The artist Ásta Sigurðardóttir became “famous overnight,” as the saying goes, when her short story "Sunday Evening to Monday Morning" was published in the magazine Líf og List in 1951. At that time, Ásta was 21 years old. Much has been written and discussed about the reception of the story, the author herself, and the persona of Ásta over the years, so there’s no need to elaborate further. Less attention, however, has been given to Ásta as a visual artist, though she was an exceptionally talented and versatile creator. For a time, she worked at the pottery factory Funa, where she decorated ceramics with artistic embellishments.

Ásta also practiced painting, drawing, and graphic art, in addition to illustrating and designing playing cards featuring stunning depictions of well-known Icelandic folkloric figures. Although Ásta passed away at a young age and wasn’t able to complete the cards, her descendants ensured that they were fully realized, and they were published by Forlagið in 2022. The cards feature striking images of Icelandic sorcerers, witches, and ghosts, with the aces adorned with mythical creatures, magical herbs, and Icelandic magical staves, such as Ægishjálmur (the Helm of Awe), Þórshamar (Thor’s Hammer), Kaupaloki, and Ginfaxi, used to distinguish each suit.

Her descendants have also worked to revive her linocut art.

Ásta’s linocuts adorned her short story collection Sunday Evening to Monday Morning, published in 1961. These artworks are a powerful addition to Ásta’s straightforward and vivid prose. The dark tones and sharp shapes underline the tragic undertones and often shocking themes of the stories. Nearly all the images depict people, and Ásta had a unique ability to capture expressions. Her linocuts are characterized by a roughness and angular forms, especially when depicting men, as seen in her illustrations for the stories "Sunday Evening to Monday Morning" and "The Street in the Rain." These forms soften when she portrays women, and especially children, such as the young girl dreaming of a better life in "Royal Lilies" and the children in "Animal Story" and "Skerpla." Ásta’s short story collection is a beautiful and cohesive work of art, demonstrating that she was just as accomplished as a visual artist as she was a writer. It is fascinating to examine her texts from this perspective, as her imagery often flows into the writing, with many vividly graphic and magical descriptions found in her stories.

In connection with a play at the National Theatre of Iceland, Ásta’s descendants collaborated with graphic artist Guðmundur Ármann, who created 50 prints of each linocut. In June 2023, an exhibition of these prints, along with several preserved watercolor paintings by Ásta, was held. This exhibition will now travel to Akureyri and open at Hof on January 25, 2024.