Reykjavik Art Museum brings you the highlights of Icelandic art
Reykjavik Art Museum is located in three unique buildings; Hafnarhúsið, Kjarvalsstaðir and Ásmundarsafn, all situated in the heart of the city. You can easily walk from one to the other and the entrance ticket is valid to all the houses on the same day. The summer exhibitions form a fascinating profile of Icelandic art from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day, giving viewers an interesting insight into the country, culture and history.
Hafnarhúsið
This former warehouse is located in the city centre and focuses on contemporary art today. The museum offers a permanent exhibition of the art of Erró, Iceland’s most renowned Pop artist. This summer, it is showing a collection of recent works that present a new period in the artist’s career. The exhibition, entitled ‘The World Today’, consists of pieces created using diverse methods – oils, watercolours, collages and enamels – that clearly show the artist’s love for life and the playful creativity of his visual world.
‘Your compound view—Selection from the collection from 1970-2010’ shows the works of fifty of the most interesting artists in the Icelandic art scene over the last thirty years, among them Ólafur Elíasson, Ragnar Kjartansson and Gabríela Friðriksdóttir. The exhibition varies in both medium and concept and reflects, in spite of its diversity, how generations of artists influence one another.
Open daily from 10am – 5pm and from 10am – 8pm on Thursdays. Tel: +354 590 1200. Guided tours every Thursday at 6pm throughout June and August.
Kjarvalsstaðir
Here the key works of Jóhannes Kjarval, one of Iceland´s most beloved painters, are exhibited all-year round. Kjarval’s vision of Icelandic nature is incomparable, in his work land and saga become one and the otherworld of folklore and myth merges with the landscape. The summer exhibition, ‘The seasons in Kjarval’s art’, offers a selection of his paintings that depict the changing of the land with the seasons.
‘Affinities’ and ‘Reykjavik, City, Structure’, showcase works from various periods in Icelandic art history. In ‘Affinities’ works of different artists, in some way linked or alike, are juxtaposed. The show does not have a certain thematic approach, rather it creates a dialogue by pairing works that somehow speak together, creating a whole new experience for the viewer. ‘Reykjavík, City, Structure’ explores the transformation of Reykjavik from town to city as depicted in the works of various artists. The exhibition is decorated with ten poems about Reykjavik, chosen by Reykjavik UNESCO City of Literature.
Open daily from 10am – 5pm. Tel: +354 517 1290. Guided tours every Friday at 1pm throughout June and August.
Ásmundarsafn
This magical house is literally the ‘house’ of pioneer sculptor Ásmundur Sveinsson since it was mostly designed by the artist himself and partly served as his studio and home. The museum is surrounded by a garden filled with the artist’s marvellous creations, works that show his love for Icelandic folklore, nature and the common people of the country. The sculptures span his entire career and clearly show his growth and development as an artist.
Open daily from 10am – 5pm. Tel: +354 553 2155.
