INDEX HERE.
I have had strong response to this webpage, but it seems few have time to read all the documents. Therefore this extremely short brief.
In the fall of 1968 my grandfather (the late painter Johannes Kjarval then over eighty) had been ill for some time.
The 7th of November 1968 the City of Reykjavik removed 153 boxes from his studio, personal things, books, junk and artwork. These boxes were then sealed and stored for 17 years when they were opened and out of them came more than 5000 works of art by my grandfather.
No document that this was a gift was ever made, no declaration by my grandfather he had given this to the City, nothing. No declartion by the City they had recived this as gift, no document.
My grandfather was then put into the City Hospital mental ward two months later, the 28th of January 1969 where he stayed until his death in 1972.
I sincerely hope you spend some time here to make up your own mind, and please look in later, I am still working on translating more documents and clean up the text. Let others know, the only way I can make this known. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading this.
Ingimundur Kjarval
My translations are faulty (English my third language) and will be improved as time goes on.
In Iceland persons are mentioned by their first name, in these translations it is done both ways, sometimes by first name and sometimes by second name.
This whole thing was a travesty of justice, obvious to anybody who looks at these documents.
If you think I have something to tell, please let others know how this so called "gift" happened, if nothing else the family has that right.
My family was ruined, my father dyed broken and a financially ruined man in 1981, fighting for his rights to the end. Today these works are valued at tens of millions American dollars. I would very much like to hear from you at ikjarval@delhi.net, and your opinion.
Ingimundur Kjarval
From a book by the writer Mr. Matthias Johannessen (more about Mr. Johannessen below) about the painter Johannes Kjarval:(Translation by me)
From the chapter evening light:
And the sea waits silent.....
I saw Johannes Kjarval for the last time the first of February 1969. I went for a visit to the Landsspitalinn (a hospital in Reykjavik) with Mr. Ragnar in Smari (a friend of Kjarval) and Mr. Alfred Gudmundsson (a longtime friend of Kjarval and later the head of the museum named in the name of my grandfather, more about him belove).
When the sun goes down, it makes long and deep shadows, Kjarval was also that way. He lay in his bed when we came, got up and walked around to participate in the visit.
He was barely anything but skin and bones, so unsteady. I saw at ones he was never going to paint again. I for sure didn't think he would outlive his good friend Mr. SigurdurBenediksson. I remember Kjarval very well that day. He was not as unlike himself as I had imagined . And the late day light with its long shadows made the rays even more rememberable than ever before. He did everything to remind us he vas not setting below the horizon. He neither could nor wanted to understand he was supposed to be in a Hospital. He of course should be amongst flowers, singing birds, hidden deities and mountain giant trolls. But nobody asks us. No matter how big the fire is, we always come to the conclusion which is unavoidable in the chain of events in all existence: the lava cools still and the fire disappears in the rock............
And later in the same chapter:
But Kjarval was not thinking of this, if I can't go with you, then you must fetch me alcohol........
And in the same chapter:
I especially remember when we walked in to the hospital room. He was very busy wrapping a blue wool blanket around the comforter. Obviously trying to keep busy and if possible something unusual for a hospital. Then he tied knots on the blanket. "Tied his bags with different knots than his fellow travelers."
We said very little in the beginning, he was very busy and unable to pay us any attention until he was able to get the blanket around the comforter.
Mr. Matthias Johannessen is a former editor of the biggest newspaper in Iceland, a writer and a poet, worked as a journalist before he became a editor of that paper (Morgunbladid). He has been very prominent and controversial in Icelandic cultural live, in favor with the powers and on a honorary salary from the government. His newspaper was instrumental (in my opinion) in keeping this matter away from public scrutiny in Iceland. Mr. Matthias Johannessen has written books about my grandfather.
Mr. Alfredsson was instrumental in removing this from my granfather's studio in 1968. Mr. Alfredsson was a close friend of Mr. Kjarval and worked for the City of Reykjavik. To descripe him in as few words as possible: a party operative in the biggest political party in Iceland. He later became the head of the City Museum, everybody would agree he had no education nor experience for that job.
The City of Reykjavik
The City lawyer.
