Reykjavík Mayor Wants MoMA Björk Show to Be Reconstituted in Iceland

Hubert Kretzschmar, Bjork (2015).
Photo: Courtesy Licht Feld Gallery, Basel.

Never mind the bad reviews: the mayor of Reykjavík would welcome the critically lampooned Björk show with open arms—and yes, he’s been to New York to see the exhibition for himself.

“The mayor has seen the show and would like to bring it to Reykjavík,” Bjarni Brynjólfsson, the city’s director of information, told the Art Newspaper.

Though the art world may not have anything nice to say about the Museum of Modern Art‘s critically panned celebration of the off-beat pop star, Iceland apparently doesn’t have a problem with the show’s half-baked presentation of costumes and notebooks, or the utterly unhelpful audio “guide.” This makes sense, in a way, given that Björk‘s considerable cult of celebrity can only be stronger in her homeland.

The mayor isn’t just making idle small talk, either. Svanhildur Konráðsdóttir, Reykjavík ‘s director of culture and tourism, is officially trying to make arrangements to present the exhibition at the Reykjavík Art Museum, and MoMA appears to be open to the possibility.

A museum spokesperson told TAN that MoMA is “exploring opportunities to tour the Björk exhibition,” although “there are no tour dates to announce at this time.” Trust us, Iceland, you’re better off without it. (It is worth recalling that the singer herself was hesitant about the show?)

Of course, it could be a significantly-improved exhibition that crosses the Atlantic: “It would not be the same show, but would have to be altered,” said Brynjólfsson.

The news follows on the heels of a Daily Mail report that Björk is selling her Iceland vacation home—after years of splitting her time between New York and her native country, perhaps Björk is rethinking that arrangement in light of her custody battle over daughter Isadora with artist ex- Matthew Barney.


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