Guðný Guðmundsdóttir

Journal Questionnaire, Questionnaire Guðný Guðmundsdóttir 27. July 2026 by Guðný Guðmundsdóttir Guðný Guðmundsdóttir, Photo: Lilika Strezoska The Icelandic gallerist Guðný Guðmundsdóttir reflects on intuition and the human search for freedom, dignity, and belonging. With Gallery Gudmundsdottir, which she founded in 2020, she has been nominated for this year’s VBKI Prize for Berlin Galleries. In our questionnaire, she talks about her daily life in Berlin, balancing art and family, as well as the motivations and values that shape her practice. Do you have a daily ritual that gives you structure or inspiration? I love waking up very early. The quiet of the morning gives me time to plan the day ahead, answer emails, and browse the internet before the morning rush of getting my teenagers out the door. Afterwards, I go for a run. That calm routine at the beginning of the day helps me stay focused and is often when my best ideas emerge. What would you do if time, money, and other resources were no object? What a wonderful thought experiment. I would finally realise all the ambitious and resource-intensive art projects that I have been developing together with the artists I work with over the past few years. They have so many extraordinary ideas, and we have spent years searching for funding to make them possible. To be able to bring every one of those projects to life would be a dream come true. Has there been a book that fundamentally changed your perspective—and why would you recommend it? A book that has profoundly shaped my perspective is ›Independent People‹ by Halldór Laxness. For me, the novel is an exploration of one of the strongest human desires: to be free, to stand on one’s own feet, and to shape one’s own destiny. It reveals the strength, but also the contradictions, loneliness and heartbreak that can come with the pursuit of independence—set within a deep relationship between human beings and nature. The book also resonates with me on a personal level because it reflects something from my own cultural background. When I think about earlier generations in Iceland and how they sought independence from Denmark and built their lives under extremely difficult conditions, I recognise this strong longing for independence and self-determination. I believe that traces of this spirit still live within us Icelanders today. I may also have carried part of this mindset with me into my life in Germany: the desire to build something, follow a vision, and find my own path. I recommend this book because, although deeply rooted in a specific place and history, it touches upon something universal: the human search for freedom, dignity, and belonging. What do you wish you had known earlier? I would have loved to have trusted my intuition earlier. In many ways, intuition has guided me throughout my life, but I have not always had the confidence to trust it fully. I wish I had understood earlier that intuition is not the opposite of knowledge or experience—it is often a way of recognising possibilities before they become visible. Where do you recharge your batteries? Working in the garden—which is a bit funny because I don’t seem to have particularly “green fingers”, but I enjoy working with my hands and being in nature. Is there a work of art you would love to have in your home? Ohh my home is already full of artworks—it’s a professional hazard! At the moment, I’m particularly fascinated by the work of Martha Jungwirth and Sandra Vásquez de la Horra. I certainly wouldn’t say no to living with one of their works. Which exhibition venue in Berlin inspires you? Berlin is the inspiration itself. The city’s extraordinary density of museums, institutions, galleries, project spaces, and independent initiatives creates a constantly evolving cultural landscape. Every exhibition has the potential to redefine the space it inhabits, making each visit feel like a new discovery. This richness is one of Berlin’s greatest strengths. It has made the city one of the world’s leading destinations for art and culture, attracting millions of visitors every year. At a time when the arts are facing increasing financial pressure and new challenges to artistic freedom, it is more important than ever to recognise and protect this diversity. It is the people behind these places, and the many different perspectives they bring, that make Berlin’s cultural landscape so exceptional. What fascinates you about Berlin? The people and the energy of the art scene. Berlin is, for me, a place of encounters—a city where different perspectives, ideas, and ways of living meet and continuously create new impulses. What’s one item you couldn’t live without? The first thing that came to mind was that I can’t live without my violin but maybe the more realistic answer is that I can’t live without my computer… What keeps you going? Positivity, Curiosity, and a good portion of undiagnosed ADHD. Which personality would you like to have a conversation with—and what would you talk about? That’s a difficult question, because I’ve learned that meeting the people I admire doesn’t always live up to the image I’ve created of them. I almost prefer to keep that sense of admiration intact and let their work continue to speak to me. That said, I would absolutely love to meet Monty Don, the lead presenter of the BBC’s ›Gardeners’ World‹. I could happily spend hours talking with him about gardening, plants, and the quiet joy of working with nature. What do you look forward to when your working day comes to an end? After a successful day at work I like to enjoy a glass of wine with my partner or my friends. 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