Brynhildur Thorgeirsdottir (b.1955) lives and works in Reykjavik, Iceland. In her career of more than forty years Brynhildur has held over twenty solo shows and participated in numerous group exhibitions both in Iceland and internationally. Her works are part of collections of art museums in Iceland and abroad, and commissions for her outdoor art can be seen in public spaces in Iceland, Sweden and Japan.
When Brynhildur’s sculptures first appeared some four decades ago, they immediately attracted attention of critics and the public alike. Brynhildur became known for her intense working methods and the unusual combination of sand and glass, turning these materials into mysterious organic figures or powerful detached forms engaging in dialogue with each other and the viewer.
Brynhildur has followed a distinct personal course within the realm of sculpture, using the aforementioned materials of glass, concrete and sand. Her works often have a strong connection with historical events, and an even stronger connection with nature and the land. Her relationship with the natural elements is the essence of her art. From a formal aspect, she sculpts her art, in the same way as nature itself works its wonders, allowing her work to emerge on its own in ever surprising ways.
Brynhildur Thorgeirsdottir
Bakkastadir 113,
112 Reykjavik,
Iceland
Tel. +354 895 9897
Email: brynhildurth@gmail.com
Education
1982/1998/1999 Pilchuck Glass School. Stanwood, Washington, USA
1980-1982 California College of Arts and Crafts M.F.A. Oakland, California, USA
1980 Orrefors Glass School. Orrefors, Sweden
1979-1980 Gerrit Rietveld Academie. Amsterdam, Netherlands
1974-1978 Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts, Reykjavík, Iceland
Solo Exhibitions
2023 Earth Disturbance. The Sculpture Garden, Nýlendugata 17a, Reykjavík, Iceland
2023 The Language of Material. The Icelandic Folk and Outsider Art Museum, Svalbarðseyri, Iceland
2022 Landscape. A permanent installation – Sculpture Garden at Samherji, Dalvík, Iceland
2020 Project – Introduction on work of a sculptor. Bakkastaðir, Reykjavík, Iceland
2019 Natural Elements. The Reykjavík Art Museum – Ásmundarsafn, Reykjavík, Iceland
2015 Hugarlundur. The Art Gallery of ASI, Reykjavík, Iceland
2011 Gathering. The Art Gallery of ASI, Reykjavík, Iceland
2008 101 is on Fire. 101 Gallery, Reykjavík, Iceland
2006 2005-1955 BRYNHILDUR. Gallery Lobster or Fame, Reykjavík, Iceland
2005 Visual World. Reykjavík Art Museum-Hafnarhús, Reykjavík, Iceland
2004 Sculptor of the month. Hafnafjörður Center of Culture and Fine Arts, Hafnafjörður, Iceland
2002 Open Spaces. Kópavogur Art Museum-Gerðarsafn, Kópavogur, Iceland
1999 Sculpture. The Art Gallery of ASI, Reykjavík, Iceland
1996 Sculpture. Gerðuberg Gallery, Reykjavík, Iceland
1996 Portrait. Gallery Sjónarhóll Reykjavík, Iceland
1994 Sculpture. Gallery Slunkaríki, Ísafjörður, Iceland
1993 Sculpture. Gallery Okra, Vanda, Finland
1993 Strandhögg. The Living Art Museum, Reykjavík, Iceland
1990 Sculpture. Reykjavík Art Museum-Kjarvalsstaðir, Reykjavík, Iceland
1989 In the Viking Tradition. New York Experimental Glass Workshop, NY. USA
1988 Sculpture. Gallery Svart á Hvítu, Reykjavík, Iceland
1986 Visiting Artist. New York Experimental Glass Workshop, NY. USA
1983 Sculpture. The Living Art Museum, Reykjavík, Iceland
1983 Sculpture. Gallery Langbrók, Reykjavík, Iceland
1982 Glass Studies. Graduate Center Gallery, CCAC, Oakland, CA. USA
Group Exhibitions
2023 Kaleidorcope: Icelandic 20th Century Art, Reykjavik Art Museum - Kjarvalsstaðir, Reykjavík, Iceland
