Kristin Sevaldsen is a Norwegian saxophonist, composer and producer
currently working on an album trilogy. She joined us for the month of February.

You can find more from Kristin on her instagram.

The music is based on field recordings from various places, situations, scenarios and countries in
the Arctic region. The first album, The Sonic Experience -Snøhetta,
was launched in May 2022 and is about mount Snøhetta on the Dovre
barriere in Norway.

The second album is based on field recordings from Iceland which is
the reason why she came to The Fish Factory; to be able to immerse
herself in the creative work and be influenced by the Icelandic
nature, culture and society in general.

During her stay here at the Fish Factory Kristin Sevaldsen managed to
do exactly what she wanted to do, and is very satisfied with all the
work she got done. With the entire Studio Silo as a work space all to
herself, she was able to maintain an undisturbed focus on her work.

Thank you Kristin. Your focus, calm and brilliance inspired us all! Takk og bless!

LINKS:

https://www.nasjonalparkriket.no/en/snohetta-dovrefjell
Facebook.com/kristinsevaldsenartistpage

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/29tCfUDy8zTAUrnJPQUj8r?si=RKYusCtBTc6-DCHqK4EsPg

Roxane Fiore is a Canadian visual artist currently based in Iceland who draws, in chalk pastels, artworks that are inspired by her paper assemblages. Her interest lies in creating illusory spaces that move away from their original context and question the very ideas of reality and existence.

During this February residency, Roxane continued working on developing a new and coherent body of work to present during a first solo exhibition. The support of the Canada Council for the Arts is here acknowledged; their generous research and creation grant made this one-month residency possible.

Roxane’s work can be viewed on her website roxanefiore.com or via instagram (@roxanefiore).

“During my time at the residency, I started with the production of drawings that might be included in my future exhibition project. Working in this large studio space in an inspiring environment and alongside like-minded individuals was wonderful, and certainly had a positive impact on my productivity!

Apart from being a great workspace, the Fish Factory was ultimately for me the ideal environment to pause, reflect and gather new ideas, all while working on a specific project. I always find that changing context benefits me by fostering growth on both artistic and personal levels.

I was surprised at how much I was influenced by the spectacle of the northern lights during my stay. Their strong presence, power and beauty made their way into a small-scale drawing which will forever be a reminder of my intense and enriching experience at the Fish Factory. I owe a lot the other artists and musicians for making this residency a memorable one.”

Thank you Roxane- it was wonderful to have you at the Factory and we loved seeing the progress of your project. Come back soon! Takk og bless!

Amy Engelhardt is a composer/lyricist/playwright from the United States who spent the month of February 2023 at the Fish Factory. Her residency concentrated on two theatre projects as well as being instrumental in our February open house concert and contributing to a strong community spirit within the programme.

You can see more from Amy on her website.

IMPACT, a multimedia solo show with music, will premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in summer 2023. The script was revised and cello parts were written here. A COLLECTIBLE SENSATION, a collaboration with American playwright Arianna Rose is a theatrical musical about the barrier-breaking Cone sisters – the first female art collectors in the early 20^th century – and their relationship with Gertrude Stein. It explores the roles of women in art, as art and as independent members of society. Amy wrote a large chunk of the score here.

“I’m a huge Icelandophile, so spending a month in the Eastfjords was like living a dream. Being part of a multi-disciplinary cohort of artists is beyond inspirational. Our collective commitment to our individual arts creates an energy – a synergy – and almost immediate camaraderie. From the intense time “in the zone” to the gusty downpours outside, morning coffee looking at the ever-changing sky, the connections forged over tea and terrible snacks to seeing and hearing the work created here, this time was a gift in many, many ways. Tak fyrir.”

Thank you Amy for your boundless spirit and energy during your months stay. We are excited to follow your adventures to Edinburgh and beyond! Takk og bless!

Chengwei Geng (b.1998) is a visual artist based in the UK. She graduated as a Master of Arts in Painting of the RCA, London in 2021. Chengwei is the only child of a Lacanian psychoanalyst mother and a homicide detective father. During her month long stay at the Fish Factory she focussed her attention on documenting moments in time through a number of small paintings from the landscape whilst also exploring the possibilities of ceramics in our workshop.

