Dream­land

The exhibition focuses on Kjarval's fantasy works, emphasizing pieces that include religious themes, divine or enigmatic beings, symbols, and mystical references. In addition to Kjarval's works, several paintings by Einar Jónsson, borrowed from the Einar Jónsson Sculpture Museum, are also on display.

Kjarval travelled extensively throughout his life, both within his own country and abroad. He was influenced by people and his surroundings, read extensively, and familiarized himself with prevailing trends and movements. Among the influences in Kjarval's life were his colleague and friend, sculptor Einar Jónsson (1874-1954), and the English artist William Blake (1757-1827). Kjarval met Einar in London in 1911 when they stayed there simultaneously for three months and became good friends. Einar was known for his mythological and religious imagery and emphasized symbolic meanings in his sculptures and paintings. In the books and museums of the metropolis, Kjarval became acquainted with Blake's works. Blake was one of England's foremost Romantic poets and known for his delicate and mystical drawings, laden with religious symbols and references.

This exhibition gathers works by Kjarval that share the common theme of originating from a spiritual world beyond the tangible and easily understandable. The works either have clear religious references to the Bible and Christian legends and motifs or are more ambiguous fantasies filled with symbols, the supernatural, and the mystical. Such themes were always present in Kjarval's mind, but after his stay in London and his acquaintance with international art and insight into the world of theosophy and symbolism, one can discern changes in emphasis and stylistic approach that Kjarval would later develop in his personal way throughout his career.

The exhibition will showcase works from all stages of Kjarval’s career. In 1908, at the age of 22, he held his first exhibition in Reykjavík, where he presented fantasy works for the first time, before ever traveling to London or receiving formal art education. These fantasy pieces, often featuring hidden folk, mystical beings, and symbolic imagery, remained a constant in his artistic journey, evolving and transforming over time. Both before and following his time in London, Kjarval created several so-called "dreamland works," which often depict ambiguous landscapes, waterfalls, and figures within nature. The exhibition aims to gather as many of these works as possible.

Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval (1885–1972) is one of the nation's most beloved artists, and his diverse body of work includes numerous paintings of Icelandic nature, mythical beings, and the people of Iceland. In 1968, Kjarval donated a significant portion of his artworks and personal belongings to the City of Reykjavík, and his works have been showcased in various ways since the opening of Kjarvalsstaðir in 1973.