Shoplifter (Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir) is a leading figure in Icelandic contemporary art, having lived in New York for 25 years. Her work has been exhibited globally, and she is widely known for her use of artificial and human hair. Shoplifter's work includes sculptures, murals, performances, and site-specific installations, exploring themes of vanity, self-image, fashion, beauty, and popular myths. For Shoplifter, hair is the most fundamental line on our bodies; it is a primal, creative fiber, a way of expressing oneself as an individual, and often a form of art.
In 2019, Shoplifter represented Iceland at the Venice Biennale in Italy, where her work *Chromo Sapiens* received widespread acclaim globally. Her recent works include solo exhibitions at Kiasma-National Gallery of Finland (2019), the National Gallery of Iceland (2017), Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles (2017), and the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art in Australia (2016). She also boasts notable projects and awards, including a large-scale window installation for the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in collaboration with the art collective AVAF (ASSUME VIVID ASTRO FOCUS), the Museum of Modern Art, New York (2008), the Nordic Textile Award, and the King and Royal Crown Prize for Artistic Achievement of Sweden (2011).
Shoplifter / Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir
The 2019 Venice Biennale, "Chromo Sapiens"
National Gallery of Iceland, 2017
Shoplifter frequently collaborates with iconic brands and other creatives, including &other Stories, HAY, Moncler, Björk, Noir by Kei ninmoyia for Comme des Garcons, and others.
Shoplifter first collaborated with BIOEFFECT in 2015 when she designed an illustrated box for the 5th anniversary limited edition EGF SERUM product. Building on that successful collaboration, BIOEFFECT commissioned her to create a unique bottle, sculpture, and box for the 10th anniversary product.