Earth Homing:
Reinventing Turf Houses
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ABOUT
Turf houses reveal our primordial connection to the earth. Passage farmhouses were unique to Iceland.
Dating back to the 9th century turf houses were home to all classes. Taking turf houses as a starting
point of artistic experimentation “Earth Homing: Reinventing Turf Houses” realigns us with architecture
and with our home. How can we ‘build’ for the future by revisiting this rich source of cultural heritage?
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ARTISTS
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PUBLIC PROGRAM
“Earth Homing” asks how can we contribute to a new ecological definition of ‘home’? Parallel to the
exhibition a series of talks will further investigate future implications of how artistic and architectural
production can redefine national identity and cultural value. How can Iceland’s ‘exotic’ national identity
allow for a reinvention of sorts? What can be learned from this architecture which dominated all of
Icelandic history until its eradication at the beginning of the 20th century? “Earth Homing” bridges
different disciplines to allow for creativity to be the driving force for an ecological and ethical future.
Academics or experts in their respective fields will give talks at the various historic buildings of Grótta:
Ann-Sofie Nielsen Gremaud (University of Copenhagen), Hrólfur Karl Cela (Basalt Architects),
Sigrún Davíðsdóttir (RÚV), Kristín Loftsdóttir (University of Iceland), Sigurjón B. Hafsteinsson
(University of Iceland) and more speakers to be announced. Please visit Facebook and Instagram for the dates and locations of the talks.
SPEAKERS
Earth homing architecture
16.08.18 / 3.30pm, Hrólfur Karl Cela / Basalt Architects, Albertsbúð
Hrólfur Karl Cela, born in Reykjavík, Iceland is an architect and partner in Reykjavík Architecture Studio, Basalt Architects. Hrólfur studied architecture at the Iceland Academy for the Arts and at Parsons, the New School for Design in Manhattan, New York. Later he completed a teaching degree from the Iceland Academy for the Arts as well as studying Environmental Ethics at the University of Iceland. Basalt Architect´s projects are known for their interpretation of contemporary architecture and their sensitivity to natural context.
Turfhouses and (Post)Colonialism
21.08.18 / 6:00pm Sigurjón B. Hafsteinsson / University of Iceland, Raðagerdi
Sigurjón Baldur Hafsteinsson is a professor at the University of Iceland. His latest books are "Phallological Museum" (2013) and "Death and Governmentality: Neo-liberalism, Grief and the Nation-form" (2018, co-authored with Arnar Árnason).
The Reykjavík housing market – from the Reykjavík of Dieter Roth to a continuous crisis in a small, open economy
23.08.18 / 8:00pm, Sigrún Davíðsdóttir / RÚV, Veitingasala Nesklúbbsins
Sigrún Davíðsdóttir is an Icelandic journalist, living in London. She has covered the 2008 financial crisis, both in Iceland and elsewhere, extensively on her blog, uti.is. In 2011, she published a thriller in Icelandic, "Samhengi hlutanna", related to the crisis.
Don’t be Fooled by Iceland: Nation-Branding and Racialization
31.08.18 / 2.30pm Kristín Loftsdóttir / University of Iceland, Fræðasetur
Kristín Loftsdóttir is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Iceland. She finished her PhD from University of Arizona in 2000. Her research focuses on postcolonialism, whiteness, gender, racial identity, mobility and crisis, specializing in Iceland and Europe. She has also conducted research on migrant work of indigenous community in Niger in West Africa and irregular migrants in Brussels. Loftsdóttir is co-organizer of the project "Mobilities and Transnational Iceland" that received grant of Excellence by RANNÍS – Icelandic Centre for Research in 2016-2018.
Ambivalent homecoming. Turf Houses and Iceland’s place in the World
06.09.18 / 8:30pm Ann-Sofie Nielsen Gremaud / University of Iceland, Fræðasetur
Ann-Sofie Nielsen Gremaud is a Danish/Swiss cultural historian who has specialized in the cross cultural field of Icelandic-Danish history. Gremaud holds a PhD and in her thesis she introduced a crypto-colonial perspective in the analysis of Icelandic visual culture. She has published on contemporary art, Danish colonial history and the Anthropocene. Gremaud is affiliated with the Department of Danish at the University of Iceland and a part of the international research project "Denmark and the New North Atlantic".
Opening Event
August 8, 2018
Gunnhildur Hauksdóttir
Tremorgraphs, 2018
Audio Performance
We welcome you all to an audio performance by Gunnhildur Sigrúnar Hauks at the Grótta Lighthouse for the opening of Earth Homing: Reinventing Turf Houses / TORF on August 8th. Ten voices and four dancers perform a vertical composition for voice and movement from selected tremor and earthquake measurements roughly corresponding with locations of turf farms in each part of Iceland. The seismic measurements have been translated into score for voices along with the ruffle of the dancers moving up and down the lighthouse. The performance lasts approximately for 13 minutes and please note that there is limited access. An audio recording of tremorgraphs will be installed inside the lighthouse for the duration of the exhibition.
Limited accsess 23 individuals for each performance
20.30, 21.00, 21.30, 22.00, 22.30 (according to demand)
Tremorgraphs was made for Earth Homing in July 2018 in collaboration with Hryndjandi,
woman’s choir, The Icelandic Meteorological office, Háskóladans and Lindy Ravers dance
association.
