Starfsfólk safnsins leiðir gesti um valin verk og opnar nýjar leiðir inn í listina á skýran og aðgengilegan hátt.  

Nú standa yfir tvær áhugaverðar sýningar á Kjarvalsstöðum: Smáborg, háborg – Reykjavík í mynd í Vestursal og Kjarval og 20. öldin: Þegar nútíminn lagði að í Austursal.  

Í leiðsögninni fá gestir tækifæri til að staldra við, skoða nánar og dýpka skilning sinn á völdum verkum — stutt, skýrt og hnitmiðað.

Museum staff lead visitors through selected works, opening up new perspectives on the art in a clear and accessible way.

Two exciting exhibitions are on view at Kjarvalsstaðir: Big little City – Reykjavík in View in the West Gallery, and Kjarval and the 20th Century: When Modernity Anchored in the East Gallery.  

During the tours, visitors have the opportunity to pause, look closer, and gain deeper insight into selected works — brief, focused, and enriching.

Daily short guided tours offer a fresh and engaging way to experience the exhibitions at Reykjavík Art Museum.

Mini Tour on Exhibitions | Kjarvalsstaðir

Daglegar stuttar leiðsagnir bjóða upp á ferska og lifandi nálgun að sýningum Listasafns Reykjavíkur.

Örleiðsögn um sýningar | Kjarvalsstaðir

Fræðsla

Leiðsögn

Starfsfólk safnsins leiðir gesti um valin verk og opnar nýjar leiðir inn í listina á skýran og aðgengilegan hátt.  

Nú standa yfir tvær áhugaverðar sýningar í Hafnarhúsi; Karin Sander: 1957–2057 og Erró: Remix, ásamt úrvali af Víðáttum.  

Í leiðsögninni fá gestir tækifæri til að staldra við, skoða nánar og dýpka skilning sinn á lykilverkum sýninganna — stutt, skýrt og hnitmiðað.

Museum staff lead visitors through selected works, opening up new perspectives on the art in a clear and accessible way.  

Two exhibitions are on view at Hafnarhús: Karin Sander 1957–2057 and Erró: Remix - including a selection af Scapes.  

During the tours, visitors have the opportunity to pause, look closer, and gain deeper insight into key pieces — brief, focused, and enriching.

Mini Tour on Exhibitions | Hafnarhús

Örleiðsögn um sýningar | Hafnarhús

Í tilefni 240 ára afmælis Reykjavíkur árið 2026 er ásýnd borgarinnar í gegnum tíðina tekin til skoðunar á sumarsýningu á Kjarvalsstöðum.  

Við kynnum ný samtímalistaverk, drögum fram áhugaverð listaverk úr safneign og fáum að láni forvitnilega muni frá öðrum söfnum og stofnunum. Þar sjáum við borgina þróast frá kaupstað og sjávarþorpi til fjölþjóðlegrar menningar- og ferðamannaborgar í lifandi, brotakenndri og síbreytilegri mynd. Sýningin kallar fram spurningar um ímynd, borgarskipulag, samfélagsgerð og menningarlega sjálfsmynd. Hinu áþreifanlega er stillt upp samhliða hinu ljóðræna, hinu sögulega og hinu listræna, hinu persónulega og hinu sammannlega.  

Aðgöngumiði á safnið gildir. Frítt fyrir Árskorts- og Menningarkorthafa, frítt fyrir yngri en 18 ára.

On the occasion of Reykjavík’s 240th anniversary in 2026, the city’s appearance throughout history is examined in a summer exhibition at Kjarvalsstaðir.  

We present new contemporary artworks, showcase interesting works from the museum’s collection, and borrow curious objects from other museums and institutions. Here, we see the city evolve from a trading post and fishing village into a multicultural center of culture and tourism, depicted in a lively, fragmented, and ever-changing way. The exhibition raises questions about identity, urban planning, social structure, and cultural self-perception. The tangible is displayed alongside the lyrical, the historical, and the artistic, the personal and the collective.  

Admission with museum ticket. Free for Annual pass- and Culture Card holders, free for visitors under 18.

