The White Falcon - 05.03.1971, Page 10

Page 10
THE WHITE FALCON
March 5, 1971
115 years from Denmark
Icelandic National Gallery,
Portrait of Modern Art
Iceland's National Gallery
originated in Denmark in 1855 and
was the result of the efforts of
a small group of artists and art
enthusiasts striving at the time
to make Icelandic culture evident
to the Danes. Until Iceland re-
ceived her independence and the
proper housing facilities for a
gallery were found, most of the
paintings acquired by the govern-
ment were housed in the Althing,
Iceland's body of Parliament.
The gallery, which is locat-
ed above the National Museum, op-
erates between 1:30-4 p.m. on
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and
Sunday. The expanding culture
of Iceland has, similar to the
museum, found the gallery lacking
in space for the ever-increasing
donations and purchases. As a
result,many ofthe 1600 paintings,
sculptures and graphics remain
in storage or on loan to various
embassies and government houses.
The gallery is in constant
transition with the exhibitions
that usually require complete
dismantling after showing. The
outer corridor is the only sec-
tion that has a semblance of per-
manency because it is here where
the sculptures are exhibited. It
is also where the largest canvas
of the gallery is displayed; one
of Gunnlaugar Scheving's themes
of the sea and sailors.
The current curator is Selma
Jonsdottir, who attended many
American universities, including
Berkeley, Barnard College and
Columbia. She received her doc-
torate from the University of
Iceland and became the permanent
curator in 1950.
Exhibitions have been spon-
sored by the gallery in the United
States, Denmark, Norway, the Sov-
iet Union and Poland. The gal-
lery has also received many ex-
cellent exhibitions in return.
SELMA J&NSDOTTIR
Similar to the Louvre and
other national galleries,the
ional Gallery is visited by
cents from many art schools
cated nearby and training is
mitted in the-gallery for students
to copy a painting to better
understand it.
per-
In 1961, a council was created
by the State to control the qual-
ity and quantity of donations of-
fered to the museum. The council
includes three artists,one sculp-
tor, and the curator. Asmundur
Sveinnson is the present sculptor
on the council.
Iceland is unique in the field
of art because both the painter,
and sculptors have not lost their
social contact. Many paintings
are offered in conation by the
painters themselves and purchases
from their collections are made
directly. Their work is not rou-
ted throuqh the lone channels of
galleries and exhibitions that
submerge the artist's identity.
The current exhibition sets an
example of the quality of work by
young Icelandic artists. Many
paintings from Iceland hang in
museums throughout Europe
America which evidence the sp<
tanity and inventiveness of
nation that is considerably new
when compared to the classic ages
of Europe.
XII
m'