Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson’s exhibition Mercy presents a wide-ranging examination of repetition, ritual, beauty and cultural identity, bringing together works that span years of artistic production while reflecting changing political and social moods.

The exhibition showcases Kjartansson’s distinctive approach to performance-based video art, a practice that frequently draws on music, literature, theater and visual culture. Across the works on display, recurring themes include family relationships, the passage of time, collective memory and the tension between optimism and uncertainty in contemporary society.

Among the central works featured is Me and My Mother, an ongoing project that documents a repeated performance involving Kjartansson and his mother, actress Guðrún Ásmundsdóttir. In each iteration, Ásmundsdóttir spits repeatedly at her son while he faces the camera. The work, revisited over many years, has evolved in meaning as both artist and participant have aged.

What initially appeared as a deliberately confrontational gesture has increasingly been interpreted through the lens of family bonds, endurance and generational change. The repeated enactment of the same act over time has transformed the project into a record of ageing and commitment, highlighting the persistence of personal relationships through changing circumstances.

Repetition functions as a defining feature throughout Kjartansson’s artistic practice. His works often involve the prolonged performance of songs, phrases, gestures or actions, creating experiences that unfold gradually and invite reflection on duration and attention. By extending simple actions over extended periods, the artist seeks to reveal emotional and psychological dimensions that may otherwise remain unnoticed.

The exhibition also reflects the broad range of influences that have shaped Kjartansson’s work. References to painting, cinema, theater and politics are embedded throughout the presentation. Particular attention is given to literary influences, including the work of Russian playwright and author Anton Chekhov, whose exploration of human longing, disappointment and everyday life has informed aspects of Kjartansson’s artistic outlook.

Several works reveal how broader political and cultural developments have influenced the artist’s perspective over time. Earlier pieces are associated with a period of relative optimism that coincided with the presidency of former U.S. President . According to the exhibition narrative, these works emerged during a period when expectations for political and social progress appeared comparatively strong.

More recent projects adopt a more restrained tone, reflecting concerns about social fragmentation, political polarization and cultural uniformity. This shift is particularly evident in Scenes from Western Culture, a work composed of a sequence of carefully observed everyday moments. The scenes include a couple dining in an upscale restaurant, a woman swimming laps in a private pool and children playing in a garden.

Rather than focusing on dramatic events, the work examines ordinary experiences associated with affluence and stability. The images depict lives marked by comfort and security, yet the absence of significant action encourages viewers to consider questions surrounding meaning, routine and satisfaction in contemporary consumer societies.

Kjartansson has linked aspects of the work to his observations about globalization and the increasing similarity of cultural experiences across different countries. Reflecting on international travel, the artist noted that many destinations appeared remarkably alike, with comparable retail outlets, food offerings and popular music regardless of geographic location.

His comments point to a broader debate about the effects of economic integration and digital connectivity on local identity. While globalization has expanded access to products, services and cultural content, critics have argued that it has also contributed to the standardization of urban environments and consumer experiences. Kjartansson’s observations place his work within this wider discussion about cultural convergence in the twenty-first century.

The exhibition concludes with No Tomorrow, a large-scale work featuring eight dancers performing across a largely empty and highly polished stage. The minimalist setting directs attention to movement, rhythm and spatial relationships rather than narrative development.

According to Kjartansson, rehearsals for the work began during the first presidency of U.S. President . The artist has described the piece as an exploration of beauty and emptiness, emphasizing aesthetic experience rather than explicit political commentary.

The work also reflects ideas associated with American painter , whom Kjartansson cited while discussing the role of beauty in artistic creation. Drawing on Martin’s thinking, he suggested that art can function either as a celebration of beauty present in the world or as a response to its absence.

The exhibition’s title, Mercy, similarly operates on multiple levels. Kjartansson has associated the term with both compassion and violence, highlighting what he sees as the coexistence of grace and conflict in human experience. He has also pointed to the word’s religious associations, noting its connection to traditions of faith, symbolism and ritual.

These themes are reinforced through the structure of many of the works on display. The repeated singing of lyrics, cyclical movements and sustained performances often resemble ceremonial practices. While rooted in contemporary art, the works borrow elements commonly associated with religious observance, including repetition, devotion and collective participation.

By revisiting actions over extended periods and across different contexts, Kjartansson’s work examines how meaning can emerge through persistence rather than novelty. The exhibition presents a body of work that connects personal experience with broader questions about culture, politics, memory and identity, while exploring how repetition can transform ordinary gestures into enduring artistic statements.