Curators Sigurður Trausti Traustason and Sunna Ástþórsdóttir will guide visitors through the exhibition Big Little City – Images of Reykjavík on the closing day of the exhibition in Kjarvalsstaðir on Sunday, 18 October at 2:00 PM.

Sunday Gallery Talk with Curator on Closing Day | Big Little City – Images of Reykjavík

Sigurður Trausti Traustason og Sunna Ástþórsdóttir sýningastjórar leiðir gesti um sýninguna Smáborg, háborg – Reykjavík í mynd á síðasta sýningardegi hennar á Kjarvalsstöðum, sunnudag 18. október, kl. 14.00.

Sunnudagsleiðsögn sýningarstjóra á lokadegi | Smáborg, háborg – Reykjavík í mynd

Sýningarspjall

Sýning

Erró safnar, klippir og blandar saman myndefni úr ólíkum áttum og skapar úr því kraftmikil verk þar sem kunnuglegar myndir öðlast nýja merkingu. Í opinni klippismiðju geta þátttakendur prófað svipaðar aðferðir, leikið sér með fundið myndefni og skapað sín eigin verk í frjálsu og skapandi umhverfi. Allt efni verður á staðnum, en þátttakendur mega endilega taka með sér eigið myndefni til að klippa og umbreyta.

Gestir geta komið og farið að vild, dvalið stutt eða lengur og tekið þátt á sínum forsendum, einir, með öðrum eða í samveru ólíkra kynslóða.  

Á öllum barna og fjölskylduviðburðum Listasafns Reykjavíkur er gert ráð fyrir því að börn komi ásamt fullorðnum fjölskyldumeðlimum og njóti samverunnar.  

Frítt inn á söfn Listasafns Reykjavíkur fyrir fullorðna í fylgd barna allt vetrarfríið og fjölbreytt dagskrá í boði fyrir barnafjölskyldur.

Erró collects, cuts, and combines images from a wide range of sources, creating powerful works in which familiar images take on new meanings. In this open collage workshop, participants can experiment with similar techniques, play with found imagery, and create their own works in a free and creative environment. All materials will be provided, but participants are also welcome to bring their own images to cut up and transform.

Visitors are welcome to come and go as they please, stay for a short while or longer, and participate on their own terms, whether individually, with others, or across generations.

At all Reykjavík Art Museum events for children and families, it is expected that children are accompanied by adult family members so everyone can enjoy the experience together.   

Admission to all Reykjavík Art Museum locations is free for adults accompanied by children throughout the autumn break, with a diverse program available for families.

Come and cut, paste, and create in our open collage workshop at Hafnarhús during the autumn break!

Autumn Break in Hafnarhús | Open collage workshop — inspired by the works of Erró

Komið og klippið, límið og skapið í opinni samklippismiðju í Hafnarhúsi í haustfríinu!

Haustfrí í Hafnarhúsi | Opin samklippismiðja – innblásin af verkum Errós

Börn og fjölskyldur

Í austurenda Kjarvalsstaða er Hvammur, barna- og fjölskyldurými þar sem gestir geta komið við, skoðað bækur og látið sköpunargleðina njóta sín. Í haustfríinu verður þar opin hestasmiðja þar sem börn og fjölskyldur geta skapað sína eigin hesta með fjölbreyttum efniviði. Í rýminu eru einnig nokkur listaverk tengd hestum sem geta orðið kveikja að eigin sköpun.

Á Kjarvalsstöðum verður einnig hægt að næla sér í ratleik um sýninguna Kjarval og 21. öldin og halda af stað í skemmtilega könnunarferð um sýninguna.

Gestir geta komið og farið að vild, dvalið stutt eða lengur og tekið þátt á sínum forsendum, einir, með öðrum eða í samveru ólíkra kynslóða.

Á öllum barna- og fjölskylduviðburðum Listasafns Reykjavíkur er gert ráð fyrir því að börn komi ásamt fullorðnum fjölskyldumeðlimum og njóti samverunnar.

Frítt inn á söfn Listasafns Reykjavíkur fyrir fullorðna í fylgd barna allt vetrarfríið og fjölbreytt dagskrá í boði fyrir barnafjölskyldur.

