Listasafnsfélagið, the Friends of the National Gallery of Iceland, will be relaunched!

Listasafnsfélagið, the Friends of the National Gallery of Iceland, will be re-established at a meeting held at the National Gallery of Iceland, Fríkirkjuvegur 7, on Thursday, January 9th, at 5:00 p.m. The meeting is open to all, and everyone is welcome to become a founding member. Membership dues are set at 5000 ISK.

The initiative is spearheaded by Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Reimar Pétursson, and Salvör Nordal. The association will operate within the framework of Act 110/2021 on non-profit organizations, with its primary goal being to support the National Gallery of Iceland. With limited funding for acquisitions, the gallery’s aspiration to become a world-class institution depends on acquiring more key works by Icelandic and international artists.

The association plans to host two exclusive annual events for its members and organize fundraising activities to benefit the National Gallery of Iceland.

Over the years, many artists and benefactors have generously supported the gallery through donations of artworks and financial contributions. The largest single donation came in 1980 from Helga Jónsdóttir and Sigurliði Kristjánsson, valued today at nearly one billion ISK. Recently, the heirs of Þorvaldur Guðmundsson and Ingibjörg Guðmundsdóttir, associated with the company Síld og Fisk, gifted the gallery approximately 1,400 works.

The soon-to-be-established association has already received a pledge from Birgir Þór Bieltvedt and Eygló Björk Kjartansdóttir, offering a magnificent piece by renowned Swedish painter Andreas Eriksson. The artist has noted that the work is inspired by Icelandic nature.

The original National Gallery Society operated briefly in the 1950s and contributed several notable international contemporary works to the gallery. Gunnlaugur Þórðarson, a lawyer and art enthusiast, served as its chairman.

We warmly welcome you to join us at the founding meeting! Katrín Jakobsdóttir will introduce the new society, while Logi Einarsson, the new Minister of Culture, will deliver an address. Ingibjörg Jóhannsdóttir, Director of the National Gallery of Iceland, will also give a short presentation.

With best regards,

The Preparatory Committee for Listasafnsfélagið