You can see more from Chengwei from her website and on her Instagram.

Her work focuses on “Fictional Memories”, believing we all subconsciously alternate our memories to our likings or to a certain level which are bearable. “In the end, people are just disappointing.” She always says “We eventually realise we can choose what we remember and that we’ve been doing it all along. It’s not a sin if you want your life a little more romanticised.”

She’s been documenting different moments that touched her whilst here at the residency- either the ocean and mountains that humbled her or the wind that made her cry; she wishes to bring that piece of sentiment back to her love ones far away.

Not only has she been writing poems on how the moon brings our thoughts to the person under the same sky watching the same moon, but also through the abstract expressionism paintings and the ceramics with her fingers’ imprint, her longingness shows. “Imagine standing where I was or the how I sculpt the clay, I look up at the moon every night; wondering if they’ve missed me too.”

You certainly brought some sunshine into our residency Chengwei- we hope to see you again in the future!

Josie is a visual artist based in Dundee, Scotland, her practice explores perceptions of memory and place. Through intentional improvisation she creates atmospheric dreamscapes that shift between photography and painting, evoking feelings of familiarity within the abstract.

You can see more of Josie’s work on her Instagram.

I’ve loved my 2 month stay here at the fish factory. I came looking for a new environment to explore and it did not disappoint! The Factory’s atmosphere gave me an ideal place to have some perspective on my practice and think about my future as an emerging artist.

I’ve spent my time playing with materials walking in the hills and learning new things from my fellow artists. I’ve worked a lot more in the landscape here then I was expecting, using cyanotypes as a way of mapping my walks around the fjord, creating a sort of light diary through many small cyanotypes.

I found the Factory to be a great place to reconnect with old passions and to experiment without judgement, I’ve really loved using ceramics again as well as learning how to make watercolour paint… something I will definitely use within my practice moving forward. My stay here will no doubt be infused within my practice for years to come. Until next time!

Thanks Josie- it’s been a pleasure having you on the residency. We’re excited to see where life takes you and your practice next and look forward to welcoming you back in the future!

Patricia Huguesm is a graphic designer and illustrator based in Mexico City. Her practice is mainly focused on fashion and textile projects but during her time at the Fish Factory took an exciting detour into ceramics.

You can find more of Patricia’s work on her Instagram.

“I had a lot of little ideas for my time in Fish Factory but my main goal was to distance myself from the everyday tasks I encounter as a graphic designer. I wanted to create without judgement or a deadline.

I was looking for a welcoming space where I could work with like-minded people. I ended up letting myself be guided by the opportunities the studios (and Una) provided. I had always wanted to have a go with ceramics and enjoyed every minute I spent trying to make my illustrations come alive in a different way than animation or textiles enable.

I spent my mornings up in the mountains picking berries and my afternoons at the Factory. Time flew by and I will definitely try to come back to this little gem of a place.”

Thank you Patricia, it was wonderful having you and we’d love to see you back in our ceramic studio any time! See you again!

Makenna Hatter is a visual artist from Austin, Texas. She is a recent graduate of Texas State University, with a passion for connecting with people through paint, printmaking and drawing. During her time at the Fish Factory she focused predominantly on painting and worked both with the local community as well as engaging with the surrounding landscape and our Tumi!

You can find more of Makenna’s work on her website and Instagram.

“My initial intention for my residency was to create portraits of the residents of Stöðvarfjörður. After completing my first painting, (a double-portrait of a couple in their home) I shifted to painting landscapes. I realized that painting the landscape here would provide me with different opportunities to try new compositions and techniques. One of my goals for this residency was to try new things, and because I normally paint the figure, I realized that landscapes would be a great opportunity to really step outside my comfort zone.

Thank you so much Makenna, we loved having you! Until next time.

The residency at the Fish Factory gave me the time and space to connect with myself and the landscape around me. The unprecedented time and isolation acted as a lens on feelings of melancholy and loneliness, two themes current in my work.

