Roman Signer - Flateyri

1998

This striking photo-lithograph on aluminum by acclaimed Swiss artist Roman Signer captures a desolate and poetic scene from the Icelandic town of Flateyri, photographed in 1995 and produced as an edition in 1998. 

Signed and numbered on the reverse. 
Size : 50 x 70 cm

The image displays Signer’s signature exploration of everyday objects and landscapes transformed by subtle interventions and an acute sense of narrative tension.
Depicted under a cold, bluish sky, the bent metal railings and concrete walls evoke a sense of abandonment and quiet aftermath — hallmarks of Signer’s conceptual engagement with natural forces, time, and transformation. The minimal yet emotionally charged composition invites contemplation on fragility, resilience, and the passage of time.

Roman Signer (b. 1938) is one of Switzerland’s most influential contemporary artists, internationally celebrated for his poetic and often humorous experiments with time, physics, and materials. Trained in sculpture and influenced by Dada and Fluxus, Signer’s work often includes orchestrated explosions, water jets, flying objects, or ephemeral installations, all carefully documented through photography and film.

His works are in the collections of major institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Kunsthaus Zürich, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. 

Signer represented Switzerland at the Venice Biennale in 1999 and continues to produce compelling work that bridges the boundaries between conceptual art and physical performance.