At the end of last year, two shipping containers arrived in Iceland from Texas carrying part of the life’s work of two remarkable artists, Kristín Halldórsdóttir (1917–2002) and Jóhann Eyfells (1923–2019). The couple had shared both their lives and artistic journeys since first meeting while studying in Florida in the 1940s.
Their relatives, led by Jóhann’s son Ingólfur Eyfells, organized the transport of the works to Iceland in collaboration with the National Gallery of Iceland and Eimskip. As part of this generous initiative, the family donated 25 works by Jóhann, along with works by Kristín, to the National Gallery of Iceland. The Reykjavík Art Museum will also receive selected works by the artists as a gift.
Kristín and Jóhann remained dedicated to their artistic practice throughout their lives. They spent most of their years in Florida, where Jóhann taught art at the University of Central Florida for three decades. Following Kristín’s passing, Jóhann, then in his eighties, made the extraordinary decision to relocate to Texas with all his possessions and artworks — a move that required transporting 170 tons of material on 18 large trucks. In Texas, he acquired land where he preserved and continued to exhibit both his own work and Kristín’s. He also remained actively engaged in his artistic practice there.
Before the works were shipped to Iceland, the prestigious Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas presented an exhibition of selected works by Jóhann, curated by Gavin Morrison. In 2028, the National Gallery of Iceland plans to stage a major retrospective exhibition of Jóhann’s work, accompanied by the publication of a comprehensive catalogue on his artistic career. Jóhann represented Iceland at the 1993 Venice Biennale alongside Hreinn Friðfinnsson.
Image: Installation view from Jóhann Eyfells’ exhibition at the Nasher Sculpture Center.
Generous Gift from the Family of Jóhann Eyfells and Kristín Halldórsdóttir