ólafur elíasson
Ólafur Elíasson: A Biography Early Life and Education Born in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1967 to Icelandic parents, Elías Hjörleifsson and Ingibjörg Olafsdottir. Spent formative years navigating dual cultural identities – Danish and Icelandic. Showed early artistic promise with his first solo exhibition at age 15. Studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from 1989 to 1995, a period crucial for developing his conceptual ap…
The Lifeline
Scroll through ólafur elíasson's working life — artwork by artwork, chapter by chapter — from the earliest dated work to the last. Each thumbnail is pinned at its exact year on the gold axis.
Chapters — Career Periods
The ribbon is divided into shaded bands, one per career chapter. Each chapter groups ólafur elíasson's works by their historical period — early training, mature practice, final years.
Thumbnails — Dated Works
Every thumbnail is pinned at its precise creation year. A thin gold thread drops from the image to its exact point on the axis. Larger frames mark the artist's masterpieces by rank.
Colour Band — Movement Drift
The gradient bar beneath the axis shifts colour as the dominant art movement changes over time — from the warm golds of the early period through the deeper tones of maturity. It fills progressively as you scroll.