National Emblems (Landvættir) in the Museum (excerpt)
The Icelandic nation, its history and culture, is the focus of Borghildur Óskarsdóttir’s private exhibition that opens today at 16:00, in Ásmundarsalur, The ASÍ Art Museum, at Freyjugata in Reykjavík. The media of the works exhibited are: Clay, glass, concrete and wood.
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“The subject is one I felt I needed to confront,” Borghildur says. Indeed the exhibition abounds with references to Icelandic culture in the works, which the artist has produced, in concrete, cheramic and wood; e.g. an excerpt from Halldór Laxness’ manuscript of Heimsljós and the oldest written document in which the word “Icelander” is found: Konungsbók (The Book of Kings) Grágásar, from 1250 A.D.
… Borghildur says that various pressing questions had surfaced while she was preparing the exhibition; questions about origins and nationality among others. This is hardly surprising, according to Borhildur, as various aspects of contemporary zeitgeist compels us to consider our positon in the world. For this reason she tried as she could to look for answers but the conclusion, according to her, is hardly clear.
Landvættir á listasafni, Þorkell, Morgunblaðið, Menningarblað/Lesbók, 25 January 1997.
Translation: Geir Svansson.