SÍM

Together with The National Gallery of Iceland and The Icelandic Art Center, we would like to invite you to the Panel on the life and work of Sigríður Björnsdóttir (b.1929) an Icelandic Pioneer in practicing Art in the purpose of Care.

Sigríður Björnsdóttir, that was also married to the Swiss German artist Dieter Roth, built a legacy as one of the founders of Art Therapy world wide during the 1950's. She was known as "the Icelandic artist, working with children's emotions".

We welcome specially our guests:

Simona Dvořák is a curator and art historian based in Paris. She combines her curatorial experience with research and writing, with a particular interest in the performativity of social and epistemic justice while challenging historical narratives. As a curator at the Initiative for Practices and Visions of Radical Care (founded by Nataša Petrešin Bachelez and Elena Sorokina), she explores the practice of living archives and intersections of art and care.

Dr. Abigail Ley is a pediatric neurologist within the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Brain Institute. She earned her medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. Dr. Ley completed a residency in pediatrics and fellowship in child neurology and neurodevelopmental disabilities at George Washington University/Children’s National Health System in Washington, DC. Her clinical area of expertise includes autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental conditions. Prior to entering the field of medicine, Dr. Ley received a master’s degree in art history from the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, England. Dr. Ley also edited the book Art Can Heal, which focuses on the pioneering work of art therapist and artist Sigríður Björnsdóttir.

Ingimar Ólafsson Waage is a visual artist and the Head of the Department of Arts Education at the Iceland University of the Arts. He has extensive experience teaching the visual arts and philosophical dialogues in elementary education. He studied painting at the Iceland College of Arts and Crafts and École Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Lyon, France. He holds an M.Ed. degree in philosophy and sociology of education from the University of Iceland. Currently, he is working on a PhD thesis on the moral value of visual arts education. His research interests include democracy, arts education, philosophical inquiry, and critical thinking skills.


The Event by Listasafn Íslands / National Gallery of Iceland and Icelandic Art Center / Myndlistarmiðstöð
The House of Collections
Hverfisgata 15
101 Reykjavík
Iceland

Duration: 2 hr
Public ·

Art Can Heal
Seminar about Art Therapy, honoring Sigríður Björnsdóttir

▪️14:00
Address
Ingibjörg Jóhannsdóttir, Museum Director

▪️14:10
Art Can Heal
Ágústa Oddsdóttir, teacher, artist and the author of Art Can Heal. The Life and Work of Sigríður Björnsdóttir.
Egill Sæbjörnsson, artist and coordinator of the book.

Ágústa and Egill discuss her reasons for writing Art Can Heal and how the book gives detailed descriptions of Sigríður Björnsdóttir’s radical artistic endeavor and vision to improve the mental and emotional wellbeing of children in hospitals.
▪️14:30
Unchartered path that links art, medicine and mental health
Abigail Ley, listfræðingur og barnataugalæknir / Abigail Ley, MD, MA, paediatric neurologist and art historian, Medical Director of Neurodevelopmental Conditions Program at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Miami, FL

Abigail Ley will be discussing the impact of creative therapy on the developing child, in particular the positive effect on mental and behavioral health. The talk will include recent clinical research data, and highlight specific examples expressed by Sigríður Björnsdóttir in Art Can Heal.

▪️15:50
Café
▪️16:00–16:45
Panel discussions

Simona Dvořák
Simona Dvořák is a curator and art historian based in Paris. She combines her curatorial experience with research and writing, with a particular interest in the performativity of social and epistemic justice while challenging historical narratives. As a curator at the Initiative for Practices and Visions of Radical Care (founded by Nataša Petrešin Bachelez and Elena Sorokina), she explores the practice of living archives and intersections of art and care.

Dr. Abigail Ley
Dr. Abigail Ley is a pediatric neurologist within the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Brain Institute. She earned her medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. Dr. Ley completed a residency in pediatrics and fellowship in child neurology and neurodevelopmental disabilities at George Washington University/Children’s National Health System in Washington, DC. Her clinical area of expertise includes autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental conditions. Prior to entering the field of medicine, Dr. Ley received a master’s degree in art history from the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, England. Dr. Ley also edited the book Art Can Heal, which focuses on the pioneering work of art therapist and artist Sigríður Björnsdóttir.

Ingimar Ólafsson Waage
Ingimar Ólafsson Waage is a visual artist and the Head of the Department of Arts Education at the Iceland University of the Arts. He has extensive experience teaching the visual arts and philosophical dialogues in elementary education. He studied painting at the Iceland College of Arts and Crafts and École Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Lyon, France. He holds an M.Ed. degree in philosophy and sociology of education from the University of Iceland. Currently, he is working on a PhD thesis on the moral value of visual arts education. His research interests include democracy, arts education, philosophical inquiry, and critical thinking skills.
Ágústa Oddsdóttir is a visual artist and author. She completed a BA degree in sociology and English from the University of Iceland in 1973 and a degree in education from the same institution. She has taught sociology at the upper secondary level and has authored teaching materials in the field. She commenced full-time studies in fine arts in 1991 and graduated from the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts in 1997. Ágústa has participated in art exhibitions such as Mom’s Balls 1, Mom’s Balls 2 and Umhverfing, as well as dedicating herself to writing projects. Her book Þegar Kjósin ómaði af söng was published in 2021, and Art Can Heal. The Life and Work of Sigríður Björnsdóttir was published by König Books in Cologne, Germany last September.
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Egill Sæbjörnsson
Egill Sæbjörnsson is a visual artist, musician, and architecture interventionist, born in Iceland and currently based in Berlin. He has been making artworks that bring together 3D environments, digital projections, technology, and sound since the 1990s. These range from small intimate installations in museum and gallery settings to larger-scale permanent architectural installations. Sæbjörnsson conceives his work as a technological continuation of painting and sculpture, exploring the space between the virtual and physical. His work is playful and humorous but always probes deeper ontological and philosophical questions.
Egill Coordinated the book Art Can Heal. The Life and Work of Sigríður Björnsdóttir.