The exhibition Art is our only hope! consists of new works in the Reykjavík Art Museum´s collection, bought and given, by living women artists. Here you can see the work of women of all ages, created in various media and with references to different subjects.

Art is our only hope! is the title of a photographic series that capture a performance by Katrín Inga Jónsdóttir Hjördísardóttir. There, she nods to Carolee Schneemann, who´s performance in the early 1960s was documented by artist Erró in a photo series, now a part of the Reykjavík Art Museum's collection.

Katrín´s work and this reference to the past, highlights decades of women´s tireless struggle to gain a plae in the art scene. Considering what has been gained, time becomes relative. The short time that has passed since women´s artistic creation was marginalized is amazing and at the same time it is surprising that there still is a long way to go before full equality is achieved.

Reykjavík Art Museum has about 17.000 items in its collection, and there is a significant bias towards women. There are various explanations for this, the foundation of the museum´s holdings in the beginning was mostly art work by men artists, the museum preserves three comprehensive collections by men artist and purchases in the past were masculine. In recent years, there has risen an awareness, both in terms of the museum´s collection in whole and the exhibition program.

Works from The Icelandic Love Corporation in the exhibition are a generous gift to the museum from the artists themselves, as well as works that have been purchased in the last five years. In addition to The Icelandic Love Corporation, there are works by many selected female artists, including Anna Hallin, Anna Hrund Másdóttir, Arna Óttarsdóttir, Auður Lóa Guðnadóttir, Edda Jónsdóttir, Erla Þórarinsdóttir, Geirþrúður Finnbogadóttir Hjörvar, Helga Páley Friðþjófsdóttir, Hildigunnur Birgisdóttir, Ingibjörg Sigurjónsdóttir, Ingunn Fjóla Ingþórsdóttir, Katrín Inga Jónsdóttir Hjördísardóttir, Kristín Morthens, Margrét H. Blöndal, Sirra Sigrún Sigurðardóttir, Una Björg Magnúsdóttir, Una Margrét Árnadóttir and Þórdís Aðalsteinsdóttir.

Curator is Ólöf Kristín Sigurðardóttir