At the east end of Kjarvalsstaðir you’ll find Hvammur, a creative space for children and families where visitors can browse books and enjoy a variety of creative activities. There, children and families can take part in a horse-themed workshop and create their very own horses using a range of materials. The space also features several artworks related to horses, offering inspiration for your own creations.

Visitors can also pick up a scavenger hunt for the exhibition Kjarval and the 21st Century and set off on a fun journey of discovery through the exhibition.

Visitors are welcome to come and go as they please, stay for a short while or longer, and participate on their own terms, whether individually, with others, or across generations.

At all Reykjavík Art Museum events for children and families, it is expected that children are accompanied by adult family members so everyone can enjoy the experience together.   

Admission to all Reykjavík Art Museum locations is free for adults accompanied by children throughout the autumn break, with a diverse program available for families.

Visit Kjarvalsstaðir during the autumn break, explore the art and get creative together in Hvammur!

Autumn Break in Kjarvalsstaðir | Open Horse-Workshop and Scavanger Hunt

Komið í heimsókn á Kjarvalsstaði í haustfríinu, skoðið listina og skapið saman í Hvammi!

Haustfrí á Kjarvalsstöðum | Opin hestasmiðja og ratleikur á Kjarvalsstöðum

Undraland: Opin vinnustofa býður börnum, fjölskyldum og öllum sem eiga leið um safnið að taka þátt í skapandi ferli þar sem unnið er með form, efni og hugmyndir á opinn og aðgengilegan hátt. Í vinnustofunni er athyglinni beint að vinnuaðferðum Ásmundar Sveinssonar – hvernig hann vann í gegnum tilraunir, endurtekningar og náið samtal við efnið. Lögð er áhersla á einfaldan og fjölbreyttan efnivið og handverkslega nálgun, þar sem ferlið sjálft skiptir meira máli en endanleg niðurstaða. 

Gestir geta komið og farið að vild, dvalið stutt eða lengur og tekið þátt á sínum forsendum, einir, með öðrum eða í samveru ólíkra kynslóða.  

Á öllum barna og fjölskylduviðburðum Listasafns Reykjavíkur er gert ráð fyrir því að börn komi ásamt fullorðnum fjölskyldumeðlimum og njóti samverunnar.  

Frítt inn á söfn Listasafns Reykjavíkur fyrir fullorðna í fylgd barna allt vetrarfríið og fjölbreytt dagskrá í boði fyrir barnafjölskyldur.

Wonderland: Open Workshop offers children, families, and all visitors to the museum the opportunity to take part in a creative process that explores form, materials, and ideas in an open and accessible way. The studio focuses on the working methods of Ásmundur Sveinsson — how he developed his work through experimentation, repetition, and a close dialogue with materials. Emphasis is placed on simple yet varied materials and a hands-on, craft-based approach, where the process itself is valued more highly than the final outcome.  

Visitors are welcome to come and go as they please, stay for a short while or longer, and participate on their own terms, whether individually, with others, or across generations.

At all Reykjavík Art Museum events for children and families, it is expected that children are accompanied by adult family members so everyone can enjoy the experience together.   

Admission to all Reykjavík Art Museum locations is free for adults accompanied by children throughout the autumn break, with a diverse program available for families.

Be warmly welcomed to Wonderland in Ásmundarsafn – an open studio that places emphasis on togetherness and living creativity, inspired by the methods of Ásmundur Sveinsson.

Autumn Break in Ásmundarsafn | Wond­erland: Open workshop in Ásmundarsafn

Verið hjartanlega velkomin í Undraland í Ásmundarsafni – opna vinnustofu þar sem áhersla er lögð á samveru og lifandi sköpun byggða á aðferðum Ásmundar Sveinssonar.

Haustfrí í Ásmundarsafni | Undraland: Opin vinnustofa í Ásmundarsafni

Í skapandi smiðjum á Listasafni Reykjavíkur er lögð áhersla á frjálsa sköpun með fjölbreyttan efnivið. Gestir njóta leiðsagnar reyndra smiðjukennara sem aðlaga verkefnin að aldri og áhuga þátttakenda. Þemu smiðjanna eru aðeins hugsuð sem kveikja að skapandi ferli og þátttakendur hvattir til þess að setja sitt mark á eigin listaverk.  