2022 Resistance: Interplay of Art and Science, The House of Collection, Reykjavík, Iceland
2022 Cornerstone, LA. Art Museum, Hveragerði, Iceland
2020 Across The Golden Bridge. Reykjavík Association of Sculptors Outdoor Exhibition, Reykjavík, Iceland
2020 Greetings across the ocean. The North Atlantic House, Copenhagen, Denmark, Iceland
2019 Reviving Humanity Memorial. International project, Sharm El-sheikh, Egypt
2019 Iceland Amy's Donation. The National Gallery of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
2019 Islanders - when darkness falls. Venice Glass Week, Murano Island, Italy
2018 Fresh Winds. International Art Biennale, Garður, Iceland
2017 Considerable; Brynhildur Thorgeirsdóttir - Guðrún Tryggvadóttir. LA. Art Museum, Hveragerði, Iceland
2017 Happy People. The Living Art Museum, Reykjavík, Iceland
2015 The World Without Us. The Hafnarfjörður Center of Culture and Fine Arts, Iceland
2015 Women's Time-Here and Now, thirty years later, Reykjavík Art Museum, Kjarvalsstaðir, Iceland
2014 Glass. Nordic House, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
2013 Wheaton Glass: The Art of the Fellowship. Museum of American Glass Wheaton Arts, NJ, USA
2013 Birds. Gerðuberg Gallery, Reykjavík, Iceland
2012 MHR 40 YEARS. Gallery Klink and Bang, Reykjavík, Iceland
2012 European Glass Context. Bornholm Art Museum, Bornholm, Denmark
2011 Jór! Horses in Icelandic Art. Reykjavík Art Museum-Kjarvalsstaðir, Iceland
2011 Glass 2011. Brenneriet, Gjörvik, Norway
2010 Icelandic Art of One Hundred Years. LA Art Museum, Hveragerði, Iceland
2010 Artfeast I. The Icelandic Folkand Outsider Art Museum, Svalbarðsströnd, Iceland
2008 The Festival of the Trees. Gallery Sævars Karls, Reykjavík, Iceland
2007 To Move Mountains, LA. Art Museum, Hveragerði, Iceland
2007 Anima Gallery. Anima Gallery, Reykjavík, Iceland
2007 Alas Natutre. National Gallery of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
2006 The Painting after 1980. National Gallery of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
2005 Island Kultur. Stockholms Auktionsverk, Stockholm, Sweden
2005 Reykjavík Association of Sculptors Exhibition. Hafnarborg, The Hafnarfjörður Center of Culture and Fine Arts, Iceland
2005 Icelandic Contemporary Glass. Natural History Museum of Kópavogur, Iceland
2004 Environment and Nature. National Gallery of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
2003 This is What I Want to See! Gallery Gerðuberg, Reykjavík, Iceland
2002 Tranquil Light – Sacred Light. Kópavogur Art Museum-Gerðarsafn, Iceland
2002 Icelandic Art 1980-2000. National Gallery of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
2001-2003 The Travelingwonder. Traveling exhibition: Ísafjörður– Akureyri – Seyðisfjörður - Vestmannaeyjar – Reykjavík, Iceland
2001 A View from Above - The Heklamountain Flight. Reykjavík Art Museum-Kjarvalsstaðir, Iceland
2001 From the Collection. National Gallery of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
2001 Confronting Nature. Icelandic Art of the 20th Century, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington DC, USA
2001 Does the Goldcoast Still Inhale? Living Art Museum, Reykjavík, Iceland
2000 From the Collection. National Gallery of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
2000 Quattro Stagioni. Konstens Hus, Luleå, Sweden
1998 Lundur. Lunds Konsthall, Lund, Sweden
1998 On the Coastline. Reykjavík Association of Sculpture. Outdoor exhibition, Reykjavík, Iceland
1998 Duplicity and corporal beauty. Living Art Museum-Reykjavík Art Festival, Iceland
