Genteel galleries in Iceland

Hidden down an alley just off Laugavegur, DEAD Gallery is the headquarters of multimedia artist Jón Sæmundur. Diagnosed with HIV in 1994, Jón was forced to confront the boundaries of life and death. His exploration into this most poignant of dualities has emerged in his iconic paintings. His watercolours of the jet-black façade known as Spirit have since been extended into vibrant kaleidoscopic canvases that hang proudly in many Icelandic homes. Jón has not only limited himself to painting but also produces films, sculpture, a clothing line and regularly performs with his band, The Dead Skeletons.