4 minute read
Muggur
Guðmundur Thorsteinsson 1891–1924
At the National Gallery of Iceland is a newly opened exhibition that showcases the short career of Guðmundur Thorsteinsson or Muggur, as most people know him.
Muggur was a prolific artist despite his short life, but he managed to create a unique and personal world of art. His best-known work is probably the story of Dimmalimm, which he wrote and drew for his niece in 1921 when he was on his way from Italy to Iceland on a cargo ship.
Kristín G. Guðnadóttir, the exhibition’s curator, says that it was time to show Icelanders the works of Muggur again. “It’s been almost 40 years since we had an exhibition with his works. We felt it was time to show Icelanders his works”, she said. “He did much more than just illustration.”
The exhibition seeks to cover all aspects of Muggur’s imagery. He was an imaginative man and drew landscapes and Icelanders’ lives, travel memories from foreign countries such as entertainment in New York and rural life in Norway. He also drew a world of folklore and fairy tales where delicate princes and princesses live in beautiful castles, trolls live in the darkness and religious worlds where Christ heals the sick.
To bring his ideas to life, he used all kinds of media. He used everything from pencils, chalk and pens to watercolours and oil paints. In addition, he did needlework, made collages, embroidered, and carved in wood. He not only created art by hand but was a stage actor and singer, too. He also played the lead role in the film Saga Borgaraættarinnar, which premiered in 1920.
He was born in Bíldudalur in 1891, but the family moved to Copenhagen in 1903 when he was 12 years old. There he studied at the Royal Academy of Arts from 19111915. His short artistic career spanned only about ten years, as he died of tuberculosis in 1924, at only 33 years old. He was diverse in his art and characterised by naturalism and humour.
The works in the exhibition are both privately owned and from the collection of the National Gallery of Iceland. The museum received 46 pieces by Muggur as a gift in 1958 from the Danish painter and professor Elof Risbye (1892-1961).
The exhibition will run until 13th February 2022. -HDB
COD FISHING IN THE MIDNIGHT SUN
Summer sunset over Reykjavík Harbour is now a few minutes before midnight. This fisherman was just fishing for cod in the harbour, in the soft glow of the beautiful midnight sun. Cod has been our most valuable export for centuries. The quota for cod for the current fishing year, ending on 1st September, is 217 thousand tonnes, and now that two months are left, 191 thousand tonnes have been caught, or 88% of the total catch. The average price for cod from the sea is 372 ISK / kg or 3 USD / 2.5 EUR. The average weight of cod landed in Iceland on Friday, when the picture was taken, was 3.1 kg. Jigging, or fishing with a rod and line is, of course, not part of the cod fishing quota.
BRYGGJAN KAFFIHÚS is a cosy little Café located on the Pier next to the Grindavík Harbour on the Reykjanes peninsula, minutes south from famous Blue Lagoon. Bryggjan Grindavík Miðgarður 2, 240 Grindavík +354 426 7100 info@bryggjan.com www.bryggjan.com
THE GRINDAVÍK CAMPSITE on Reykjanes peninsula is one of the more organised campsites in Iceland. They have BBQ's, electricity, playgrounds, a play castle, kitchen, laundry room and WiFi. Camping in Grindavík Austurvegur 26, 240 Grindavík +354 660 7323 camping@grindavik.is www.grindavik. is/tjaldsvaedi
GRINDAVÍK SWIMMING POOL is located in the middle of town, next to the lovely campsite. They have a 25m lap pool, a kid pool. waterslide, hot tubs, sauna, tanning beds and a gym. Austurvegi 1, 240 Grindavík +354 426 7555 ithrottir@grindavik.is www.grindavik.is/sundlaug
BRUIN RESTAURANT is a family run seafood place with delicious fish dishes and fish soup as specialities with a stunning view over the harbour. Their menu also includes pizza, burgers and a kids menu. Hafnargötu 26, 240 Grindavik +354 426 7080 bruin@simnet.is www.restaurantbruin.com
FISHHOUSE BAR & GRILL in the romantic fishing village of Grindavík is an excellent seafood restaurant minutes south of the Blue Lagoon. They pride themselves on the use of delicious local produce. Fishhouse bar and grill Hafnargötu 6, 240 Grindavík +354 426 9999 kari@fishhouse.is www.fishhouse.is
VOGA SEATOURS is a new tour company offering sea-tours such as whale watching, sea angling and Northern lights tours from Vogur on Reykjanes, 15 minutes from Keflavik airport.
Voga Höfn, 190 Vogar +354 833 9080 info@vogaseatours.com vogaseatours.com
SALTHÚSIÐ RESTAURANT in Reykjanes is the only seafood restaurant in Iceland that specialises in Bacalao, the salted cod. Once the staple food for the poor, now a sought after delicacy all over Iberia and Iceland.
Stamphólsvegi 2, 240 Grindavík +354426 9700 salthusid@salthusid.is salthusid-english.weebly.com/
VOGAR CAMPING and Youth Hostel is located only 15 min from KEF airport. Open 24/7 all year. Hafnargata 19 - 22, 190 Vogar +354 777-3222 vidsjoinn@gmail.com www.vogarcamping.is
