Minutes of the 89th meeting of the Museum Council
December 10, 2009, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM, National Museum of Iceland
Present: Margrét Hallgrímsdóttir, chairman, Halldór Björn Runólfsson, Helgi Torfason, Jenný Lind Egilsdóttir, Guðný Dóra Gestsdóttir, Sveinn Kristinsson, AlmaDís Kristinsdóttir, Rakel Halldórsdóttir.
1. The minutes of the 88th meeting were approved and signed.
2. Report of the Managing Director.
New museum board appointed. A new museum council has been appointed. The term of office is from 25 November 2009 to 1 November 2013. The council will continue to be composed of the directors of the main museums, in accordance with the Museums Act No. 106/2001, but the composition of representatives of interest groups has been changed. Jenný Lind Egilsdóttir, a local council member in Borgarbyggð, will represent the Association of Icelandic Municipalities and Guðný Dóra Gestsdóttir, museum director at Gljúfrasteini – the poet’s house and chairwoman of the Association of Icelandic Museums and Collectors, will represent the association. The outgoing general representatives of the museum council, Sveinn Kristinsson, representing the Association of Icelandic Municipalities and AlmaDís Kristinsdóttir, representing the Association of Icelandic Museums and Collectors, were invited to this meeting. Museum Council resolutions from the last meeting. Resolutions from the last meeting, which have been sent, were discussed. (See attached.) This is a resolution regarding environmental damage to the Sigurjón Ólafsson Art Museum and a resolution to members of parliament in which the museum council endorses the opinion of the National Audit Office that state funding for museums should be directed to a greater extent into professional channels, such as a museum fund. This opinion is expressed in the report ?Icelandic Museums. Management and use of state funds.? which the National Audit Office sent to the Althing in May this year. The Teigarhorn theft. The matter was reviewed. HT will, on behalf of the Natural History Museum of Iceland, study the matter in more detail. Possible theft of cultural property from a shipwreck Pourquoi Pas? The matter was briefly discussed. Böðvar Kvaran Museum. The National Archives has responded to a query regarding the Böðvar Kvaran Museum. State-owned banks' art holdingsIt was agreed to request the opinion of the National Gallery of Iceland on the matter. Museum policy in the field of national heritage preservationThe National Museum of Iceland, with the assistance of the Museum Council, is currently holding consultation meetings with museums on a review of museum policy in the field of national heritage conservation. The meetings have elicited positive responses from museum owners and numerous useful comments and suggestions have been made. Data Repository - Preservation Center for MuseumsThe chairman and the vice-chairman had a meeting with representatives of the Data Repository company, who presented their ideas for establishing preservation centers for museums around the country. Course on electronic administration. Ms. M. attended a course on electronic processing of administrative matters organized by the Continuing Education Institute of the University of Iceland, the Institute of Public Administration and the Prime Minister's Office. Applications for the 2010 Museum Fund. Numerous applications have been received. There are still problems related to the use of the Museum Council's new, electronic application form for applications to the museum fund. The conference Innovation and Creative Work in the Hands of Young People, December 2-4. The conference was a success. The Minister of Culture chaired a meeting on museum issues on December 2nd at the conference. The National Gallery of Iceland prepared a special event for the conference guests' visit to the museum on December 3rd as part of the conference program. Cooperation with the Customs Administration. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has held discussions with the Directorate of Customs on cooperation in the implementation of Act No. 105/2001 on the export of cultural property and the return of cultural property to other countries. The Directorate of Customs is working on the preparation of procedures regarding the export of cultural property and the aim is to conclude a cooperation agreement between the institutions soon next year. Relocation of the Museum Board's officeThe plan is to move the Museum Council's office to Setberg, the office building of the National Museum of Iceland, immediately after the New Year.
3. Museum Fund Allocation Rules – Revision. Comments on the allocation rules were reviewed. They will be confirmed by email.
4. Distribution ticket for the export of cultural property. A new proposal by the designer was reviewed, in accordance with the comments of the councilors from the last meeting. Some comments were made on the wording of the label, but the design was approved. It was agreed to also publish the label in English. The board of directors was instructed to continue working on the project.