I felt a connection with the landscape. Iceland is a land torn asunder at its centre, resulting in two plates drifting apart. I especially sympathised with the glaciers and their visible traces; the fjords. I thought in geological time and used geological time as a metaphor for my own sloth.

I tend to work in oil, but here I worked mainly in pencil and also in video. The shading required in a pencil drawing is very labour intensive and slow, mirroring the slowly grinding landscape.
I didn’t make massive amounts of work whilst in Iceland, but rather learned about myself, and found a footing and a route in my practice.

Thank you Arthur, it was a pleasure having you here, we will miss your humour. Until the next time

Is an Artist, Painter, and Environmentalist from Ontario Canada, who stayed with us at the residency from April to August.

“As a landscape painter, and lover of nature, Iceland has been quite the paradise, I had no shortage of inspiration. My experiences here will without a doubt continue to influence myself and my work for the rest of my life.”

Look at all the amazing work she has made while she has been here:

Thank you so much Hannah, we loved having you these last five months and will miss your energy in the space. Till the next time. Check out more of her work via her instagram @hannah_brown_art and on her website www.hannahbrownart.ca.

Hatiye Garip is an illustrator, comic artist and designer based in Istanbul. She likes to draw birds, flowers and ordinary moments. She is interested in visual storytelling, accessible illustrations and publications. In July, she spent her time at the Fish Factory to warm up for a new comic project.

“Recently, I’ve been working on sequential art from short stories to long stories. I try to make my comics accessible for blind and low vision readers. I started a new personal project called “Hidden People” (Working title) at the Fish Factory. The story is inspired by Icelandic folk tales. It tells a story of three hidden people and their double lives in comic book format. It’s in the draft stage for now, and it seems happy with it. The first finalised pages and ambient sounds will be displayed at a comic festival in October 2022 in Brno, Czech Republic.”

“Austurland (East Iceland) has given me very rare moments that I cannot experience anywhere else, like being at peace with doing nothing, having a bright mind without thinking about anything, living slowly and simply, sitting on a big rock and writing some dialogues for my story.”

“During my residency, I spent most of my time going on long walks, observing the environment and sketching for my project. I focused on writing my script, doing visual research, collecting texture samples with the help of Brenda and Alfredo, recording and editing natural sounds to use later for audio descriptions with Franklin’s support, and experimenting with screen printing to inspire my illustrations thanks to Gillian. Besides, I didn’t hesitate to add the naughty, curious and wise questions and conversations of Phoebe, Pauline and Shanya to my story. I would like to thank Vinny and Una for creating this lovely, inspiring space and everyone who has contributed to my short journey.”

“As the locals of Stöðvarfjörður say, there are things we cannot see, and believing in them is as good as believing in ourselves.”

More of Hatiye’s work hatiyegarip.com  or on her instagram.com/hatiyegarip

rumu acts as a bridge to the dreamworld to spread compassion among all sentient beings… 

Check out their work on their website  https://www.rumu.space/

Thank you rumu.

The Swiss photo duo Rita Kappenthuler and Nathan Federer joined us in June to capture the ever-changing Icelandic sky and the much-expected midnight sun.

“Exploring our visual languages through the old, almost “original” camera technique of the camera obscura has been driving us for the past five years. We often define travel time as studio time. ´Travelling´ from the darkroom to the immediate surroundings of the studio in St. Gallen as well as travelling with the whole photo lab to Sicily, Calabrien, Trieste, Croatia and now to Iceland, Fishfactory in Stödvarfjördur. We show the technique of the camera obscura in rimless exposed, mirror-inverted, negative black and white images. Our self-made cameras all have a fixed focal length and fixed exposure hole diameters, which in term requires direct proximity to the object. Image formats are decided in the photo lab when the photo paper is loaded. Our possibilities in box transport as well as in the laboratory result in the currently largest possible picture format of 60x90cm and the format 24x30cm, which we use most frequently.”

