Saturday November 9th at 2 p.m., we warmly welcome you to the opening of two solo exhibitions at Hafnarborg. Artists Pétur Thomsen and Arngunnur Ýr will then be presenting their work in the museum. Both exhibitions offer an exciting perspective on nature and the relationship between humans and their environment, with each artist approaching the subject in their own unique way.
Settlement
Pétur Thomsen has been working on this photo series for the past few years, but it has only been exhibited in part until now. The photographer directs the lens at pieces of land that have been disturbed or transformed in one way or another, for example through land use, mining, forestry, agriculture or the construction of roads and infrastructure. The photographs are taken at night and so the photographer uses a big flash to light up the land and define the stage. This imbues the photographs with an ominous tone, a post-apocalyptic feel, as the dark night sky suggests the looming threat.
Pétur Thomsen (b. 1973) completed his MFA degree from the École nationale supérieur de la photographie (ENSP) in Arles, France, in 2004. Prior to that, he studied French, art history and archaeology at The Université Paul Valéry in Montpellier and art photography at École supérieure des métiers artistiques, also in Montpellier. Pétur has been nominated for and received numerous awards and prizes, such as the 10th LVMH Young Artists’ Award, handed out in 2004. He was also selected by the Musée de L’Élysée in Lausanne for the project regeneration: 50 Photographers of Tomorrow.
Kahalii
The exhibition delves into Arngunnur’s personal and artistic journey following her relocation to Hawaii, presenting new and recent paintings that respond to the complex interplay of nature, history, and human settlement. Set in an area where natural beauty is giving way to development, the works are deeply intertwined with the land’s layered history. The exhibition serves as both a personal reflection and a broader commentary on the ongoing transformation of landscape, inviting viewers to consider their own relationship with place and history.
Arngunnur Ýr (b. 1962) graduated with a BFA in painting from the San Fransisco Art Institute in 1986. She later attended studies at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in 1989 to 1990, going on to complete her MFA in painting at Mills College, Oakland, California, in 1992. She has received various awards and recognition for her art, for example a grant from The Svavar Guðnason and Ásta Eiríksdóttir Art Award and from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation. Her works have been exhibited in Iceland, Europe and the United States and can be found in the collection of public museums, various institutions and private collectors, both in Iceland and abroad.
Free entry – see you at Hafnarborg.