Túndran og tifið á Sléttu: An exhibition in Óskarsbraggi, Raufarhöfn

When the artist Sigtryggur Bjarni Baldvinsson and the scientist Pedro Rodriges met in Raufarhöfn a few years back, they quickly bonded over their shared interest in the natural world; studying and witnessing environmental changes currently unravelling. Pedro is located in Raufarhöfn in the research centre RIF which monitors the evolution of fauna and flora in the Tundra environment of the plain of Melrakaslétta. Alarmed by the urgency of the current climate crisis, they decided to initiate an experimental exhibition project, inviting artists to Melrakkaslétta. This project aimed to immerse artists in the environment, history, and potential future of the region by becoming intimate with a place.

For two consecutive summers, a group of 14 artists visited the Northernmost inhabited region of mainland Iceland. They spent time together, hiked together, sat in silence, observed the moss and birds and started to embody the variety of the Slétta, its history, richness, and beauty but also the challenges that nature and societies face.
Upon returning to their respective studios, each artist developed new work inspired by their experiences in the Northeast. Through artistic research, embedded within their practice, each work directly responds to what they have witnessed.