Gía – Gígja G. Thoroddsen

Gígja Thoroddsen (1957- 2021), who made her art under the name Gía, believed that love and art reside within us all. Gígja, an outstanding artist, had a direct connection with such powers. Many of Gígja‘s works clearly reference art history, while others depict her experience of mental health services; she also often painted well-known figures, such as the Virgin Mary, singer Páll Óskar, Adolf Hitler, Marilyn Monroe and politician Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir. In her own view –  and without a trace of arrogance – she maintained that she was the best artist in the world. Her art soon attracted attention in the art world, especially among those who appreciate self-taught artists; at the Art Without Borders arts festival, she was twice chosen Artist of the Festival. In 2016 she held an exhibition at Safnasafnið, after which she presented a selection of her works to the museum 

Gígja was hard-working. She showed her art widely, gave works where she felt they were needed, and left hundreds of works at her death. At Gígja’s death, her sister Ásta Steinunn Thoroddsen presented about 800 of her works to Safnasafnið, together with a generous financial donation. The museum is deeply grateful to Ásta and her family for their generosity, and for their trust  

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