Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Iceland Iceland Samúel Jónsson's Art Farm

Samúel Jónsson's Art Farm

This secluded Iceland farm holds the collected works of one rural sculptor's creations.

Iceland

Added By
Eric Grundhauser
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Samúel Jónsson’s Art Farm   *maya* on Flickr
Samúel Jónsson’s Art Farm   *maya* on Flickr
Samúel Jónsson’s Art Farm   siggi mus on Flickr
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Located next to the nearly uninhabited valley of Selárdalur, Samúel Jónsson's farm was turned into a huge display of naive art that continues to offer a look into the creator's psyche well after his death.

Jónsson lived alone on his secluded farm, but had developed a love of art from an early age. However given the rigors of running his farm, it wasn't until his retirement that he was able to fully embrace his creative impulses. In the mid-50's Jónsson finally quit working and started creating, continuing to add to his menagerie right up until his death. During his years of artistic production, Jónsson produced a number unique concrete statues using material mixed from the sand of a local beach. These are scattered across the green yard and are joined by two almost cartoonish buildings that he also built himself, the chapel and the museum. 

The museum is where Jónsson kept his paintings and his smaller works, and any that might not weather the elements very well. The chapel however my have simply been a byproduct of another project. The story goes that Jónsson created an altar for a local church which turned down the donation. Now that he was stuck with the holy podium he needed somewhere to store it, so he produced the chapel. 

Sadly, Jónsson passed away in 1969, leaving his creations without a caretaker. The land and the statues looked like they were simply going to be abandoned to nature in the out-of-the-way valley. However independent and government organizations have worked together to preserve the site, which still remains for any visitors who would like to see the world through one Icelandic farmer's eyes.

Related Tags

Eccentric Homes Farms Outsider Art Statues Homes
Atlas Obscura Adventures

Iceland in Summer: Journey through the South Coast & the Westman Islands

Explore Iceland's Myths, Wonders, & Landscapes.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

EricGrundhauser

Edited By

aribrown

  • aribrown

Published

December 29, 2014

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://stuckiniceland.com/westfjords/the-art-gallery-at-the-edge-of-iceland/
  • http://www.visiticeland.com/SearchResults/TravelService/samuel-jonssons-art-museum
  • http://outsider-environments.blogspot.com/2012/12/samuel-jonsson-chapel-museum-and.html
  • http://idratherbeiniceland.wordpress.com/2013/09/05/the-interesting-world-of-samuel-jonsson/
Samúel Jónsson's Art Farm
Iceland
65.771179, -24.027519

Nearby Places

Selárdalur Valley

Iceland

miles away

Skrímslasetrið

Bíldudalur, Iceland

miles away

Garðar BA 64

Iceland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Iceland

Iceland

Europe

Places 149
Stories 41

Nearby Places

Selárdalur Valley

Iceland

miles away

Skrímslasetrið

Bíldudalur, Iceland

miles away

Garðar BA 64

Iceland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Iceland

Iceland

Europe

Places 149
Stories 41

Related Places

  • Magic Garden

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Philadelphia's Magic Gardens

    A layered tribute to the work of mosaicist Isaiah Zagar.

  • The Mary Nohl art environment in 2009.

    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

    Mary Nohl House

    A house and yard adorned with bizarre concrete sculptures in a Milwaukee suburb.

  • Callejon de Hamel.

    Havana, Cuba

    Callejon de Hamel

    A colorful narrow alley in Cuba is full of street art and sculptures made of found objects.

  • View from bedroom into loft

    Austin, Texas

    Casa Neverlandia

    This eclectic, mosaic-clad home includes a bamboo ping-pong loft and a "Whispermaphones" intercom.

  • Crécy-la-Chapelle, France

    Le Moulin Jaune

    This professional clown's home is an outsider art wonderland.

  • View of Casa Loma from the garden

    Toronto, Ontario

    Casa Loma

    A 98-room castle in the middle of Toronto that bankrupted a 19th century electricity multimillionaire.

  • Quetzalcoatl’s Nest

    Naucalpan, Mexico

    El Nido de Quetzalcóatl

    An Aztec snake god has taken the material form of an apartment complex.

  • Bensonhurst Statue House

    Brooklyn, New York

    Bensonhurst Statue House

    One Brooklyn man's collection of life-size fiberglass statues has taken over his entire yard.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.