1997 Design Nordic Way. Kalmar, Sweden
1997 Contemporary Art in Snæfellsbæ, Ólafsvík, Iceland
1996 The Niijima Glass Art Center. Niijima, Japan
1995 Altitudes-Attitudes. Artemisia Gallery, Chicago, USA
1995 Skulpture. The Summer Art Festival '95, Outdoor Exhibition, Akureyri, Iceland
1995 The Living Art Museum 17th Anniversary. Living Art Museum, Reykjavík, Iceland
1994 Vanersborg Glasfestival. Vanersborg, Sweden
1994 Scultpure, Sculpture, Sculpture. Reykjavík Art Museum-Kjarvalsstaðir, Iceland
1994 Í deiglunni. The Summer Art Festival '94, Akureyri, Iceland
1994 Art Festival of the Icelandic Republic. London, England
1993 Zeit Sichten. Frauen Museum, Bonn, Germany
1993 The Reykjavík Sculpture Association Exhibition. Hveragerði, Iceland
1993 Norrsken-Biennal För Ung Nordisk Kunst. Kunsthallen Kunstmuseum, Gothenburg, Sweden
1992 The Art Gallery in Tryggvagata, Reykjavík, Iceland
1992 Icelandic Contemporary Sculpture at the Reykjavík Art Festival. Kringlan, Iceland
1991-1992 Figura, Figura. Traveling exhibition: Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinborg, Scotland. Kunsthallen, Kunstmuseum, Gothenburg, Sweden. Reykjavík Art Museum-Kjarvalsstaðir, Reykjavík, Iceland
1991 Northern winds. Nissenhaus Nordfriesischen Museum, Husum, Germany
1991 International Sculpture Show. Art Festival at The Hafnarfjörður Center of Culture and Fine Arts, Iceland
1990 Focus På Island. Huset, Aalborg, Denmark
1990 On Common Ground. One Main Street Windows, Brooklyn, NY, USA
1990 Fragmente aus dem Norden. Kultur Favoriten, Vienna, Austria
1990 Fragments of the North. AFS Gallery, NY, USA
1989 10th Anniversary BWAC Group Exhibition & 7th Annual Outdoor Sculpture Show. Brooklyn, NY, USA
1988 The All Male Feminist Art Show. The New Brooklyn Waterfront Museum, Brooklyn, NY, USA
1988 Vital Signs. One Main Street Windows, Brooklyn, NY, USA
1987 7th International Small Sculpture Exhibition. Place of Exhibitions, Butapest, Hungary
1987 Artists of the Future. Reykjavík Art Museum-Kjarvalsstaðir, Reykjavík, Iceland
1987 Jumbo-Dumbo BWAC Group Exhibition, Brooklyn, NY, USA
1987 Jumbo-Dumbo BWAC Outdoor Sculpture Show, Brooklyn, NY, USA
1987 Five Icelandic Artists in New York. Privatbanken, New York, NY, USA
1986-1987 Miklatún – Manhattan. Traveling Exhibition: Joensuu Art Museum, Helsinki, Finland. Nordic Art Center, Sveaborg, Finland. Upplands Art Museum, Uppsala, Sweden. Sodertalje Art Museum, Sodertalje, Sweden. Gallery 15, Moss, Norway
1986 Women Artists. Gerðuberg Gallery, Reykjavík, Iceland
1985 Here and Now. Reykjavík Art Museum-Kjarvalsstaðir, Reykjavík, Iceland
1985 Kunst Mit Eigen-Sin, International Women Exhibition. Museum des 20 Jahrhunderts, Vienna, Austria
1985 Nordic Glass. Nordic House, Reykjavík, Iceland
1985 Fragmented Glass. Reykjavík Art Museum-Kjarvalsstaðir, Iceland
1994 Fourteen Artists. National Gallery of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
1994 Icelandic Artists in Palazzo. Culture House Palazzo, Liestal, Switcherland
1983 The Goldcoast Inhales. Jötunhúsið, Reykjavík, Iceland
1983 Nordic Glass 1983. Travelling Exhibition: Holmsgaards Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark. Kvadrat Gallery, Ebeltoft, Denmark
1993 Artists Coalition Group Exhibition. Reykjavík Art Museum-Kjarvalsstaðir, Iceland
1982 Seven Glass Sculptors. Sun Gallery, Haward, CA, USA
1983 Four Glass Graduate Students. California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland, CA, USA
Grants and awards
2020 Cultural grant in the wake of COVID 19. The City of Reykjavík, Iceland
