ABOUT US

Skaftfell is an independent, non-profit art organization. It was founded in 1998 in honor of the Swiss-German artist Dieter Roth (1930-1998), who frequently lived and worked in Seyðisfjörður in the last decade of his life and had a lasting influence on the cultural life of the town. The organization takes its name from the original name of the timber building, constructed in 1907, that now houses the art center, including an exhibition space, an art library, artist residencies, the Skaftfell office, and a bistro.

Skaftfell fosters and presents contemporary art on an international level through its artist residency program, exhibitions, workshops, artist talks, and collaborations with other arts organizations.

The center is dedicated to nurturing and exhibiting visual art, running a exhibition-, education- and residency program. Skaftfell is a meeting point for artists and locals and serves as a center for visual art in all East Iceland.

Exhibitions in the developing years included: Boekie Woekie in 1996, Exhibition for everything – in honour and memory of Dieter Roth in 1998, Bernd Koberling, Björn Roth & Dieter Roth in 1999.

The founding year of the art center is also the year of the death of the artist Dieter Roth (1930-1998). Dieter played a major role in the cultural life of Seyðisfjörður, ever since he began to make a habit of visiting Seyðisfjörður in the 1990s. The Skaftfell group consists largely of people who enjoyed great and good times with Dieter, and the genesis of the center arose from the fertile soil that he was involved in creating in Seyðisfjörður.

Skaftfell has always been run as a non-profit organization and has received financial support over the years from both the state and the town. It now operates an art center with an emphasis on exhibitions of contemporary art, the operation of an artist residency, a print workshop and educational activities at all school levels.

The board of directors of the institution consists of representatives from the Skaftfell Group; the Icelandic Artists' Association, the donors of the building and the town of Seyðisfjörður. The Skaftfell staff perform all tasks related to the operation and artistic vision of the institution, with the support of the board and the Skaftfell Group.

Skaftfell was built by the master builder Guðfinn Jónsson in 1907. The house is three stories, 420 square meters, built according to a Norwegian model with a neoclassical look and is a great splendor in the streetscape. In the early years, a goldsmith's workshop was operated on the ground floor and a restaurant and guesthouse on the upper floors. Later, more shops took over, there was for a time a Norwegian sailor's home, a beer hall, a restaurant, a hotel and most recently Garðar Eymundsson's carpentry workshop.

In a newspaper interview with Garðar and his daughter Gréta, published around the turn of the century, it is stated that they hope to hold ambitious international exhibitions, cultivate connections with the European art scene, offer working facilities for artists and scholars, and organize high-quality courses for children and teenagers.

The Print Workshop is a collaborative project dedicated to offering professional printmaking facilities and taught courses for local and visiting artists and students of all age groups.

The Skaftfell Bistró is located on the first floor of the Skaftfell Art Center, at Austurvegur 42, in Seyðisfjörður.

Tvísöngur is an artwork and open venue by the German artist Lukas Kühne. It was opened for the public on September 5, 2012.

Ásgeir Jón Emilsson, Geiri, was born in 1931 in Hátún, Seyðisfjörður, the youngest of twelve siblings. Geiri always had his home in Seyðisfjörður.

With a wealth of experience and a passion for the arts, Celia Harrison is an accomplished artistic director, producer, and curator who made Seyðisfjörður her home in 2015. Her experience includes key roles in directing arts institutions in both New Zealand and Iceland, with recent contributions including co-directing the LungA School and co-founding the Herðubreið Community and Culture Center, along with the List í ljósi light festival in Seyðisfjörður.

Celia holds a PhD in Art and Design, focusing her research on community development through artistic practices amidst the challenges of climate change. Reflecting on Skaftfell Art Center, she remarks, “Skaftfell is truly special, holding a significant place in the history of Seyðisfjörður and East Iceland. The opportunity to continue its artistic legacy is a true honour and I look forward to working collaboratively with everyone involved.”

Celia took up position as director of Skaftfell in January 2024.

Kamilla Gylfadóttir joined Skaftfell in July 2022 as project manager of Skaftfell’s education program and community outreach, and has managed the residency program since August 2023. She graduated with a B.A. degree in Italian and Tourism Studies in 2014, studied photography in Aarhus and filmmaking in Sarajevo and has worked with filmmaking and art since. In 2020, she completed her M.A. studies in Preservation and Presentation of the Moving Image at the University of Amsterdam. In 2021 she taught Skaftfell’s art education project for the east of Iceland and she is part of planning and teaching Skjaldbakan, a documentary filmmaking course that took place during BRAS 2022. She co founded the Icelandic home movie collective in 2020 which has uncovered Icelandic home movies and hosted community events around the country.