The Ultimate Freedom Profession. #RagnarKjartansson

Why It Matters

Kjartansson’s view of art as a freedom‑driven, collaborative practice demonstrates how embracing play and autonomy can spark innovation across creative industries.

Key Takeaways

• Art offers unparalleled freedom to shape experiences and personal narratives.
• Ragnar Kjartansson emphasizes playfulness as core to artistic creation.
• Living in Iceland informs his visual work with natural inspiration.
• Moments of connection with friends become magical, collaborative art experiences.
• He frames his practice as a lifelong, immersive performance.

Summary

Ragnar Kjartansson, a visual artist based in Iceland, describes his craft as "the ultimate freedom profession." He frames art not merely as a career but as a way of living, where each creation becomes a moment of personal expression and autonomy.

Kjartansson highlights several guiding principles: the freedom to experiment, the importance of play, and the pursuit of magical, collaborative experiences. He likens artistic sessions to children’s games, where spontaneity and shared joy generate compelling visual narratives. The Icelandic landscape, especially natural elements like trees, serves as a recurring source of inspiration, reinforcing the bond between environment and creativity.

Memorable lines from the video include, "Being an artist is a way to live life, creating moments," and a whimsical observation that "the tree is fantastic." These remarks, paired with spontaneous singing and music, illustrate his belief that art should be immersive, performative, and deeply personal.

The broader implication is that artistic practice can model a work ethic centered on freedom, play, and community. For creators and businesses alike, embracing these values may foster innovation, enhance collaboration, and produce work that resonates on both emotional and cultural levels.

Original Description

“For me, being an artist is a way to live life creating moments,” says the artist. “It really feels like the ultimate freedom profession.”

Music echoes throughout a greenhouse in Iceland as artist Ragnar Kjartansson and a crew of close friends and long-time collaborators film his latest project, a performance set inside Europe’s oldest banana plantation.

“Moment is so important. Very similar to, like, a children's play. You meet your friends, and you play, and you try to create a situation that’s magical.”

Watch Ragnar Kjartansson in “Realms of the Real,” the second episode of Art21’s acclaimed series, “Art in the Twenty-First Century,” for free on Youtube: https://youtu.be/0yn6jvEUGpM