ARMORS is an installation by Icelandic sculptor Steinunn Thórarinsdóttir. At its center are the artist’s signature, pared-down human figures placed alongside meticulously recreated medieval suits of armor. The armor was created using 3D scans of historical pieces from the permanent collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, allowing for a high degree of detail and precision.
By juxtaposing the unprotected human body with heavy metal armor, the artist invites reflection on human fragility in the face of history, conflict, and time — and, at the same time, on the need for protection that every era resolves in its own way.
Steinunn Thórarinsdóttir is one of the leading figures in contemporary Icelandic sculpture. For decades she has explored the human condition through large-scale installations in public spaces around the world. The ARMORS series introduces armor into her practice for the first time as an independent visual element, creating a compelling encounter between the timeless human form and symbols of strength, conflict, and resilience.
The project is on display at the War Museum with the support of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Iceland and the Ministry of Culture of Iceland. This is the first presentation of ARMORS in a country living through the realities of war — a circumstance that lends the artist’s works particular symbolic significance.
Artist — Steinunn Thórarinsdóttir (Iceland)