I love art in nature. If you do too – Iceland delivers! Nowhere do the forces of art and nature make a more stunning contrast than in Iceland. Iceland is a creative place – music, film, and art are everywhere and serve to both contrast with, and vividly enhance, the harsh and stunning natural backdrop Iceland provides. One of the amazing things about visiting Iceland is the chance to experience some great publicly accessible art and public art installations – throughout the country. Treasures are found in the most unexpected and scenic places. On a public walking path in Reykjavik, far on the Reykjanes Peninsula, or ringing a small urban island. Their placement adds to Iceland’s natural beauty in that special way only art can. Some of my personal favorite pieces and destinations are shared with you here below.
You can also discover other installations thanks to the help of the wonderful Reykjavik Art Walk App. I have used it to spend a delightful afternoon hunting down murals in a Reykjavik neighborhood or to provide an objective on a long seaside walk. The app is available free from the Apple Store here: Reykjavík Art Walk on the App Store or wherever you get your apps.
Downtown Reykjavik. Ásmundur Sveinsson, “Vatnsberinn (The Water Carrier).” This striking woman stands at a main intersection in downtown Reykjavik and recalls Iceland’s early history. I love her presence and fortitude. If you like Ásmundur Sveinsson’s style, there is a museum in Reykjavik dedicated to his work, which includes a sculpture garden. It is located just outside the core downtown area nearer to the U.S. Embassy and the Botanical Gardens. Info on the museum here: Ásmundarsafn – Listasafn Reykjavíkur
Reykjanes Peninsula. Todd McGrain. “The Great Auk.” This is a five-foot tall bronze sculpture of a now-extinct bird in Iceland. If you’re driving around the peninsula visiting the “bridge between two continents” or some of the nearby lighthouses, this is a great stop to add. The waves (and wind!) are often crashing up and the rock formations are stunning too. More here: Great Auk Sculpture at Valahnúkamöl – Atlas Obscura
Breidholt neighborhood, Reykjavik. In the Reykjavik suburb of Breidholt, you can spot a couple of stunning large-scale murals on the side of residential apartment buildings. One is “Feather” by Sara Riel. Artist’s website here: Fjöður – sarariel.com There are also a couple by the famous Icelandic pop artist Erro (it is his mural – “Silver Sabler” that is prominently placed in the Keflavik airport). One mural is on the side of a gym, “The Jungle Queen” and another, “The Goddess of Justice,” on the side of an apartment building in the same neighborhood.
Grafarvogur neighborhood, Reykjavik. Brynhildur Þorgeirsdóttir. “Rock.” This is one of the pieces we found through the museum app. This piece is found along a public walking path in Grafarvogur, a Reykjavik neighborhood, that takes you past bays with – sometimes – seals, and stunning views out to sea and Mt. Esja beyond.
Videy Island, Reykjavik. Richard Serra. “Afangar.” On Viðey Island, just off the coast of Reykjavík, one of my favorite large-scale sculptors, the American artist Richard Serra, created a site-specific installation “Áfangar (Standing Stones).” The work consists of 18 basalt columns placed in pairs around the western part of the island. You need to reach the island by a small ferry that leaves from just next to the cruise ship terminal outside of Reykjavik. M’s Tip: Please check the ferry schedule before making a plan to head out. While the crossing is short, winds are fierce in Iceland and that or other weather specific reasons can often cause the crossings to be cancelled. Ferry info is found here: Viðey Ferry | Schedule & Prices | Elding Adventure at Sea
Husafell. Páll Guðmundsson. Stone Carvings and Rock Paintings. The town of Husafell is a fairly remote location at the end of a road with not much around except Hotel Husafell and some hiking trails. But, if you are near Borgarnes, it is worth heading up to see the unique stone carvings and rock paintings of local artist Páll Guðmundsson. I saw a fascinating documentary (in Icelandic!) about him and was riveted. You can see his studio (from the outside) and a couple of pieces scattered around the grounds and on the start of the hiking trail. Hotel Husafell has a few of his works in its lobby too. The Stone Carvings of Páll Guðmundsson – Atlas Obscura
