Overview

The Ásmundur Sveinsson Sculpture Museum itself is a part of the collection, as it is a unique building, a mixture of Egyptian pyramids and Arabic domes, mostly designed and built by the artist himself. He also sought inspiration from the Mediterranean countries; the exterior as well as the interior walls are white and smooth, creating a quiet and elegant frame for his provocative and powerful sculptures. Ásmundur Sveinsson (1893-1982) was one of the pioneers of Icelandic sculpture and, like so many of his generation, he was mainly inspired by Icelandic nature and literature, as well as creating grand masterpieces in praise of the common people. While his first sculptures are fairly realistic, he moved on to abstract work in the last decades of his life, and the museum reflects the changes in his artistic vision.