“The Fishfactory gave us the opportunity to set up a darkroom within a day. There we could use our large format camera and the large photo papers. In addition, there was a very uncomplicated water installation that was quickly implemented thanks to the help of Vinny and Franklin and met our requirements. This was a very helpful support for us and thanks to the technical interest of the two, a constant exchange about technical possibilities and our work developed. In addition, we were able to find and set up our wish for an empty 15-meter-long wall to hang up the already exposed sheets. For us, it was an incredibly practical, direct and uncomplicated approach to have Una, Vinny and Franklin support us in our project! We were able to really enjoy the whole month and implement our Iceland sun project!! A big thank you to the whole team. We would like to come again!”

Thank you Rita & Nathan!

Sandra Zanetti is a creative practitioner combining independent research, audiovisual compositions, and writing. Their work deconstructs the complexities of underlying systems, stories and ideologies shaped by capital and technology. Zanetti weaves together physical compositions which utilise her unique visual language, woven from a variety of world cultures, iconographies, and socioeconomic theories, examining moments of destruction and innovation throughout history, in conjunction with the story of history forged by the Digital Revolution.

At the factory, Sandra has been working on a few different projects. The first is a large ongoing project that considers the manner in which history is told and retold by creating a parafunctional, post-anthropocentric society. This work examines the effects of the current post-truth state combined with the simultaneous information technology and biotechnical revolutions alongside ecological collapse. At the factory, Sandra has composed sonic compositions, written a satirical podcast, and created the concept art which will be used to set the physical scene of the installation.

The second body of work Sandra has been conducting employs Artificial Intelligence as a collaborator to explore the concept of prophetic fulfilment. In addition to these projects, the artist has been spending time mastering Pure Data, Touch Designer and programming applications.

“My time here at the factory has been a gift. I’ve been spending a lot of my time feeling focused and inspired by everyone around me. I’ve spent a lot of time meditating on the visual and sonic information present in the landscape of Stöðvarfjörður, so this has really inspired my recent tracks and has set the scene for my upcoming installations. This residency has been crucial for me in a personal sense as well, since I’m at a pivotal point in both my personal life and within the confines of my practice. There’s this certain type of peaceful starkness here, which has really been conducive to my health, and my practice. I’ve been telling my friends it feels like I’m on a space station since there’s no real sense of time or societal pressure here. It’s definitely helped me clear my mind, process the last few years, and set up for the next stage of my work’s evolution.”

Thank you, Sandra <3

Eva Jörgensen is a medical anthropologist and in June she spent her time at the Factory working on a PhD on the impact of Covid-19 on adolescents in Iceland.

I work with all kinds of data but am currently working on transcribing and analysing interviews with adolescents and professionals working with them. My approach is identifying the cultural idioms in how we express both distress and resilience and I use a right-based lens when it comes to the position of minors in the pandemic to see how their rights have been upheld. I just published my first article during my stay at the Fish Factory, entitled The voices of children and adolescents during COVID-19: a critical review of methods. So, I’m actually not an artist but an academic but I believe the two overlap as academic writing, especially in the social sciences, entails quite a bit of creativity: analysis, theme building, and of course putting the text together to present your work is a creative process in itself.

My time here as an academic has been well spent: I have a sizeable desk to work from in an open space where I can get inspired through conversations with the artists and draw up my analysis on the board by my desk. I also have a good working station in the house I’m staying in when I want a quiet work day with a nice view of the mountain. Una and Vinny, and their team members Nika and Franklin, have been most helpful and the local people have been generous with their time to give me an insight into the pandemic’s impact on the Eastfjords. Coming here has felt like having a little tight-nit co-op where we work, and support each other, but don’t forget to have some fun!

Thank you, Eva :)

Art professor and artist Kendra Larson spent a good two weeks with us in June where she was stunned by the ever-present daylight. This made her re-think the effects this has on her work as a studier of landscapes, nature and all things mystical. “The Sagas, ice, dramatic landscapes, and northern lights found in Iceland make it a good fit for me. Recently, I have been painting ice, fire, moths, and stars. I am intuitively drawn to these subjects. I hope to use my residency to hike and develop this imagery further, and explore its symbolism.”

