THE LIVING ART MUSEUM

The Living Art Museum (Nýló) is an internationally acclaimed venue for contemporary visual art in Iceland. This reputation is founded upon our commitment to the presentation of innovative work by Icelandic and international artists. The very distinctive character and history of Nýló have contributed to its reputation as a unique place to produce and experience contemporary art.

The Living Art Museum was founded by a group of twenty artists in 1978 and is the oldest non-profit artist-run organization in Iceland. Through the last 30 years it has stayed true to its original goals; to create a platform for progressive exhibitions and critical discussions on experimental art practice. The museum has given equal weight to work by international as well as Icelandic artists.

The Living Art Museum focuses on contemporary art with the aim of providing a base for artistic creativity and experimentation. Each year Nýló produces 6 to 8 exhibitions in the gallery space.In addition, we also promote artistic expressions in various forms such as performances, screenings, and workshops to increase program variability. In this way, we opt to question and reflect on our current direction and activities at all times.

The Living Art Museum does not represent single artists, but it has throughout the years had an indisputable importance in promoting artists through a sympathetic and non-hierarchical relationship. Nýló is a small institution which provides an important flexibility; we can constantly revise existing ideas and experiment with new solutions to try to find out ideal circumstances for the artists working with us.

Over the years the Living Art Museum has collaborated with a great number of art organizations (e.g. British Council, Mondriaan Foundation, Goethe Foundation, Kulturkontakt Nord and IASPIS), as well as numerous museums and galleries. Nýló is supported and funded by the members of the Living Art Museum, The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Reykjavik City Council and private sponsors. If you are interested in supporting the Living Art Museum please press here .