Á öllum barna og fjölskylduviðburðum Listasafns Reykjavíkur er gert ráð fyrir því að börn komi ásamt fullorðnum fjölskyldumeðlimum og njóti samverunnar.  

Frítt inn á söfn Listasafns Reykjavíkur fyrir fullorðna í fylgd barna allt vetrarfríið og fjölbreytt dagskrá í boði fyrir barnafjölskyldur.

In the creative workshops at the Reykjavík Art Museum, the emphasis is on free expression and creativity using a wide variety of materials. Participants are guided by experienced workshop instructors who adapt the activities to the age and interests of the participants. The themes of the workshops are intended simply as a starting point for the creative process, and participants are encouraged to put their own personal touch on their artwork.  

At all Reykjavík Art Museum events for children and families, it is expected that children are accompanied by adult family members so everyone can enjoy the experience together.   

Admission to all Reykjavík Art Museum locations is free for adults accompanied by children throughout the autumn break, with a diverse program available for families.

In this workshop, we reuse old clothes and various materials to create flowers. We take inspiration from the work of Małgorzata Markiewicz in the exhibition Leaky Bodies, Shared Worlds.

Autumn Break in Hafnarhús | Fabric Flowers

Í þessari smiðju endurnýtum við gömul föt og ýmis efni og búum til blóm úr þeim. Við sækjum innblástur í verk Małgorzata Markiewicz á sýningunni Lekir líkamar, sameiginlegir heimar.

Haustfrí í Hafnarhúsi | Fatablóm

Smiðja

Jóhannes Kjarval owned a small sailboat called Gullmávurinn (“The Golden Gull”). In this workshop, we will build our own little boats using a variety of materials and see if we can get them to float.

Autumn Break in Kjarvalsstaðir | The Golden Gull – Boat Workshop

Jóhannes Kjarval átti lítinn seglbát sem bar nafnið Gullmávurinn. Í þessari smiðju smíðum við okkar eigin litlu báta úr ýmsum efnivið og sjáum hvort við getum ekki látið þá fljóta.

Haustfrí á Kjarvalsstöðum | Gullmávurinn – Bátasmiðja

Í sumar hélt Íslenska myndasögusamfélagið fyrstu barna- og unglingakeppni sína í myndasögugerð á landsvísu, en keppnin þekkist betur undir nafninu „Kríukeppnin.“   

Alls bárust ÍMS 51 innsending, þar af 37 í barnaflokki og 14 í unglingaflokki. Dómnefnd hefur lokið matsferli sínu og mun formlega tilkynna sigurvegara í hvorum flokki.

During the summer, the Icelandic Comic Book Society (ÍMS) held its first nationwide comics competition for children and young people, better known as the “Kría Competition.”  

A total of 51 entries were submitted, including 37 in the children’s category and 14 in the youth category. The jury has now completed its evaluation process and will officially announce the winners in each category at the award ceremony.

The Icelandic Comic Book Society welcomes guests to its first-ever award ceremony, taking place at Kjarvalsstaðir on Saturday, 24 October, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. The winning works will be on display, and light refreshments will be served.

The Icelandic Comic Book Society Award Ceremony

ÍMS býður gesti velkomna á fyrstu verðlaunaafhendinguna sem á sér stað á Kjarvalsstöðum á laugardaginn 24. október milli kl. 13:00-14:00. Verk sigurvegara verða til sýnis og léttar veigar verða í boði.

Verðlaunaafhending Íslenska myndasögufélagsins

Na wystawie prezentowane są prace pochodzące z kolekcji Bunkra Sztuki, jednej z najważniejszych europejskich kolekcji polskiej sztuki współczesnej. Zobaczyć można fotografie, obrazy, rzeźby oraz instalacje trzydziestu artystów z Polski. 

Wystawa ukazuje różnorodność i żywotność polskiej sztuki współczesnej, wpisując ją w szerszy kontekst międzynarodowy. Dzieła przybyły z Krakowa do Reykjavíku, którego ważną część współtworzy liczna społeczność polska.  

Wystawa stanowi wyjątkową okazję do poznania twórczości czołowych polskich artystów współczesnych, a zarazem do wzmacniania więzi kulturowych między Islandią i Polską. 