5. Media monitoring of museum affairs. It was agreed at the 88th meeting of the Council to embark on the project. The offer for media monitoring in print and broadcast media was reviewed. It was agreed to examine certain aspects of the offer in more detail.. Media monitoring will be paid for by the Museum Council and available to those museums that are registered on the Museum Council's information page on museum work in the country. www.safnarad.is/safnastarf.
6. Coordinated museum visitor survey. According to a previous decision of the Museum Council, the Minister of Culture has established a working group on a project related to a coordinated museum visitor survey of museums across the country, based on a model from the Cultural Heritage Agency in Denmark. The working group has sought a bid for an electronic survey from the company Outcome.is. The bid was reviewed and agreed to accept it subject to minor changes. The Minister of Culture was instructed to continue working on the matter.
7. Stained glass from Coventry Church. In continuation of the Museum Council's approved inquiry from the last meeting, information has been received from Sigurður Jónsson, parish priest of Áskirkja, regarding loose glass from Coventry Church that is preserved in Áskirkja. Two loose glass pieces from Coventry are preserved in the church, but it is planned to install another in the church's congregation hall. One loose glass piece is not planned to be used. It was agreed to seek the opinion of the specialist director of the National Museum of Iceland's antiquities collection on whether there was reason to ensure the preservation of the glass at the National Museum, although in such a way that Áskirkja has ensured access to the artifact.
8. Copyright issues of collections – 1) Draft bill to amend the Copyright Act. 2) Agreement between the University of Iceland and Fjölís. The matter was postponed until the next meeting.
9. Ágústa Edwald's application for the export of cultural property from archaeological excavations at Hornbrekka, Höfðaströnd. The Museum Council received an application from Ágústa Edwald requesting permission to export cultural property from an archaeological excavation at Hornbrekka, Höfðaströnd. Comments have been requested from the National Museum of Iceland and the Icelandic Archaeological Conservation Agency. The Icelandic Archaeological Conservation Agency did not comment on the export. The National Museum of Iceland considered it appropriate that the artifacts be pre-registered for a museum before export, to ensure monitoring. The applicant was informed of the National Museum's comments. The matter was referred to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, which considered it appropriate that the artifacts be pre-registered to ensure monitoring, if there is a precedent for such. The National Museum of Iceland decides on the registration of the artifacts. The artifacts have been pre-registered for a museum and a permit has been issued.
10. Application for export of bone samples from an archaeological excavation in Reykholt, Borgarfjörður, for research purposes. The Museum Council received an application from Guðrún Sveinbjarnardóttir for the export of two bone samples from an archaeological excavation in Reykholt, Borgarfjörður, for research purposes. Comments were requested from the National Museum of Iceland and the Icelandic Archaeological Conservation Agency. Comments without comments have been received. Permission has been granted.
11. Guðrún Sveinbjarnardóttir's application for an extension of a permit to export textile waste for research purposes. The Museum Council received an application from Guðrún Sveinbjarnardóttir requesting an extension of a permit for the temporary export of textile remains from an archaeological excavation in Reykholt, for research purposes. Comments were requested from the National Museum of Iceland and the State Archaeological Service. Comments have been received and no comments have been made on the extension. The extended permit has been processed.
12. Íslandsbanki's application for permission to temporarily export a work by Guðmundur frá Miðdalur to an exhibition abroad. The Museum Council received an application from Íslandsbanki requesting permission to temporarily export a work by Guðmundur frá Miðdalur for exhibition abroad. A comment was requested from the National Gallery of Iceland. Permission will be processed once a comment has been received, if no objections are made to the export. The Museum Council agreed that a special form would be created for comments from major museums, marked Museum Council, due to the number of such comments.