Reykjavik July 8th 2004 R04060174170KB
logmannsstofa ehf.
(The attorneys office)
Kristinn Bjarnasson hrl.
(The attorney for the family)
Lagmuli 7, 6th floor108 REYKJAVIK
About Johannes's S. Kjarval's gift to the City of Reykjavik in the year 1968.
In reply to:
your letter dated the 20th of June 2004, to the mayor of the City of Reykjavik where in you demand on behalf of your clients Mrs.Gudrun Kjarval (my mother and daughter-in-law to the late painter) and Mette Stiil (grand-daughter to the late painter) that the city returns all artwork and other things taken out of the studio from the late painter Johannes S. Kjarval In the fall of 1968.
In your letter you also mention you wish to know as soon as possible the Cities opinion on returning these before mentioned things.
The City lawyer has been instructed to answer your request.
In response to your request it is right to point out that the 7th of November 1968 Johannes Sveinsson Kjarval gave to the City of Reykjavik artwork and other things here mentioned, verbally. By this declaration, the ownership was legally transferred from the artist to the City of Reykjavik. The City of Reykjavik is therefore a legal owner of before mentioned artworks and things.
Because of undisputable ownership by the City of Reykjavik, your request is denied.
With the authority of the city attorney
(Signed)
Anton Bjorn Markusson hdl.
This letter below was sent to my brother and explains itself. One thing is clear, people are not put into Mental Wards because of plain old age. If it was because my grandfather was who he was or some other reason not mine to answer.
I know, when he was committed he was starving to death and improved physically for a while in the hospital. I know he was in a room without a doorknob on the inside. I heard this story, probably not true: my grandfather got out of the room ones, saw people in white gowns in the hall, convinced he was already in Heaven.
The writer Mr. Indriði G. Þorsteinsson was an Icelandic writer, well respected. A film was made of his book called 'Taxi number 59 from the station". The film is about a taxi driver from the countryside involved with a woman having an affair with a American soldier, a critical look at Icelandic society in the late fifties and early sixties.
Mr. Indriði G. Þorsteinsson was a party member of the Icelandic "Progressive party" (Framsóknarflokkurinn), that the main reason he was hired to write my grandfather´s biography, never written another biography to my knowledge. Mr. Þorsteinsson was on full salary for several year writing this book. He wrote two volumes of mostly unsubsidized anecdotes in my opinion. Mr. Þorsteinsson never interviewed Kjarval´s two children but of course had full access to my grandfather's belongings in storage by the City while Kjarval´s children had no access.
This is my translation;
The City Hospital of Reykjavik
The Mental Ward.HP/g108
Reykjavik 14.06.1985
To Mr. Johannes Kjarval architect.
Asvallagata 29.101 Reykjavik
Dear JohannesAs you know the writer Mr. Indriði G. Þorsteinnsson has asked for information about Mr. Johannes Kjarval, your grandfather and his stay here at the mental ward. That kind of Information is of course not released by the hospital unless the family specifically whishes so.
As we discussed the 12th of June, in your opinion the family has likely no issues with limited information being released about your late grandfather stay here at the mental ward.Therefore this information is sent to you as a representative of the family here in Iceland, it is of course at your discretion if this information goes on to the writer:
Mr. Johannes Sveinsson Kjarval was at the city hospital mental ward in Reykjavik from the 18. Of January 1969 and died the 13th of April 1972. The reason for his stay was due to old age which slowly got worse till he died. Undersigned has been told by the staff your late grandfather got the best of care at here and his well being as good as could be expected in his condition.
With best of greetings.
(Signed)
Hannes PéturssonChief physcian
In my oppinon, there is no doubt this was stolen from my grandfather's studio while his son was ill in Denmark, this carted away in 153 boxes with at least 5000 works of art and personal belongings, most of it hidden away for 17 years till after my father's death in 1981. It was unpacked in 1986, and the artwork recorded. No documention from the year 1968 or later that this was a gift was ever made. A list of the boxes was made in 1968 with a letter by the City and given to my grandfather the 10th of January 1969. No mention this being a gift.
My grandfather was put in a mental ward later that month where he stayed till his death in 1972.
INDEX HERE.