Zwiedzanie odbędzie się w języku polskim. 

Wstęp w ramach biletu do muzeum. Bezpłatnie dla posiadaczy Kart Rocznych i Kart Kultury oraz dla osób poniżej 18. roku życia. 

//

Ada Stańczak leiðir gesti um sýninguna Lekir líkamar, sameig­in­legir heimar: Verk úr safni Bunkier Sztuki í Kraká, Hafnarhúsi sunnudaginn 25. október kl. 14.00. 
 
Á sýningunni eru eingöngu verk úr safneign Bunkier Sztuki, sem geymir eitt öflugasta safn pólskrar samtímalistar í Evrópu. Sýnd verða ljósmyndaverk, málverk, skúlptúrar og innsetningar eftir þrjátíu listamenn frá Póllandi. 

Sýningin dregur fram fjölbreytileika og kraft pólskrar samtímalistar og setur hana í alþjóðlegt samhengi. Verkin hafa ferðast frá Kraká til Reykjavíkur, þar sem þau eru sýnd í samfélagi sem að hluta hefur mótast af pólskri nærveru. 

Með sýningunni gefst einstakt tækifæri til að kynnast fremstu samtímalistamönnum Póllands og styrkja um leið menningarleg tengsl Íslands og Póllands. 

Leiðsögnin fer fram á pólsku. 

Aðgöngumiði á safnið gildir. Frítt fyrir Árskorts- og Menningarkorthafa og yngri en 18 ára.

Na wystawie prezentowane są prace pochodzące z kolekcji Bunkra Sztuki, jednej z najważniejszych europejskich kolekcji polskiej sztuki współczesnej. Zobaczyć można fotografie, obrazy, rzeźby oraz instalacje trzydziestu artystów z Polski. 

Wystawa ukazuje różnorodność i żywotność polskiej sztuki współczesnej, wpisując ją w szerszy kontekst międzynarodowy. Dzieła przybyły z Krakowa do Reykjavíku, którego ważną część współtworzy liczna społeczność polska.  

Wystawa stanowi wyjątkową okazję do poznania twórczości czołowych polskich artystów współczesnych, a zarazem do wzmacniania więzi kulturowych między Islandią i Polską. 

Zwiedzanie odbędzie się w języku polskim. 

Wstęp w ramach biletu do muzeum. Bezpłatnie dla posiadaczy Kart Rocznych i Kart Kultury oraz dla osób poniżej 18. roku życia. 

//

Ada Stańczak will lead a guided tour in Polish of the exhibition Leaky Bodies, Shared Worlds: Works from the Bunkier Sztuki Collection in Krakow in Hafnarhús on Sunday 25 October at 14:00. 
 
The exhibition features works exclusively from the collection of Bunkier Sztuki, home to one of Europe’s leading collections of Polish contemporary art. It includes photography, painting, sculpture, and installations by thirty artists from Poland. 

The exhibition highlights the diversity and vitality of Polish contemporary art and places it in an international context. The works have travelled from Krakow to Reykjavík, where they are presented in a society shaped in part by a strong Polish presence. 

The exhibition offers a unique opportunity to discover some of Poland’s leading contemporary artists while strengthening cultural ties between Iceland and Poland. 

The guided tour will be in Polish.

Museum admission applies. Free for Annual Pass and Culture Card holders, and for visitors under 18 years of age.

Ada Stańczak oprowadzi po wystawie Cieknące ciała, wspólne światy: Dzieła z kolekcji Bunkra Sztuki w Krakowie w języku polskim w Hafnarhús, w niedzielę 25 października o godz. 14:00.

Zwiedzanie wystawy w języku polskim | Cieknące ciała, wspólne światy: Dzieła z kolekcji Bunkra Sztuki w Krakowie

Erró

Hafnarhús

The Reykjavik Art Musem houses the most extensive collection of Erró's works and exhibitions from the Erró collection are a regular fixture at the Hafnarhús site of the Reykjavík Art Museum, with the purpose of giving as clear an image as possible of the diverse character of the artist's works.

Erró is one of the few Icelandic artists who has gained a foothold in the international art scene.