13. Application from the Archaeological Institute of Iceland for the temporary export of cultural property for safekeeping abroad. The Museum Council received an application from Guðrún Ölda Gísladóttir at the Archaeological Institute of Iceland requesting permission to temporarily export cultural property from four archaeological excavations of the Archaeological Institute for safekeeping abroad. Comments were requested from the National Museum of Iceland and the Icelandic Archaeological Conservation Agency. The National Museum of Iceland commented on the export and considered the artifacts in question to be extremely significant and some of such a nature that they would hardly belong in Icelandic museums. For this reason and with regard to safety, the museum believes it is more natural that the artifacts be preserved in Iceland, where such facilities exist, and offers the facilities of the National Museum according to further agreement. In light of the National Museum's comments and the importance of the artifacts, the Museum Council agreed to reject the request for export and recommended that the artifacts be preserved in Iceland.
14. Application from the owner of Möðruvallar Church in Eyjafjörður to export the church's altarpiece. The Museum Council received a copy of a letter from the lawyer for the owner of Möðruvalli Church to the Icelandic Archaeological Conservation Agency, dated 18 November 2009. The letter states that in continuation of the Museum Council's letter to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports dated 14 May 2009, in which the Museum Council temporarily suspended the export of the church's altarpiece with reference to the authority in Article 4 of Act No. 105/2001, the Ministry responded with a letter to the Museum Council dated 20 July. It is clear that that letter has never been received by the Museum Council for unclear reasons. The Ministry's letter in question states that it is up to the Museum Council to accept the request for the export of the altarpiece for processing and resolution. The Museum Council discussed the matter and came to the conclusion that it was not possible to authorize the export of the altarpiece. This conclusion is based on expert opinions on the altarpiece, who consider it to be unique and of unquestionable value for Icelandic art history, national culture and the church. The Museum Board also considers it clear that the altarpiece is already protected, as has been stated after examination and is confirmed in a letter from the Icelandic Archaeological and National Heritage Office to the attorney for the owner of Möðruvellir, dated 15 July 2009. It was agreed not to permit the export of the altarpiece, with reference to the authority in Article 4 of Act No. 105/2001.
15. Next meeting and other matters. The next meeting will be called in the new year. The Board of Directors will make a proposal for the meeting schedule for 2010. It was agreed to move the meeting time to noon (12-2 p.m.) on Thursdays.
There was no further discussion and the meeting adjourned at 17:00/RH
__________
(Sent via email on December 4, 2009).
Resolution of the Museum Board regarding ground disturbance and chatter in Laugarnes, in the immediate vicinity of the Sigurjón Ólafsson Art Museum.
At the meeting of the Museum Council on October 29th, the Museum Council discussed the issue of the Sigurjón Ólafsson Art Museum in terms of damage and soil disturbance in the immediate vicinity of the museum in Laugarnes. The Museum Council also resolved on the matter at the meeting of the Council on June 15th, and stated that the Council considers it urgent that the City of Reykjavík and all relevant professionals stop damage, especially the disturbance of ancient monuments, that has been carried out in the vicinity of Laugarnestangi 65 (Sigurjón Ólafsson Art Museum) and contribute to the restoration of the area's former appearance as soon as possible. It was also stated that the Council considers it important to follow the proposal of the Icelandic Archaeological Conservation Authority to prepare a protection plan for Laugarnes, where the context of natural and ancient monuments, as well as the artistic value of the area, will be respected and protection will be marked for the future.
The Museum Council reiterates its above opinion and also points out that if there are abnormally long delays in the handling of the matter by the relevant professional bodies, it may be referred for consideration to the Parliamentary Ombudsman.
Respectfully,
on behalf of the Museum Council,
Margret Hallgrimsdottir,
Chairman of the Museum Council and National Heritage Curator
Rakel Halldorsdottir,
Director of the Museum Council
Sent:
Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Minister of Education and Culture
Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir, Mayor of the City of Reykjavík
Guðný Gerður Gunnarsdóttir, City Heritage Officer of Reykjavík
Eiríkur Þorláksson, expert, Ministry of Education, Science and Culture
Ellý Katrín Guðmundsdóttir, Deputy Director of the City of Reykjavík's Construction Department
Kristín Huld Sigurðardóttir, Director of the Icelandic Archaeological Conservation Agency
Birgitta Spur, director of the Sigurjón Ólafsson Art Museum