Programme of the week
Installation view of the exhibition Looking Inward, Looking Outward: 140 years of the National Gallery of Iceland
Event – House of Collections
January 23, 2025 // 12pm (noon)
The Book is Now
Lecture by Hans Gremmen
You are warmly invited to a lecture by Hans Gremmen at The House of Collections, part of the Iceland Photography Festival program.
Hans Gremmen is an acclaimed graphic designer based in Amsterdam. His expertise spans photography, architecture, and visual arts. Over his career, he has designed more than 300 books and received numerous prestigious awards, including a gold medal in the international competition for the world’s best book design. His works have been featured in renowned institutions such as the Stedelijk Museum, MoMA, Boijmans Van Beuningen, and the Pompidou Centre.
In 2008, Gremmen founded the publishing house Fw:Books, specializing in photography-focused projects and publications. More recently, he co-established ENTER ENTER with Roma Publications—a unique exhibition space in the heart of Amsterdam that explores and redefines the boundaries of the book as a medium.
Join us for an inspiring evening celebrating the intersection of design, photography, and art!
Steina, Violin Power I, 1970–1978 Video, 10,04 min.
Event – The House of Collections
January 23, 2025 // 2-5 pm
Art Can Heal
A Symposium on Art Therapy Honoring Sigríður Björnsdóttir
Join us at The House of Collections, on Hverfisgata, for a heartfelt symposium dedicated to exploring art therapy in honor of Sigríður Björnsdóttir. This special event will bring together both Icelandic and international experts to share insights and perspectives.
The program includes a panel discussion moderated by Ingibjörg Jóhannsdóttir, Director of the National Gallery of Iceland, featuring speakers Ágústa Oddsdóttir, Egill Sæbjörnsson, Dr. Abigail Ley, Ingimar Ólafsson Waage, and Simona Dvorák.
This symposium coincides with the release of the award-winning book, Art Can Heal: The Life and Work of Sigríður Björnsdóttir by Ágústa Oddsdóttir, which earned the Icelandic Visual Arts Award in 2023.
For the full program, see details below.
Note: Regular museum admission applies.
Orri Jónsson, Þórdís, París, 1991.
Event / The National Gallery
January 24, 2025 // 5 pm
Intimacies of the Everyday
Photographs by Agnieszka Sosnowska, Joakim Eskildsen, Niall McDiarmid, Orri Jónsson, and Sally Mann
Exhibition Opening!
On January 24, the National Gallery of Iceland proudly opens the group exhibition Intimacies of the Everyday, featuring over 60 photographs by renowned international artists Agnieszka Sosnowska, Joakim Eskildsen, Niall McDiarmid, Orri Jónsson, and Sally Mann, curated by Pari Stave.
The works in Intimacies of the Everyday were selected from discrete series within each artist’s practice and represent decades-long and ongoing preoccupations with photographing the people and places closest to home. The exhibition is organized around the unifying idea that certain images can only be achieved by close, attentive, and sustained observation. The works in the exhibition speak eloquently to the photographers’ intimate familiarity with their subjects and thus the intrinsic tenderness in their approach. In turn, the photographs also reveal the sitters’ willing participation in the artistic process, an implied trust and understanding that at times functions as creative collaboration.
The exhibition will be on view at the museum from January 24 – May 4, 2025. The opening is timed to coincide with the biennial Icelandic Photography Festival, January 17–26, 2025.
The exhibition is sponsored by the American Friends of the National Gallery of Iceland, the Danish Arts Foundation, Ny Carlsberg Foundation, and the US Embassy in Iceland. Agnieszka Sosnowska and Orri Jónsson received funding support from Myndstef.
More: Intimacies of the Everyday | National Gallery of Iceland
Facebook event: Sýningaropnun! Nánd hversdagsins / Opening! Intimacies of the Everyday | Facebook
Event / The National Gallery
January 24, 2025 // 5 - 7:30 pm
Book signing event and pop-up photobook market
Coinciding with the opening of Intimacies of the Everyday, join us for a book signing event and a pop-up photobook market at the Workshop, located in the museum on Fríkirkjuvegur. The event runs from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM.
The market will feature participants from diverse and renowned backgrounds, including Fw:Books, Kind, Void, and Fraser Muggeridge Studio. Members of FÍSL will also showcase their books, along with artists participating in the exhibition The Intimacy of the Everyday.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to explore an inspiring collection of photobooks and connect with creators from around the world!
Facebook event: Pop-up ljósmyndabókamarkaður og kynning / Photobook Pop-up and book signing | Facebook
Event – The House of Collections, January 25, 2025
Krummi Kids’ Club
Troll Play and Clay Workshop with Ūgh and Bõögâr and Egill Sæbjörnsson
Join us at The House of Collctions for a magical, family-friendly art workshop with Krummi Kids’ Club! Get creative as we sculpt trolls and troll-inspired jewelry from clay. The event also features a special reading by artist Egill Sæbjörnsson from his newly translated book about Úr and Búr, two whimsical, art-loving trolls.
While you’re here, don’t miss the folklore exhibition Stand Still Like a Stone in the museum's Exhibition Hall. Discover enchanting tales of Icelandic ghosts, elves, and trolls.
Workshop Leader: Ingibjörg Hannesdóttir, Education and Outreach Specialist
FREE entry for the whole family!
Unleash your imagination and explore the magical world of trolls!
More: Troll Play and Clay Workshop with Ūgh and Bõögâr and Egill Sæbjörnsson | National Gallery of Iceland
Facebook: Krakkaklúbburinn Krummi: Tröllaleikur og leirsmiðja | Facebook
Sally Mann. Ponder Heart, 2009. Silfurprent / Gelatin Silver Print. (c) Sally Mann. Með leyfi /Courtesy Gagosian.
Event / The National Gallery
January 26, 2025 // 2 pm
Intimacies of the Everyday
Exhibition tour in English with curator Pari Stave
Join us for an engaging curator-led tour at the National Gallery of Iceland on Sunday, January 26, at 2:00 PM. Head curator Pari Stave will guide visitors through the group exhibition Intimacies of the Everyday, featuring over 60 photographs by acclaimed artists Agnieszka Sosnowska, Joakim Eskildsen, Niall McDiarmid, Orri Jónsson, and Sally Mann.
Part of the Iceland Photography Festival, this exhibition presents works thoughtfully selected from specific series by each artist, offering an intimate glimpse into their profound passion for photographing people in the environments most meaningful to them.
The tour will be conducted in English.
Don’t miss this opportunity to delve deeper into the artistry and stories behind these extraordinary works!
More: Curator’s led tour | National Gallery of Iceland
Facebook event: Nánd hversdagsins – Leiðsögn sýningarstjóra / Intimacies of the Everyday – Curator’s led tour | Facebook