2017 Artist State Grant for three months. Ministry of Culture, Iceland
2017 Visual Art Fund. Ministry of Culture, Iceland
2017 Iceland Structural Fund of South Iceland
2015 Artist State Grant for nine months. Ministry of Culture, Iceland
2012 The Icelandic Visual Arts Copyright Association Project fund
2010 Artist State Grant for one year. Ministry of Culture, Iceland
2010 Hlaðvarpinn. The Culture fund for Women, Iceland
2005 The Pollock-Krasner Grant. The Pollock-Krasner Foundation. New York. NY. USA
2005 The Icelandic Visual Arts Copyright Association Project Fund
2004 Artist State Grant for six months. Ministry of Culture, Iceland
1999 Travelling Grant. Ministry of Culture, Iceland
1999 Artist State Grant for one year. Ministry of Culture, Iceland
1998 Travelling Grant. Icelandic Culture Fund
1995 Scandinavia-Japan Sasakawa Foundation, Japan
1993 Three Years Artist Grant from the City of Reykjavík, Iceland
1992 Residency Grant. The Culture Foundation of Iceland & Finland
1991 Artist State Grant for six months. Ministry of Culture, Iceland
1990 The Pollock-Krasner Grant. The Pollock-Krasner Foundation, New York, NY. USA
1990 Artist State Grant for three months. Ministry of Culture, Iceland
1989 Masterworks Fellowship. Creative Glass Center of America, NJ. USA
1985 Artist State Grant for one year. Ministry of Culture, Iceland
1985 Visiting Artist Grant. New York Experimental Glass Workshop, NY. USA
1985 Travelling Grant. Icelandic Culture Fund
1984 The Applied Arts Grant. Applied Arts Fund of Iceland.
1983 Artist State Grant for three months. Ministry of Culture, Iceland
1982 The Corning Price, Pilchuck Glass School, WA. USA
1981 The M.F.A. Ford Foundation Grant, California College of Arts and Crafts. USA
Work in Public Collections
Chrysler Museum of Arts – Glass Studio – Norfolk, VA. USA
World Youth Forum. International project in Sharm El-sheikh. Egypt
LA. Art Museum, Hveragerði, Iceland
Museum of Glass, Tacoma, WA. USA
City of Garður, Iceland
Traffpunt Stadsskogen, Alingsås Art Museum, Sweden
National Gallery of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
Reykjavík Art Museum, Iceland
The Living Arts Museum, Reykjavík, Iceland
Kopavogur Art Museum-Gerðarsafn, Iceland
City of Akureyri, Iceland
City of Garðabær, Iceland
Krikaskóli - elementary school –Mosfellsbær, Iceland
Korpuskóli – elementary school – Reykjavík, Iceland
The Museum of American Glass at Wheaton Village, NJ. USA
The Art Museum of Vanda City, Finland
The Gothenburg Konstmuseum, Sweden
Art Museum, Vanersborg, Sweden
Niijima Glass Art Museum, Niijima, Japan
Work in Private Collections
Samherji group, Dalvík, Iceland
Krauma Spa, Borgarfjörður, Iceland
Hilton Nordica, Reykjavík, Iceland
The University of Reykjavík, Iceland
The Bank of Iceland, Reykjavík
Brim Seafood, Reykjavík, Iceland
KG. Fish Industry, Hellissandur, Iceland
Norðurál Aluminum plant, Akrarnes, Iceland
Prentmet – printing house – Reykjavík, Iceland
The Museum of Niijima Glass Art Center, Japan
Icelandic School of Hotel and Catering, Kópavogur, Iceland
The Icelandic Horticultural College, Hveragerði, Iceland
Icelandair, Iceland
Atlanta Airlines, Iceland
The Agricultural Bank of Iceland
Eimskip, Iceland
Shell, Reykjavík, Iceland
Hotel 101, Reykjavík, Iceland
Deloitte& Touche, Reykjavík, Iceland
Icepan, Kópavogur, Iceland
The Cement factory, Reykjavík, Iceland
Sunnuhlíð Retirement Home, Kópavogur, Iceland
Furthermore, various work in the private collections of individual collectors in Iceland, USA, Europe and Japan