This exhibition is a comprehensive overview of the artist's colourful career that has made use of various media in the visual arts. Within it you will find everything from performances, video works, graphics, multiples and collages, to larger works in public spaces and paintings of all scales.

The artist Erró, born Guðmundur Guðmundsson in 1932 in Ólafsvík, West Iceland, was among the most prominent figures of the European avant-garde of the 1960s. In the history of art of that period, his name is associated not only with the renewal of pictorial figuration, due to his invention of narrative collage-paintings, but also with the Happenings movement and experimental cinema. Although his work is often, rightly, attached to artistic groups like Surrealism, Narrative Figuration or Pop art, it cannot be reduced to any one of them.

Erró: Remix

Kristín Helga Ríkharðsdóttir is the 53rd artist to exhibit in the D Gallery. Here, artists who shaped the Icelandic art scene are invited to debut their work in a solo exhibition at a public museum.

The Smooth Operator is a new video-installation where we follow a woman in pursuit of absolute smoothness of her legs. This gradually develops into an obsession and an unexplained fear of short, dark hairs. The work takes on a form that is both attractive and unsettling. Through absurd humor, hair-like textures, and obsessive attention to feet, beauty rituals acquire an almost supernatural quality, driven by a belief in transformation.

Kristín Helga Ríkharðsdóttir (b. 1993) works across multiple media, translating ideas drawn from her own experiences, stories, and everyday objects into diverse forms. Through painting, photographs, sculpture, video, and sound, she engages with the hyperreality of everyday life and examines the tension between the natural, the man-made, and the staged. Kristín seeks to reflect the world we inhabit, where distinctions between reality and fiction are increasingly blurred.

Kristín Helga Ríkharðsdóttir graduated from the Fine Arts Department of the Iceland University of the Arts in 2016 and participated in an exchange program at the Universität der Künste in Berlin, where she also completed an internship after graduation. In 2019, she moved to New York to pursue an MFA in Studio Art at New York University, completing the program in January 2022.  

Her works have been exhibited widely, both in Iceland and internationally, including at Gerðarsafn, Hafnarborg, The Living Art Museum, Þula Hafnartorg, and 80WSE in New York. In the summer of 2024, she was invited to participate in a studio residency at ISCP in New York through the Icelandic Art Center. Her films have received awards at film festivals, and a music video by her was nominated for the Icelandic Music Awards in 2019.  

She has received numerous grants and recognitions, including a grant and fellowship from the Leifur Eiríksson Foundation (2020–2021), a grant from the Guðmunda Andrésdóttir Fund in 2020, a grant from the Scandinavian Foundation in 2019, and a scholarship for promising students from Landsbankinn in 2021.


D53 Kristín Helga Ríkharðsdóttir: The Smooth Operator

Jóhannes S. Kjarval

Kjarvalsstaðir

These works extend across the period during which the painter Jóhannes S. Kjarval was active. In examining Kjarval's journey, and comparing it to the works of his contemporaries, it is possible to see the various ways art changes and evolves. The prevailing spirit of each era is reflected in differing shifts in style, and the artworks provide insight into the artists' inspirations, their surroundings and circumstances. Initially, a romantic view of nature predominated, but symbolism soon after made its way into the narrative, and the first steps were taken towards breaking away from naturalistic imagery.

In this exhibition, you can see artworks by Icelandic artists that span approximately six decades following the turn of the 20th century. 

Kjarval was born in 1885 and died in 1972. Between these points in time lies a significant period in cultural history and global society. This was a period of profound social transformation, industrialisation, urban development and technological advancement. Icelandic artists traveled abroad for education, returned home with fresh ideas, and were inspired by the currents and movements they encountered in Europe. In this sense, artists truly are not isolated islands in world history, but rather engage with various circumstances, innovations, revolutions and conflicts through their works.

As contemporary values embedded themselves in Icelandic society, the subjects and methods of artists evolved. Traditional artistic boundaries were shattered, and abstraction found its place. The then present era left its mark on Icelandic society, as is evident in the progress and diversity of artists' creative endeavors, and in the lifelong work of Kjarval.

