This year, Hafnarborg’s fall exhibition concerns the relationship between man and weather. After one of the worst summers in Southwest Iceland in living memory, as well as extreme weather around the globe, this topic is surely of special interest to many. Indeed, the weather affects us all, our environment and our emotions, though the inconvenient truth, that human activity has already had a significant effect on the planet, can be hard to face, during this time of global warming and changing climate.
The artists approach the subject, each in their own way, seeking inspiration in ethnological and anthropological sources, folklore and climatology, not to mention current events and personal experiences, but always focusing their attention on the individual versus the weather. There will also be a catalogue available, featuring scholarly discussion and interviews with participants, in the museum shop.
The artists, participating in the exhibition, form the artist collective IYFAC, having already collaborated on two exhibitions in the last couple of years. The artists behind the collective are Halla Birgisdóttir, Ragnheiður Harpa Leifsdóttir, Ragnheiður Maísól Sturludóttir, Sigrún Hlín Sigurðardóttir og Steinunn Lilja Emilsdóttir.
Marta Sigríður Pétursdóttir is the curator of the exhibition. She graduated with a BA in comparative literature from the University of Iceland in 2008, with an MA in cultural studies from Goldsmiths College, London, in 2011 and an MA in gender studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, in 2014. She has written extensively on art, literature, films and culture.
Each year, Hafnarborg calls for proposals for the museum’s fall exhibition, with the objective of motivating new people and selecting a curator, with an interesting idea. In this way, the museum aims to provide an opportunity for emerging curators, who are looking to gain more experience. The task of reviewing the proposals and choosing the winner is in the hands of the Museum Director and the Art Council of Hafnarborg.
With the fall exhibition series, Hafnarborg wishes to open a channel for new ideas, in line with the museum’s mission, to strengthen and support various programmes of art and culture, through different perspectives. The exhibitions and related events have become an important part of the programme at Hafnarborg, being a catalyst for further development and discussion about art and ideas.