Programme of the week
Kristján H. Magnússon, Vetur á Þingvöllum, 1932, LÍ-503
The National Gallery of Iceland invites you to the opening of the exhibition Kristján H. Magnússon – Revisited, on Friday, May 23 2025, at 5 pm.
Kristján Helgi Magnússon’s paintings made a great impression when he made his entrance onto the art scene nearly 100 years ago. In a forthcoming retrospective, the National Gallery of Iceland will showcase the works of this short-lived artist, who died in 1938, aged only 34, after a brief but illustrious career.
The exhibition is accompanied by the publication of an extensive book on the life and work of Kristján H. Magnússon, written and edited by Einar Falur Ingólfsson; other essays in the book by Guðmundur Oddur Magnússon and Dagný Heiðdal. The book is published by Veröld with the support of the relatives of Kristján’s wife, Klara Helgadóttir and the National Gallery of Iceland.
As part of the opening event, recipients of the Guðmunda Andrésdóttir Fund will be announced.
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1190205459514905
Opening event: https://www.listasafn.is/en/visit/events/exhibition-opeing-kristjan-h-magnusson/
Ólöf Nordal 1961, Hvítir hrafnar, 1996, LÍ-7353/353
Event – May 24, 2025 – The Culture House
Krummi Kids’ Club
Art Workshop: The Bird in Flight
We warmly welcome you to a fun art workshop with the Krummi Kids’ Club from 2 PM to 4 PM on Saturday at the Culture House on Hverfisgata.
We’ll explore fascinating birds in the exhibition Resistance—white ravens, well-known loons, and long-necked swans—and paint our own beautiful birds to fly with us into summer.
This bird-themed workshop on May 24 is the final Krummi workshop of the winter, but a new program will be launched this autumn.
Instructor: Ragnheiður Gestsdóttir, visual artist
Free for the whole family
Facebook event: (20+) Krakkaklúbburinn Krummi: Fuglinn fljúgandi | Facebook
More: For children of all ages | National Gallery of Iceland
Einar Falur Ingólfsson
May 25, 2025 I The National Gallery of Iceland I 2 pm
Expert-led Tour
Kristján H. Magnússon - Revisited
Join us at the National Gallery of Iceland on Sunday, May 25 at 2 PM for an expert-led tour of the exhibition Retrospective, guided by Einar Falur Ingólfsson and André Coutanche.
The paintings of Kristján Helgi Magnússon sparked widespread admiration when he emerged on the art scene nearly a century ago. His work gained attention not only in Iceland but also internationally, with exhibitions held in major cities on both sides of the Atlantic. Despite this, his reception in Iceland was mixed, and today his name is rarely heard in conversations about Icelandic art.
Yet Magnússon’s contribution to art history is significant and compelling for many reasons.
This retrospective shines a light on the work of this short-lived but remarkable artist, who died in 1937 at just 34 years of age after a brief and intriguing career.
General admission applies.
Facebook event: (20+) Leiðsögn sérfræðings – Kristján H. Magnússon – Endurlit | Facebook
More: Expert-led tour | National Gallery of Iceland
Interview – National Gallery of Iceland
Artist Talk
Christian Marclay on YouTube
To mark the exhibition of The Clock (2010) at the National Gallery of Iceland, artist Christian Marclay sat down for a conversation with Pari Stave, head curator at the Gallery, in the Reading Hall of the House of Collections.
You can watch the full artist talk on the museum’s YouTube channel via the link below.
Art Talk: Christian Marclay, The Clock: Samtal við listamanninn / Conversation with Christian Marclay
About the exhbition: Christian Marclay, The Clock | National Gallery of Iceland
Christian Marclay Installation view of The Clock, 2010 Single-channel video with sound 24 hours © Christian Marclay. Courtesy Paula Cooper Gallery, New York and White Cube, London. Photo: Todd-White Photography
Event – May 29–30, 2025 – National Gallery of Iceland
Save the Date
24-Hour Screening of The Clock on Ascension Day
You're warmly invited to a special 24-hour screening of The Clock (2010) by Christian Marclay on Ascension Day, Thursday, May 29.
