Kristín K.Þ. Thoroddsen
KTh – Paintings and Photographs
Gallery 09
05.12.20 – 16.05.21
Kristín Katrín Þórðardóttir Thoroddsen (1885-1959) grew up in Reykjavík, where she received her first instructions in music and visual art, as was common among daughters of the upper class in Reykjavík at the time. Thoroddsen left for Edinburgh in 1904 to study visual arts. After 1940 she started painting again, this time at the Art Students League in New York.
Thoroddsen lived in Akureyri from 1907-1932 with her husband Steingrímur Matthíasson, the district doctor, and their children. They separated in 1932 when she travelled with her 11 year old daughter to India to work for the International Theosophical Society at its headquarters in Adyar.
In 1942 Thoroddsen donated two paintings to Akureyri Church that clearly bear witness to her professional training in visual arts. Her career was unusual in many respects, and she was well acquainted with the progressive ideas of her times. Apart from the paintings in the church, her work has never before been exhibited officially. In this exhibition a selection of paintings is presented along with photographs from her travels in the Orient.
Hrafnhildur Schram, art historian, Helga Kress, Professor Emeritus and dr. Sigríður Matthíasdóttir, historian, wrote the text in the catalogue.
Curator: Þóra Sigurðardóttir, visual artist.
