Artists

angela Snæfellsjökuls rawlings often deals with the connections and processes at work in nature, art, and science. Angela has recently drawn attention to the legal side of environmental issues, especially the rights of nature, and participated in a 2024 campaign to nominate Snæfellsjökull as President of Iceland. angela's proposal to change color names to better reflect the reality of climate change draws attention to the role of language in our communication about and with the ecosystems we live in, and holds the hope for change in this regard.

Aurora Robson creates works from plastic waste and has developed various techniques with the material throughout her career. Many of her plastic sculptures mimic the organic forms of plants, fungi, and animals: forms that we often associate with the beauty of nature and give us an opportunity to reconsider oppositions like natural/man-made as well as the hierarchy we take for granted in our relationship with objects and materials. Plastic now permeates all life on Earth, but in Aurora's opinion, this long-lasting material is better suited as a material for artworks than for disposable everyday items like spoons or toothpicks.

Björg Eiríksdóttir uses layering, pattern, and proximity, in both paintings and videos, in an attempt to express the multi-layered feeling of being a physical creature in relation to its environment. Björg reflects on how a fetus might experience its connection and existence in the world with other living beings, floating in amniotic fluid, an inseparable part of its environment, before it is born.

Bolatta Silis-Høegh connects the personal with the social and political, as well as the more-than-human. Her work often refers to generational trauma, and the common thread is cyclical (self)knowledge, (self)understanding, and (self)care. The mussel shape first appeared when the drummer and singer Nuka Alice sang for her. Bolatta connects the mussel's spiral-like form to the feminine and the shell to a more-than-human womb that one can imagine crawling into when comfort is needed. The material for the textile work Kaaviiarneq is bedding, dishcloths, tablecloths, and towels from Bolatta's foremothers, which were left over from another installation. The recycling shows respect for the heritage of generations and the material world in general.

Camilla Thorup creates ceramic sculptures of natural motifs with strong ecological and political undertones as she focuses on humanity's role in natural cycles and the ecological footprints we leave behind: "As living beings, we are part of the natural cycle of life, death, and renewal—from the oxygen we breathe to the food we eat. Nevertheless, the waste from our excessive consumption disrupts this natural renewal."

Hekla Dögg Jónsdóttir often directs our attention to the boundaries we draw: between the inner and outer, or the invisible line where two oceans meet. Dialogue and collaboration are important elements in her art, as is an emphasis on the creative process, and her work often revolves around the exhibition space itself.

Hildur Hákonardóttir has throughout her career intertwined art and activism, the women's rights movement, and environmentalism. In the book Red Thread, Sigrún Inga Hrólfsdóttir states that "Hildur's approach undeniably entails the mindset of the "gatherer," a person who utilizes what the environment provides," and thereby "opposition to the the modern view of the world, where humans seek to control nature". Hildur's art is "enmeshed, quite literally, with her work in the field of woman's rights, museums and cultivation of the earth" and an example of "how knowledge in one field can become a tool in an entirely different context - provided creative thinking is applied."

Hrafnkell Sigurðsson has long practiced environmental art, where the landscape and nature – including the man-made environment– become part of the creative process and shape the artwork alongside the artist. In the Mývatn region, he is particularly interested in decommissioned agricultural machinery which, along with the work's location and setting, influences the final result. The interplay between mechanical materials and organic forms is a central theme.

Jóna Hlíf Halldórsdóttir often juxtaposes text and nature scenes in unexpected ways. Her works not only create connections between them but also sometimes illuminate the gap that can arise in our attempts to describe, name, and define nature. In Jóna Hlíf's works, texts often become material objects where the medium is important; letters stand upright like sculptures and are made of various materials, such as delicate paper, weathered copper, and aluminum. Other texts are conveyed through reflection, light, and shadow. By giving the letters this independent life, the very building blocks of the text become the focus, not just their message, and intertwine with other recurring themes in Jón Hlíf's work, for example, the interplay between the material and the intangible, the fragile and the strong, the ephemeral and the enduring.

Kristinn Már Pálmason works with symbols and forms, often using and re-using stencils which have become such a big part of the creative process that he feels they have taken on a life of their own and can stand as works of art in and of themselves. The motifs come from many places, for example, from medieval drawings, but he also uses found objects in compositions that he calls visual recycling. In Kristinn Már's works, one can read an acknowledgment of the agency of matter: an inherent thing power that can be independent of human perception, interpretation, and use.

Laura Ortman is a violinist, composer, and a passionate advocate for collaboration in its many forms. She creates diverse works, including albums, live performance, and film music. Laura has a strong connection to visual art, having begun her career creating paintings and installations before focusing on music as her primary medium. She describes her artistic process as "sound sculpting."

Peter Holst Henckel uses subtle methods to convey social criticism in his art, in this case with used, everyday objects. His works show how recycling and sustainability, such as making small changes to objects that already exist to create something new, do not imply scarcity but instead create new meanings.

Sigga Björg Sigurðardóttir has long created works where fusion, transformation, and movement are the main themes. Her ink drawings sometimes resemble animals, plants, and people at the same time. These surreal creatures, which sometimes flow into one another or leak over the edges of the picture, are at once humorous and unsettling. They are the artist's way of expressing extreme emotions, but they also draw attention to the blurred boundaries between the human and the non-human. In recent years, Sigga Björg has added a new dimension to her visual world: abstract and seemingly organic forms, which she often presents alongside the figurative works.

Sigrún Inga Hrólfsdóttir perceives the subjective effects of natural substances, like endorphins, oxytocin, and estrogen, as colors. The visual manifestation of invisible forces such as conflict, desire, love, and well-being reveals a complex web of emotions, politics, science, and power dynamics. Her paintings draw from Abstract Expressionism, mysticism, and geometry, carrying with them strong symbolism and psychological and spiritual references. Sculptures, such as a uterus crocheted from conductive copper wire, emphasize the feminist view that life is built on cooperation and connection.

Þórdís Adalsteinsdóttir is known for a distinctive and often surreal visual language, where she juxtaposes coded social criticism and personal symbols. Relationships are a prominent theme, often in the context of the more-than-human. Their nature ranges from the uncanny to the caring, and their absurdity is often highlighted by the inversion of traditional roles, strange proportions, and unusual combinations. Unpredictability is a characteristic of complex ecological and social systems and also a key element in Þórdís's paintings.