Reykjavík Art Museum Hafnarhús — Attraction in Reykjavik

Emailed the email address on the website three weeks prior to my visit to Iceland. Was very interested in their previous exhibition/project and wanted to talk to someone about it. No response.

I was really disappointed after visiting the space yesterday, and left with a bad taste in my mouth.

The unenthusiastic receptionist was not helpful. So much negative energy (I agree with the last review post).

He told me to email again, in which I replied I didn't feel comfortable as my email didn't receive a response already. I asked if there is anyone I could talk to who knows about the research project "Back to the Sandbox", and he said everyone is in a meeting. No alternatives, or suggestions, nor "come back later"- just kept pushing me to email, even though I felt it was a futile solution.

Most galleries have a guide, curator, director.... SOMEONE to talk to about their exhibitions. (Or at least direct me to a library of archived exhibitions?) ..I asked if I could talk to someone after the meeting, and he said no. He looked at me as if I needed to leave.

Is there no one else who works in the building?

So.. yup! That's my two cents. Genuine feedback as an artist-educator who goes to many galleries from artist-run/grassroots to the big ones... and who was greatly interested their work:

The communication was nothing even close to any kind of civic or non-commercial gallery I've ever been to, nor the friendliness and efforts of artist-run-centres. Cold, pretentious, lack of knowledge and hospitality– I will not be visiting again, nor recommending anyone here. I'm not even sure I'll ever get an...

First off, I must say the building is gorgeous. The galleries are arranged in a fantastic way, I loved that part of it. I feel almost bad for the low rating, because I did not want to be reviewing the art, but here I am. I'm a fan of modern and contemporary art, the upper level had some exhibitions of fair work. One series of pencil sketches was literally an assignment I was given in art school in 1999, and it did feel more like a student show than a national level gallery. My main gripe is with the main gallery showing of Erro's work. Almost all his contemporary work is doing a small collage and then recreating it as a large scale painting, which is fine, but nearly every piece of this work is based off comic book art by Jack Kirby, and Kirby is credited no where. It's immensely distasteful and disrespectful for Erro to be using Kirby, who worked in American comics for over 50 years and created some of the most important work in the genre, to further his own career without at least mentioning that nearly every work shown is directly lifted from Kirby. Other comic artists are used as well, R. Crumb, John Byrne, both John and Sal Buscema to mention a few, and no credit is given. Erro's work is well done, it's just more the work of comic artists than...

I'll admit that I'm not an art connoisseur, so take this with a grain of salt, but I really enjoyed it. The exhibits (at least when I was there) were definitely on the modern/non-traditional end of the spectrum but in the way that I personally really enjoy. The staff was helpful with orienting us with and setting expectations for the museum. Some of the pieces could maybe use more explanation, background, or context (at least for laypeople, again, I'm not a cultured art person), but I still enjoyed it for its own sake. There's a neat little area on the second floor with a free coffee machine and a decent view of the city if you need a break. Definitely worth checking out if you're interested in some unique and interesting art. There's also coat racks, lockers, and nice clean bathrooms, and while all of those are not uncommon for Icelandic museums, it is greatly appreciated by myself. I spent about 45 minutes browsing here, but I could easily see either half or double that depending on your...