This past Monday was the last day of the Spring 2016 group residency - we're sad to see everyone go but it has been an amazing 10 days! This year we hosted eight international artists - their projects included light installations, an experimental dinner, paintings, writing inspired by nature, and more. On the final Sunday all the artists came together for a final exhibition in Simbahöllin, to show their work to the community. Some of the projects came out of conversation and collaboration between the artists, and many of them were inspired by and in dialogue with the landscape and environment that surrounds Þingeyri. You can see some of the results of their work during their stay below. (More images from the residency in our gallery)
The Artists:
Sarah Adams: Sarah is an artist and designer based in San Francisco, CA. She is particularly interested in the uncomfortable experiences we experience in our lives and how we navigate those feelings, as well as how inanimate objects can take on their own kind of personality and presence. She continued this theme in Iceland, focusing on the the landscape as emotion and relating geological strata to the layers of each person's personality. She also created a mural in the village inspired by hearing the sound of the word "Já" ("yes") used frequently around the village. (Website: www.speckledwords.com)
Olive Allen: Olive is a painter originally from Russia and now based in New York City. Her current work is inspired by Abstract Expressionism, particularly using the color blue to explore the possibilities for expression within one color. During the Residency she created a series of paintings using the blues seen in the Westfjords landscape.
Miguel Olivares: Miguel is a New York City-based designer whose main focus is investigating our connection to food through product and experience design. During the Residency, Miguel created a unique dinner experience, entitled "Stations," in an old public bus (creating a setting in collaboration with Ian). The dinner was created using local and traditional ingredients, which were prepared and served using methods reflecting the landscape from which they came. The project explored the relationship between nature, culture, and cuisine. (Website: http://www.maozdesign.com)
Ian Campbell: Ian is an architect, light-, and installation- artist based in Seattle, WA. His work during the residency built upon earlier work using temporary light-based interventions, specifically against the backdrop of the Icelandic landscape. His projects included using a high-powered laser to create interactions between light and then natural horizon (see image below), as well as wind-powered light installation on the shore of the fjord, and "artificial northern lights" inside the bus as part of Miguel's food experience. (Website: www.rs-vr.com)
James Abell: James is an artist originally from Scotland, who has been working with FabLabs around the world - most recently in Ísafjörður. With his work he explores the gap between traditional creative methods, such as hand drawing, with modern maker technologies like laser cutting and 3D printing. He also designs and leads workshops on "imaginary cities," and during his time in Þingeyri started creating drawings and ideas for arctic imaginary cities through observation of the Icelandic landscape. (Website: http://www.jamesabellart.com)
Petra Paschinger: Petra is an Austrian playwright, dramaturge, and director who has been working in theatre in Berlin for the past 10 years. During the Residency she worked on the beginning of a short story, drawing inspiration from the Icelandic landscape and focusing specifically on water as an element; during the exhibition she presented a series of narrative "sketches" based on sights and experiences from around Þingeyri.
Chelsea Tarnas: Chelsea is a multimedia artist from Detroit, now living on the Big Island of Hawai'i. Her work focuses on the cosmos and perceptions of micro- and macrocosms. During her time in Iceland she created a series of monoprints that relate to her recent work, but incorporate the colors and light in Þingeyri. (Website: www.chelseatarnas.com )
Victoria Asher: Victoria is a filmmaker and musician based in Los Angeles, CA. She was the keyboardist for the band Cobra Starship and worked in various TV and film projects. While in Iceland she focused on internet-facing video and worked on creating a short documentary about the Residency. (Website: www.vickyt.com)