My Hyalteyri part of the exhibtion Summer Dust at Verksmiðjan
From August 1st-31st, ten artists from six countries will occupy the Verksmiðjan art centre, at Hjalteyri, on the Eyjafjörður fjord, northern Iceland, for a project entitled, ‚Sumarryk / Summer Dust.‘
Responding to the site and to one another, the artists will develop a large-scale, process-based, collaborative installation. The ‚Sumarryk / Summer Dust‘ artists include Anna Rún Tryggvadottir (IS, drawing,) François Morelli (CA, drawing,) Matt Shane (CA, drawing, drums,) Michaela Grill (AT, video,) Mariana Frandsen (AR, photo), Nick Kuepfer (CA, recording, guitar,) Neil Holyoak (CA/US, recording, guitar,) Hannelore Van Dijck (BE, drawing,) Christine Francis (CA, drawing, bass,) Jason Gillinham (CA, weavings) and Jim Holyoak (CA, drawing.)
Working with large-scale wall-drawing, live music, video projection, and audio/video recording, the artists will transform the acoustics, lighting, and surfaces throughout the massive concrete chambers of the former herring factory.
My Hyalteyri
Arriving in Verksmiðjan, I was overwhelmed and enchanted by its size, architecture and history. Every door I opened invited me into another mysterious and beautiful place full of hidden stories. So I decided to go look for these stories that have happened here, find people who are willing to share their memories of this place with me and the audience.
I am very deeply touched by the openness and support this project has received here and I want to thank every single person who took the time to engage with me and share a part of their life! Thank you so much!
The installation is a collection of rough material from conversations we had with people in the last month. Hopefully in the future we will be able to make a documentary out of the material we have gathered. For now, you only see the interviews and not the archival footage, as I found it most important to share these stories with everyone here.
It’s a very special place, your Hjalteyri!
Interviews with:
Valdimir Axelsson
Stefán Baldursson
Erlendur Bogason
Gústav Geir Bollason
Kristján Guðmundsson
Einar Karl Haraldsson
Sigurlaug Jóhannesdóttir
Sigudur Karlsson
Sólveig María Magnusdóttir
Brynjar Ragnarsson
Runa Þorkelsdóttir
Lene Zachariassen
sound:
Matt Shane
translation:
Gústav Geir Bollason, Einar Sigþórsson
interviews:
Michaela Grill, Gústav Geir Bollason