In 1973, a year following Kjarval's death, Kjarvalsstaðir was inaugurated and named in his honor. Kjarval is one of the most beloved artists of the nation and his works have been exhibited here for half a century. Kjarval‘s works and those of other artists in this exhibition come from the collection of Reykjavik Art Museum, with the exception of Kjarval's famous _Mountain Milk_ (_Fjallamjólk_), one of the artist's most renowned pieces, which is currently on loan from ASÍ Art Museum.

Kjarval and the 20th Century: When Modernity Anchored

Ásmundur Sveinsson

Myndhöggvarinn að störfum á vinnustofu sinni.

Ásmundarsafn

Sculptor Ásmundur Sveinsson worked in different materials. He carved wood, cut stone, shaped clay, transferred forms to concrete, in addition to working with iron and found materials. Many of his best-known works are enlarged and placed in public space around the city. His works were created in relentless experimentation in the studio where he allowed material, content and space work hand in hand. The sculptures are either figurative or abstract, as Ásmundur went through various periods in his artistic creation. In the exhibition, we go back in time and into Ásmundur's studio. We get a sense of what happened behind the scenes in the artist's search for the appropriate completion for the ideas that emerged.

 In the exhibition, we go back in time and into Ásmundur's studio.

Wonderland was the name of the next farm to the place in Laugardalur where Ásmundur built his studio, the "dome" in Sigtún. He lived here with his family, built and developed unique facilities for artistic creation. The house was partially rebuilt and opened as an art museum and sculpture garden after Ásmundur's death over 40 years ago. Reykjavík Art Museum's aim ever since has been to show his work in all its variety and to provide a platform for a younger generation of artists to show their own work in the context of his heritage.

Ásmundur Sveinsson (1893–1982) was one of the pioneers of Icelandic sculpture. He studied at the Swedish Academy of Arts in Stockholm, spent several years in Paris and travelled through Greece and Italy. Ásmundur always remained loyal to the position that art had a mission for the people and belonged among them. He was called the folk poet in art, and without a doubt, that ideal is rooted in his attitude to life as much as in the sculptural tradition.

Ásmundur Sveinsson: Wonderland

Katrín Elvarsdóttir

Black and White close up photo of  Fenjagreni by artist Katrínu Elvarsdóttur

At the forefront are three plant species, cherry blossom, banana plant, and Dawn Redwood each with a long and fascinating history connecting different continents. She follows them with her camera – not to pin them down, but to record them and transform them into another form. In the photograph they belong to another world, created by the artist. They bear witness to something movable, but not forgotten, of what can flourish — even far away from its origins.

In A Botanical Future, Katrín focuses on plants that have traveled between habitats. 

Katrín Elvarsdóttir:  A Botanical Future

This project was Iceland's contribution to the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale in 2025. The exhibition tells the story of a future society that has learned to tame lava flows, utilize them, and thus turn a local threat into an opportunity for creativity.

Lavaforming is a proposal on how the brutal force of lava can be turned into a valuable resource, capable of lowering atmospheric emissions through its future use as a sustainable building material.

In our story, placed in 2150, we have harnessed the lava flow, just as we did with geothermal energy 200 years earlier in Iceland. The main goal of Lavaforming is to show that architecture can be the force that rethinks and shapes a new future with sustainability, innovation, and creative thinking. A lava flow can contain enough building material for the foundations of an entire city to rise in a matter of weeks without harmful mining and non-renewable energy generation. Lavaforming is exploring a building material that has never been used before. The theme is both a proposal and a metaphor - architecture is in a paradigm shift, many of our current methods have been deemed obsolete or harmful in the long term. In our current predicament - we need to be bold, think in new ways, look at challenges and find the right resources - Arnhildur Pálmadóttir, curator, architect, founder and creative director of Lavaforming. 

Architect Arnhildur Pálmadóttir is the founder and owner of s.ap architects, which specializes in sustainability and circularity in construction, and the curator and the creative director of Lavaforming. She is renowned for her entrepreneurial attitude and interdisciplinary interest that she uses to tackle projects from various perspectives. 