Seismic events and corresponding farm stets
(NV) Hjallur D. 01. km, ML. -8.0, (SA) Selið D. 5.0 km, ML 1.22, (SV) Keldur D. 3,5 km, ML. 0.69, (NA) Burstafell D. 4.4 km, ML. 2.23
Vocalists
Ásdís Magnea Þórðardóttir, Ásta Vilhjálmsdóttir, Birna Margrét Júlíusdóttir, Marta Valgeirsdóttir, Guðrún Arna Gylfadóttir, Kai Dobrowolska, Karina Hanney Marrero, Katrín Harðardóttir, Kristín Ástríður Ásgeirsdóttir, Sigríður Rósa Bjarnadóttir.
Dance
Ola Chlipala, Hadrien, Serena Chan, Gunnar Þór Einarsson.
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SPONSORS
A |Ráðagerði
1 Birgir Andrésson
Untitled (húsalijóð), 1992
Pencil drawing on paper
60 x 80 cm
2 Hekla Dögg Jónsdóttir
Opnar / Lokar, 2018
Light bulb, ceramic
Variable dimensions
3 Ásdís Sif Gunnarsdóttir / Daniel Leeb
Merki, 2018
Film / Sound (Victoria Keddie)
Infinity loop
Performance: “Hjóla Merki”, 25.08.18
Location: Lighthouse, Ráðagerði, Bunker
Bring your bicycle and a light
4 Sólveig Aðalsteinsdóttir
Sleeping Places, 1998
Ballpoint on paper, sealed in plastic
29,7 x 21 cm
5 Hrönn Gunnarsdóttir
Insight, Outside, 2018
Three windows, with mirror films
Wood, glass, mirror film
30 x 30 cm
6 Ólöf Nordal
Tilraun um torf / Experiments with Turf, 2018
Turf
Variable dimensions
Outside:
7 Sean Patrick O´Brien
Kúluhús, 2016
Wood, copper, phosphorescent pigment, laser, paint, turf
2.2 x 2.2 x 2 m
Garage:
8 Ólafur Sveinn Gíslason
Hughæg rými - baðstofan / Subjective Spaces – baðstofan, 2018
Film / Sound, 12.50 min
21.08.18 / 6:00pm
Sigurjón B. Hafsteinsson / University of Iceland
“Turfhouses and (Post)Colonialism”
B| Albertsbúð
9 Steingrímur Eyfjörð
Moldarkofinn, 1996
23 drawings on paper
29,7 x 42 cm
16.08.18 / 3.30pm
Hrólfur Karl Cela / Basalt Architects
“Earth Homing Architecture”
C| Grótta Lighthouse
10 Gunnhildur Hauksdóttir
Óróaplott / Tremorgraphs, 2018
Audio performance (8.08.18) and voice installation
D | Vitavarðarhúsið
11 Unnar Örn
Mirage / Laug, 2018
Installation
Variable dimensions
12 Hrönn Gunnarsdóttir
Insight, Outside, 2018
Three windows, with mirror films
Wood, glass, mirror film
30 x 30 cm
13 elín Hansdóttir
Fathom, 2018
Powder coated aluminium
21,16 cm x 2 cm x 1,7 cm
Courtesy of i8 Gallery & the artist
14 Anna Júlía Friðbjörnsdóttir
Dimmumót, 2018
Tallow, wick
Variable dimensions
E | Fræðasetur
15 Ragna Róbertsdóttir
Untitled, 1991
Turf
27 x 35,5 x 64 cm
16 Hekla Dögg Jónsdóttir
Opnar / Lokar, 2018
Light bulb, ceramic
Variable dimensions
17 Borghildur Indriðadóttir
Hei Maei, 2018
Digital print
70 x 72,5 cm
18 Hrönn Gunnarsdóttir
Insight, Outside, 2018
Three windows, with mirror films
Wood, glass, mirror film
30 x 30 cm
19 Kolbeinn Hugi
Cryptopia One: The Viking Expansion Objective, 2018
Film / sound, 7.28 min
31.08.18 / 2.30pm
Kristín Loftsdóttir / University of Iceland
“Don’t be Fooled by Iceland: Nation-Branding and Racialization”
06.09.18 / 8:30pm
Ann-Sofie Nielsen Gremaud / University of Iceland
“Ambivalent homecoming. Turf Houses and Iceland’s place in the World”
F | World War II Bunker
20 Claudia Hausfeld
Redevelopment, 2018
Photographs on paper, concrete, turf
Variable dimensions
G | Veitingasala Nesklúbbsins
23.08.18 / 8:00pm,
Sigrún Davíðsdóttir (RÚV)
“The Reykjavík housing market – from the Reykjavík
of Dieter Roth to a continuous crisis in a small, open economy”
H | Ægisgarður: The Old Harbour
21 Borghildur Indriðadóttir
Hei Maei, 2018
Performance and sound by Bane Branislav
18.08.18 for Menningarnótt / Culture Night
I | BOLLASTEINN / CUPSTONE
Ólöf Nordal
BOLLASTEINN / CUPSTONE, 2005
GRAY STONE AND THERMAL WATER
BUS | Hofgarðar
bus 11 stop
By bike - 30 minutes
By car - 10 minutes
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LOCATIONS AND OPENING HOURS
“Earth Homing” takes place at on the island of Grótta in Seltjarnarnes, Reykjavík from 8th August until 9th September, 2018. The opening is on Wednesday, August 8 from 8 – 11.30pm. Maps for locations on the nature preserve can be found at Raðagerdi.
Opening hours
Albertsbúð, Vitavarðarhúsið, Fræðasetur and the Lighthouse:
Friday – Sunday
Access to the island will depend on the changing tides.
Raðagerdi:
Friday – Sunday from 12 – 6pm
Please check Earth Homing on Facebook for the low tide schedule for Grótta.
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ORGANISERS
The exhibition is curated by Annabelle von Girsewald
With Administration Assistance of Marta Kolbuszewska