Description of the attraction
The Reykjavik Museum of Art has placed its exhibition in three buildings in different parts of the city. The first building of the museum was opened in 1973 in Klambratun Park and is named after one of the most beloved artists of Iceland - Kjarval (Johannes Sveinson). His paintings can be found all over the world, but the most complete collection of the master's works can be found here. Kjarval's landscapes are impossible to miss and remember. They contain all of Iceland, her beauty and all her open, but mysterious soul.
The artist is so loved by his people that even on the 2000 Icelandic crown banknote his portrait is depicted. The pseudonym Kjarval, taken by the painter in 1910, literally translates as "Cute whale". Looks like he really was a very nice person. In his youth, he fished on a ship until his crew paid for his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen.
The second building, the Ausmund Swainson Museum of Sculpture, was opened in 1983 in a house designed by the sculptor himself, on the outskirts of Loigadallur Park. The architecture of the building is a work of art in itself. The master's works can be seen in the halls of the museum, and in the park, around it.
The third building of the museum, Hapnarhus (port house), was opened in 2000 in a former warehouse. This building, the most visited, is located near the port. Of the permanent exhibition, the most significant are the works of the contemporary Icelandic artist Arrow (Gudmundur Gudmudson), who donated a significant part of his works to the museum. His surreal canvases are most interesting, but his pop art and comic book techniques are also impressive. In addition to the permanent exhibition, this building often hosts exhibitions of contemporary artists, music, film and theater events.
