Retrospective

Valtýr Pétursson (1919−1988) was a pioneer of Icelandic abstract art, a productive painter, an important critic and an active participant in artists' unions and groups. The exhibition be to opened at the National Gallery of Iceland in September 2016 is intended to provide an overview of his rich artistic career.

The last retrospective of Valtýr Pétursson's works was held at the National Gallery in 1986. We are thus long overdue to introduce this multitalented artist to new generations and to provide older generations with an opportunity to renew their acquaintance with him. Many aspects of Valtýr's work speak directly to the present day and prompt us to examine the present in a new light.

The exhibition at the National Gallery will be held in two of the museum's galleries and accompanied by a book that combines scholarly articles on Valtýr's career as an artist and critic with a detailed biography and photographs of his works.

The exhibition, along with the book on Valtýr and his art, is a collaboration with the Valtýr Pétursson Museum, which was founded after his death and preserves numerous oil paintings and works on paper as well as letters, newspaper articles, photographs, and other documents relating to Valtýr Pétursson, which provide invaluable insights into his life and work.