Programme of the week
News 2026 – National Gallery of Iceland
Photos from the Opening 📷
Thank you for coming!
Last weekend, the exhibitions echolalia by Björk and Metamorphlings by James Merry opened at the National Gallery of Iceland. The opening was the most attended in the museum’s history.
Here are a few moments from the opening day.
Metamorphlings: James Merry | National Gallery of Iceland
echolalia: echolalia | National Gallery of Iceland
Most attended opening in the museum’s history.
Björk and James Merry, 2026 © Viðar Logi
Curator’s Tour 🗣️
Echolalia and Transformations
You are warmly invited to a curator-led tour on Sunday, June 7 at 2:00 PM at the National Gallery of Iceland by the Pond (Tjörnin).
Curator Pari Stave will welcome guests and guide them through the exhibitions Echolalia by Björk and Transformations by James Merry.
Please note: The tour will be conducted in English, and regular museum admission applies.
Curator Pari Stave will welcome guests and guide them through the exhibitions
Björk, 2026 © Viðar Logi
Interview with Björk on Lestin 🎧
Last weekend, Björk Guðmundsdóttir and James Merry opened their exhibitions Echolalia and Transformations at the National Gallery of Iceland.
Björk joined the hosts of Lestin to discuss, among other things, her collaboration with James, the creative process behind the exhibitions, environmental activism, and artificial intelligence.
You can listen to the interview below.
Interview with Björk on RÚV
Art Courses 2026 – National Gallery of Iceland
Summer Art Courses 🎨
Last Chance to Secure a Spot!
Time is running out to reserve a place in the museum’s summer art courses.
All courses for ages 10–12 are fully booked. There are currently three places available for ages 7–9 (July 6–10) and five places available for 6-year-olds (July 13–17).
The National Gallery of Iceland offers creative and engaging summer art courses in the museum’s art studio at Fríkirkjuvegur. Activities are inspired by the museum’s exhibitions, with participants exploring artworks and developing their understanding of color, form, and visual expression.
The aim of the courses is to help children approach both nature and art with greater confidence and curiosity. Learning takes place through experience, discussion, and hands-on making. At the end of each course, an exhibition for friends and family will showcase the participants’ work.
Courses run daily from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
The instructors are Helena Reynisdóttir and Melkorka Helgadóttir.
Register here: Frístundakort Reykjavíkur | Listasafn Íslands | Námskeið | Abler
Last Chance to Secure a Spot!
Museum Shop 2026 – National Gallery of Iceland
Treasures from the National Gallery of Iceland Museum Shop
The National Gallery of Iceland’s museum shop offers a carefully curated selection of gift items. A wide range of products can be explored in the online store, including books, greeting cards, jewelry, posters, and more. However, it is worth noting that the museum shop at Fríkirkjuvegur is currently filled with new products created in connection with the ongoing exhibitions by Björk and James Merry.
Among the shop’s highlights is a beautifully produced new publication released to accompany the exhibitions Echolalia by Björk and Transformations by James Merry.
In an interview conducted by writer and poet Oddný Eir, the artists discuss their creative collaboration and the ideas behind the worlds that have shaped Björk’s most recent albums.
An essay by art critic Hólmar Hólm traces the development of James Merry’s artistic craftsmanship and design work over the past decade, focusing on the origins and inspirations behind the layers of meaning found in his masks, body adornments, and ritual objects.
An excerpt from a conversation between Björk and poet Ocean Vuong offers insight into the role of artistic creation in expressing profound experiences of loss and grief. In addition, a dialogue between Björk and curator and art historian Hans Ulrich Obrist sheds light on the wide range of media and artistic forms that Björk has explored throughout her career.
Buy the Catalogue here : Björk I James Merry
Chck out the webstore here: Safnverslun Listasafns Íslands
New publication released to accompany the exhibitions Echolalia by Björk and Transformations by James Merry.
Jóhannes Kjarval (1885–1972), Summer Night at Þingvellir, 1931
Happy Summer! ☀️
Our Last Newsletter Before the Summer Break
Dear friends,
This is our final newsletter before the summer break. We thank you for your company over the past months and wish you a wonderful summer, with hopes for excellent weather, bright nights, and plenty of vitamin D for us all.
We look forward to reconnecting after the summer and, in the meantime, would like to remind you that the National Gallery of Iceland by the Pond (Tjörnin), the Culture House (Safnahúsið) on Hverfisgata, and the Einar Jónsson Museum are open every day from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
We wish you a happy summer and hope to see you at the museum! 🌞
The exhibitions: Current Exhibitions | National Gallery of Iceland
Visit the Museum: Plan your visit | National Gallery of Iceland
Happy Summer!