The exhibition team of the Venice Biennale comes from s. ap architects, an interdisciplinary research studio focusing on speculative projects of the future, along with interdisciplinary collaborators. The exhibition team consists of Arnhildur Pálmadóttir, Arnar Skarphéðinsson, Björg Skarphéðinsdóttir, Sukanya Mukherjee, Jack Armitage, and Andri Snær Magnason. The graphic design is handled by the design studio Studio Studio, and Markús Þór Andrésson, Head of Exhibitions and Mediation at the Reykjavík Art Museum, serves as the exhibition's consultant. 


s. ap architects: Lavaforming

Finnur Arnar Arnarson

Black and white photo of artist Finnur Arnar Arnarsson

Svarthvít mynd af Finni Arnari Arnarssyni

He finds form in his ideas in a variety of media, such as sculpture, installations, and photographs.

Finnur Arnar Arnarson often works with the relationship between man and the environment in his works.

Finnur Arnar studied, first in the sculpture department and then in the polytechnic department of the Icelandic School of Art and Crafts, graduating in 1991. In parallel with his art, he has designed sets for theaters, exhibitions for museums and institutions, as well as teaching art. He was the artistic director and ran the Skúrinn Cultural Center from 2012 to 2014. Finnur Arnar's works are always on the border of nature, humanity and culture - they are reflections on the smallness of man in relation to larger and stronger forces and how that fact changes our perception of our own existence.

Undraland is a project dedicated to the history of Ásmundarsafn. It was the home and studio of sculptor Ásmundur Sveinsson (1893-1982), which he designed himself and built between 1942-1950. The house was next to a farmhouse called Undraland (Wonderland). Ásmundur named the house and his works after him to the city of Reykjavík, and a museum dedicated to his memory was established there in 1983. During the four decades that the artist worked in the house, it was a venue for fertile artistic creation. Throughout 2025, artists have been offered facilities in the house to work on their own works in progress or any kind of process, and in 2026, Finnur Arnar will step on the platform as the sixth artist with a work in progress in Ásmundarsafn.

The work is called Judgment and is about being this male animal but also about being condemned to be an artist.

"I live in a tent inside the museum, day and night, a bit like an animal. Up in the dome, I'm painting a "dome," a kind of church ceiling like in old cathedrals."

"I am no Michelangelo and not a painter, but he was not one either, so my judgment will not be a fresco but more of a mixed media. The church had church ceilings painted to tell people how they should behave and how they would be punished if they did not obey. Few people could read at that time, which is why they resorted to imagery."

Finnur Arnar Arnarsson, artist.

Eight exhibitions
Three locations: One ticket!

Exhibitions

Erró: Remix

Erró: Remix

D53 Kristín Helga Ríkharðsdóttir: The Smooth Operator

D53 Kristín Helga Ríkharðsdóttir: The Smooth Operator

Kjarval and the 20th Century: When Modernity Anchored

Kjarval and the 20th Century: When Modernity Anchored

Ásmundur Sveinsson: Wonderland

Ásmundur Sveinsson: Wonderland

Katrín Elvarsdóttir: A Botanical Future

Katrín Elvarsdóttir: A Botanical Future

s. ap architects: Lavaforming

s. ap architects: Lavaforming

Wonderland: Work in progress with Finnur Arnar

Wonderland: Work in progress with Finnur Arnar

Events

Locations

Ásmundarsafn

Hafnarhús

Kjarvalsstaðir

Eight exhi­bitions Three locati­ons: One ticket!

Exhibitions

Erró: Remix

Erró: Remix

D53 Kristín Helga Ríkharðsdóttir: The Smooth Operator

D53 Kristín Helga Ríkharðsdóttir: The Smooth Operator

Kjarval and the 20th Century: When Modernity Anchored

Kjarval and the 20th Century: When Modernity Anchored

Ásmundur Sveinsson: Wonderland

Ásmundur Sveinsson: Wonderland

Katrín Elvarsdóttir: A Botanical Future

Katrín Elvarsdóttir: A Botanical Future

s. ap architects: Lavaforming

s. ap architects: Lavaforming

Wonderland: Work in progress with Finnur Arnar

Wonderland: Work in progress with Finnur Arnar

Events

Locations

Ásmundarsafn

Hafnarhús

Kjarvalsstaðir

Eight exhibitions
Three locations: One ticket!