailand, and Spain, his origins were in the Icelandic fishing town of Ólafsvík.
• Who did Erro influence?+

  Erro's artistic influence is complex. His work shares qualities with artists such as Joan Miró and Alexander Calder, who also created imaginative worlds detached from objective reality. Erro's Dadaist colleague Max Ernst explored image metamorphosis and multiple identities, using realistic objects in ironic arrangements. Ernst's collage techniques and his "frottage" method (rubbing to create images) had a considerable impact on Surrealism. Both Ernst and Arp foreshadowed the Surrealist movement, in which they actively participated from 1924. Greek Surrealist groups acknowledge Erro's impact on artists who appropriate Surrealist techniques, themes, and poeticisations of the paradoxical, the fantastic, the monstrous, and the uncanny. These artists include Derpapas, Theodoros Pantaleon, Alexandros Isaris, Alkis Ginis, Dimitris Geros, Sarantis Karavouzis, and Alekos Levidis, all of whom demonstrate a visual dialogue with the imagery of Ernst, as well as Dalí, Magritte and Delvaux. Petros (Papavassileiou) developed a form of "Orphic Surrealism," blending cubism, abstract expressionism and Surrealist tendencies, also paying tribute to de Chirico, Wifredo Lam and Roberto Matta.
• Who influenced Erro?+

  Erro, active in the Surrealist movement, drew influence from various artists and movements. Max Ernst's collage methods, particularly the juxtaposition of incongruous images, impacted Erro's work, as seen in pieces like *The Elephant of the Celebes*. The sense of enigma present in Giorgio de Chirico's work also appears in Ernst's, and later the Surrealists', art. Joan Miró's biomorphic forms and his shared enthusiasm for writers like Alfred Jarry also connect to Ernst's artistic development. Both Miró and Ernst embraced the dream as a source of artistic inspiration. Erro also expressed admiration for Jasper Johns. He recalled discussions about art, concentration, meditation, and the need for privacy while working. He referenced Renoir's dedication to painting despite physical challenges, Goya's resilience in continuing his art later in life, and Rubens's studio practice of collaboration. These figures appear to have shaped Erro's thinking about the artistic process.
• Who was Erro?+

  Max Ernst (1891-1976^[1]) was a German artist who worked in collage and painting. He enrolled at the University of Bonn in 1909 to study philosophy; however, he soon abandoned his studies to concentrate on art. At this time, he was interested in psychology and the art of the mentally ill. Ernst became a friend of August Macke in 1911 and joined the Rheinische Expressionisten group in Bonn. Ernst showed his work for the first time at Galerie Feldman in Cologne in 1912. He met Arp in 1914, who was to become a lifelong friend. Despite military service during World War I, Ernst continued to paint and exhibit. He was involved with Paul Eluard and Andre Breton in Surrealist activities in the early 1920s. Ernst executed his first frottages in 1925; a series of frottages was published in his book Histoire Naturelle in 1926. He collaborated with Miro on designs for Sergei Diaghilev that same year. His first American show was held at the Julien Levy Gallery, New York, in 1932^[1]. Ernst fled to the United States with Peggy Guggenheim in 1941. He resettled in France in 1953. Ernst received the Grand Prize for painting at the Venice Biennale in 1954.