THE ICELANDIC PRINTMAKERS’ ASSOCIATION – Anniversary Exhibition
10-17 Lokað á mánudögum
The Icelandic Printmakers’ Association (Íslensk Grafík) is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and in recognition of this achievement, an exhibition of 46 works by its members will open in The Nordic House May 16th 2020.
Curator is Birta Guðjónsdóttir.
The exhibition is open until August 9, 2020, and the entrance is free of charge. The Nordic House opening hours are Tue-Sun 10-17. Mondays closed.
The works exhibited employ various methods of printmaking, and the exhibition is intended to celebrate the Association’s activities past and present, and the broad range of methods and techniques that members have used since it was founded. A number of the exhibits are by honorary members of the Association.
Printmaking has had a resurgence in recent years in Iceland and beyond, and this exhibition celebrates its strength and constant expansion. The membership of the Association has increased considerably over the past decade and it now has about one hundred members.
The Nordic House in Reykjavík has hosted numerous exhibitions of the Association since its initiation. It is therefore fitting, and our pleasure, to celebrate the anniversary exhibition in the exhibition hall Hvelfing (Vault), which was recently reopened on the lower floor of the Nordic House after renovations.
The Icelandic Printmakers’ Association was established in its present form in 1969 and has been active ever since, though its history can be traced back to 1954. The Association is both a union and a professional platform for visual artists who seek to develop their technical skills and art using printmaking as a channel for their creations. The Association has for many years operated an exhibition space and a well-equipped workshop in the Harbour House (Hafnarhús), in central Reykjavík, but will soon move its activities to another location.
One of the Association’s main goals is to promote the progress of printmaking in Iceland by exhibiting the work of its members and to introduce works by non-Icelandic artists working in the medium, as well as organizing exhibitions of work by Icelandic printmakers abroad.
Over the years, the Association has invited many non-Icelandic printmakers to teach courses in various techniques, which have had important cultural and pedagogic value. The Association’s exhibitions of work by non-Icelandic printmakers have also had a great impact on artists and other art-lovers in the country.
The exhibition reflects the diversity of artworks by members and their approach to printmaking as a medium and is a celebration of The Icelandic Printmakers’ Association on its half-century anniversary.
Congratulations on the anniversary of The Icelandic Printmakers’ Association and may it continue to blossom!
– Birta Guðjónsdóttir
The image in the banner is a combination of Óskasteinar (1986) by Björg Þorsteinsdóttir and the Association’s logo by Jón Engilberts (1970).
Borrow art from The Nordic House
The Nordic House library has an impressive collection of art by Nordic graphic artists. Registered borrowers can borrow 3 graphic artworks for a 3 month period. Welcome to our Artotek (art library) to see the selection.