At the Fish Factory, she focused her attention on both the conceptual and physical development of her art. The solitude and focus she experienced at the Fish Factory helped her better understand her affinity for such landscapes. Specifically, she created new paintings, tried marbling, and wrote daily journal entries. Hiking around the fjord and volunteering wherever she could also helped add depth to her work. Kendra engaged other artists to share as much as she shared herself.

Our interview with Kendra:

Thank you, Kendra! :)

Jessica Smoleroff is an artist and educator based out of Tallahassee, Florida. With a focus on the figure, her paintings explore sexuality, gender, and the body’s relationship to the environment. She spent May with us creating and sharing her painted hybrid creatures.

“Iceland persists. Fecund cod, densely furred dogs, and strong women have adapted to the brutal conditions of a hostile climate. My Fish Factory paintings, made on paper with gouache, acrylic, and oil, capture moments of abrupt evolution. Hybridized creatures, made of breasts, fish heads, dogs’ heads, and scales are imagined biological responses to rapid climate change, and misogynistic American legislation.”

 Jessica´s interview:

 Thank you Jessica :)

Jody Servon is an artist, activist, educator and curator. Her work has ranged from multimedia installations to public participatory projects with personal experiences always serving as the catalyst. At the Fish Factory, she worked on multiple projects, giving herself space and time to inhabit being an artist.

“My work often focuses on sharing people’s lived experiences, histories and memories through participatory projects. Having long stretches of time dedicated to my creative practice in Stöðvarfjörður was a luxury for me after two years of intense parenting and working during a pandemic. Being at Fish Factory enabled me to focus intently on a forthcoming collaborative book project, create a 3D sketch of an installation, continue my efforts advocating for gender equity, and begin a new series of drawings. I accomplished much more than I imagined possible and even had the prime minister take part in my project My Time is Valuable! At the end of my stay, I feel refreshed from walks in the magical landscape, spending time with fellow artists and residency staff from around the world, and doing what I wanted to when I wanted to.”

See Jody´s interview here:

Thank you Jody!

Heather is an Australian artist and papermaker who joined us at the factory in May. Here she explored a project she called Stone Stories, about stones as life forms which hold the stories of millennia.“It was great to be able to stay focused on one theme without distractions and explore it at this artist residency through using a variety of paper and print mediums and even experimenting with ceramics.

Stodvarfjördur is an amazing landscape where the mountains dominate the skyline. I discovered that the townsfolk love stones as well and collect them from the mountains and fjord shorelines to carefully place in their gardens. These appear as benevolent nature spirits, like additional family and community members, each with their own distinctive form and presence. I knew about Petra’s stone museum but was astonished at her story of climbing the mountains with her children and grandchildren to bring home these jewelled treasures and share her love of stones and nature with others.”

“During my one month at the residency, I experimented with cyanotype prints where the stones themselves become the negative /positive images. I started with the idea of bearing witness to the rock avalanches caused by increased rain through climate change. I ended up experiencing an intense relationship of stones as exquisite life forms, from the small pebbles you collect to hold in your hand to the majestic mountains. Where there is a love of nature, there is respect for the interconnectedness of all things, human and other than human. I experienced this to its full extent at this artist residency and would like to thank Una and Vinnie for the space to explore my art in this new direction. This project is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.”

More on Heather´s work: heathermatthew.com

You can listen to Heather´s interview here:

Thank you Heather!

Sandra Kruisbrink, a Dutch artist whose work is inspired by nature and specifically trees, spent the month of May with us in Stodvarfjordur. The lack of tree scenery made her explore the East fjord mountains which she encapsulated with her signature style.

“Drawing in my studio, I try to evoke the silence or emptiness I have encountered. My photographs are the key to this experience and are the basis for my drawings. As I work, I filter the photographic images. I use my memory, edit the photo, unclothe the image – sometimes to the extent that it has almost vanished and only a shadow remains. I search for the limits of what can be left out. Almost meditatively, in an endless number of lines, dots and minimal marks, I work my way back to my memories. Silence and inaccessibility thus become the subject.”

Check Sandra´s interview here:

Thank you Sandra!