The National Gallery of Iceland will remain open continuously from 5:00 PM on May 29 to 5:00 PM on May 30.
Marclay’s video work is composed of thousands of film clips—both black-and-white and color—gathered over a period of three years. Each clip refers to a specific time, whether through dialogue or a visual reference to a clock, watch, hourglass, sundial, or blinking alarm clock. Seamlessly edited in chronological order, the work spans a full 24 hours, minute by minute. The video is synchronized to local time, functioning as a timepiece in itself. The Clock also features an audio collage by Marclay, using sound and musical rhythms to underscore the passage of time.
Café Kaktus will open earlier than usual on May 29, welcoming visitors from 8:00 AM with freshly brewed coffee and warm croissants.
General admission applies.
Facebook event: (20+) Fimmtudagurinn langi / Sólarhringssýning á Christian Marclay, The Clock | Facebook
Good Thursday: Good Thursday | National Gallery of Iceland
Claire Bown of the Thinking Museum
Workshop – June 5, 2025 – The House of Collections / Einar Jónsson Museum
Workshop with Claire Bown
The Einar Jónsson Museum and the National Gallery of Iceland are pleased to offer an engaging professional workshop for museum educators led by Claire Bown, founder of the Thinking Museum in Amsterdam and author of The Art Engager: Reimagining Guided Experiences in Museums.
The workshop focuses on strategies for encouraging active visitor engagement during museum visits—an approach that is also the central theme of Bown’s book. It is open to educators from all types of museums, not just art institutions, and will be conducted in English.
Free of charge for museum educators and others interested in museum education.
Registration via email: lej@lej.is
This workshop is supported by the Icelandic Museum Fund and organized by the Einar Jónsson Museum in collaboration with the National Gallery of Iceland.
Facebook event: (20+) Námskeið með Claire Bown hjá Thinking Museum | Facebook
More: Courses for adults at the National Gallery of Iceland | National Gallery of Iceland
Harpa Rut Hilmarsdóttir og Regína Másdóttir
News 2025 – National Gallery of Iceland
Collaboration in Museum Education
The Museum Studies program at the University of Iceland and the three national museums—the National Gallery of Iceland, the Icelandic Museum of Natural History, and the National Museum of Iceland—are working together to strengthen the field of museum education. This collaboration includes the potential publication of practical resources for museum educators.
More: Cooperation in museum education | National Gallery of Iceland
National Gallery of Iceland Museum Shop 2025
Unique Gifts at the National Gallery of Iceland Museum Shop
The National Gallery of Iceland’s museum shop is filled with high-quality, thoughtfully curated gift items. A wide selection is available in the online store, including books, greeting cards, jewelry, posters, and more.
Among the shop’s treasures is a beautiful coffee mug featuring artwork by Sölvi Helgason—also known as Sólon Íslandus.
Sölvi’s intricate floral designs are now considered a precious part of Iceland’s artistic and cultural heritage. The artwork featured on the mug is part of the National Gallery of Iceland’s collection.
Buy here: Sólon Islandus - Kaffimál / Coffee Mug – Listasafn Íslands
All products: Allar vörur / All products – Listasafn Íslands
Summer Workshops in June and August 2025
The Magic Workshop
Registration Now Open!
Please note: Some sessions are fully booked, and others are filling up fast.
This summer, the National Gallery of Iceland offers fun and creative art workshops for children aged 7 to 9!
The workshops run for four or five days and take place in June and August 2025.
Held in the museum’s brand-new art studio on Fríkirkjuvegur, the workshops are inspired by the museum’s exhibitions. Children will explore selected artworks and develop their perception of color and form. They’ll get hands-on experience working with a variety of materials and techniques—including painting and sculpture.
The goal is to help children approach art with greater confidence and curiosity through a mix of experience-based learning, discussion, and creative making.
At the end of each workshop, there will be a small exhibition for family and friends showcasing the children’s creations.
More: Courses for kids | National Gallery of Iceland
Registration: Sumarnámskeið / Töfraverkstæðið | Frirvk Listasafn Íslands | Námskeið | Abler
Facebook: (20+) Töfraverkstæðið 🎨 – sumarnámskeið fyrir börn í júni og ágúst 2025 | Facebook