Eirik Smith

The artist and Hafnarfjörður resident, Eiríkur Smith, has died at the age of 92. Eiríkur was born in 1925 and spent his early years growing up in Straumur, by Straumsvík. The family moved to Hafnarfjörður in 1931, and Eiríkur lived in the town for almost all of his life thereafter. He began drawing ships and boats on scraps of paper he could find at an early age. His drawings attracted attention, and he was encouraged by his teachers at Hafnarfjörður Primary School to nurture this talent. A unique photograph from this period exists, showing Eiríkur's classroom decorated with his pictures. Eiríkur entered the workforce at a young age. His interest in art was never far away, however, and he took courses and held exhibitions alongside his work. In 1946, he began his studies at the School of Handicrafts and Fine Arts, and two years later, in 1948, he held his first exhibition at the Sjálfstæðishúsið in Hafnarfjörður. He studied fine art in Copenhagen and Paris but also learnt graphic design at the Technical School in Hafnarfjörður. Eiríkur spent most of his career practising his art in Hafnarfjörður. He was given studio space at the primary school and later at Flensborg. After he built a house at Stekkjarkinn in the 1950s with his wife, Bryndís Sigurðardóttir, he always had a studio at home. Around 1990, they built a magnificent house in Setberg in Hafnarfjörður with a bright and spacious studio, which enabled Eiríkur to work on larger oil paintings than before. Eiríkur is a founding member of the Keili Golf Club and was later a founding member of the Setberg club in Hafnarfjörður. The logos for both clubs are his design.

The opening exhibition at Hafnarborg on 21 May 1988 was a solo exhibition by Eiríkur. It featured 33 oil paintings, several of which were very large, and 33 watercolours from the years 1983–88. It had been 40 years since Eiríkur opened his first solo exhibition at Sjálfstæðishúsið. Eiríkur's subject matter in the 1988 exhibition was the relationship between man and nature, but also the forces that are beyond human understanding. Eiríkur donated a magnificent collection of works to Hafnarborg, the art museum of Hafnarfjörður. In total, 341 works: 115 paintings and 226 works on paper, such as watercolours, pastels and drawings, spanning the artist's entire career, the oldest dating from 1948. The gift was a significant boost to Hafnarborg's collection, and the museum has staged five exhibitions in recent years showcasing the varied career of this prolific and remarkable artist.  On New Year's Day 2005, Eiríkur was made a Knight of the Order of the Falcon for his services to visual art, and on the 100th anniversary of the City of Hafnarfjörður, on 1 June 2008, he was named Honorary Artist of Hafnarfjörður. Eiríkur Smith's contribution to the arts in Hafnarfjörður is invaluable, and he will be remembered as a distinguished artist who truly left his mark on the city's culture and arts.

On behalf of the Hafnarfjörður Town Council and its staff, I send my sincere condolences to Bryndís Sigurðardóttir, his surviving wife, and his family.

Haraldur L. Haraldsson,
Mayor of the Borough of Hafnarfjörður