In 2009, the children of visual artist Valgerðar Briem, Páll Bergsson, Valgerður Bergsdóttir and Þorsteinn Bergsson, presented their mother’s collection of drawings to the Gerðarsafn.
In 2006, a retrospective exhibition of the works of Valgerður Briem was held in the upper halls of Gerðarsafn. In continuation of this, Valgerður’s children donated 10 pictures in the collection Landlit and the picture series Birds, and have now given the museum all the works that were in her possession when she died. Since Valgerður Bergsdóttir, Valgerður Briem’s daughter, came to work at Gerðarsafn, she worked on photographing and computerizing her mother’s work. The collection contains about 1,640 drawings of various types, made using a variety of drawing methods.
Director Guðbjörg Kristjánsdóttir wrote the following about the artistic creation and work of Valgerðar Briem in the exhibition catalog Þverskrður:
Valgerður Briem (1914-2002) was a long-time art teacher. The sketchbooks and countless drawings she made in connection with her art lessons show that she has always been thinking about how to communicate pattern making and design to students. Each individual pattern is developed with tireless work in countless sketches until the final version is obtained and ideas that ignited during the work process are recorded. This is how the entire sight books were created. One contains sophisticated and original typefaces, some of which are derived from Icelandic tradition, others inspired by contemporary art. Valgerður also made countless sketches with weaving in mind and took material from old Icelandic objects at the National Museum of Iceland. Valgerðar’s great collection of drawings is a treasure trove of beauty. Such was her drawing genius and imagination.
