Reykjavík Grapevine - 14.08.2015, Page 52

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RESTAURANT
ÍSAFOLD
We sat down with two of the newer mem-
bers, Þórdís Erla Zoëga and Sigmann
Þórðarson, who both graduated in 2012,
from Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Am-
sterdam and the Iceland Academy of the
Arts, respectively. They say the original
group struck gold when they found an af-
fordable studio space big enough for all of
them, just a stone’s throw from Hlemmur
in downtown Reykjavík. The place was
run down and gritty, but had enough extra
space to run a 50 m2 exhibition space and
bazaar alongside the studios.
Fast-moving and friendly
As the core of Kunstschlager expanded
and more members joined, Þórdís says
they decided instead to work as a collec-
tive. “We started hosting group shows
together and offering people we knew the
opportunity to join in,” she says. “The bot-
tom line is that we’re artists, and we want
to contribute to the community.”
From then on the group’s identity
quickly formed. Þórdís and Sigmann
debate where the name originally came
from before agreeing that it was probably
a play on the German words “kunst” and
“schlager” (which translate as “art” and
“play”). They even got their own mascot—
the Kunstschlager rat—a playful cartoon
character.
While Kunstschlager occupied a space
on Rauðarársstígur, the collective held a
total of 37 shows, including eleven group
shows. Þórdís says there is no formal mo-
dus operandi for Kunstschlager, leaving
artists free to experiment. “It allows me to
work differently than I usually do, which
is really fun!”
Moving out
The collective has made numerous trips
around the country and journeyed inter-
nationally with their craft. Their first out-
ing was in March 2013, when six members
made their way west to Ísafjörður; a trip
to Stockholm, Sweden, followed in 2014.
Sigmann remarks that his favourite trip
was to Hjalteyri’s old herring factory in
August, 2014.“The place was so beautiful,
and we had great weather,” he says. “And
a lot of people showed up, too.”
Þórdís adds that it was also a surreal
experience. “It stank of shark,” she says
laughing. “There we were, creating a car-
nival-esque experience, and I even made a
popcorn mountain from 40 kilos of maize,
and the smell was everywhere. But it
was great.”
At the end of 2014, the building owners
notified the group that the rent was going
up by more than 50%, which the collective
quickly realised they couldn’t afford.
Dream come true
Lucky for them, Hafþór Yngvason, the
Museum Director of Hafnarhúsið, con-
tacted the group to offer them space in the
museum, which he felt hadn’t been used
well enough. Sigmann notes there used to
be a café, and then a soup restaurant in the
spot, but they hadn’t been financially sus-
tainable, so Kunstschlager were instead
asked to create some kind of hangout area.
“We were absolutely speechless,” Þórdís
says. “We didn’t even allow ourselves to
dream that we would get such a great op-
portunity so soon after graduation.”
They made colourful furniture,
brought in their mascot, and made a
programme filled with events, including
audio and video installations. Then this
summer they were given free use of the
D-hall in the museum, a 100 m2 room usu-
ally earmarked for younger artists. They
decided to divide the three months they
have there between six members who
were free to do what they wanted; but in
keeping with their ethos, each member
had to invite at least one other artist to
join them.
They just finished an exhibit called
‘Still Life’, which featured the works of
nineteen artists, and now the only shows
left in that hall are Sigmann's (plus four
other artists) and Þórdís’s (plus one other
artist). And then on Culture Night, August
22, the group has been given free reign
over the museum itself.
Change is a choice
Despite changing space, Þordís says
Kunstschlager hasn’t changed much..
“There are of course more people in-
volved, and we’re in a bigger organisa-
tion with a better budget, but it’s still
just work,” she says nonchalantly. “At
Rauðarárstígur we picked our own open-
ing hours, and we often had parties late
at night, but now we have to abide by the
museum’s hours.”
Sigmann feels it’s fairer to say they’ve
adapted rather than changed. “We’re not
running our own shop any more, and
we’re technically not working for our-
selves any more,” he says, “but we’re still
really enjoying what we do.”
On September 20, the group’s time at
Hafnarhúsið will come to an end. After
heading out to the Culturescapes Art And
Culture Festival in Basel, Switzerland in
October, where they will exhibit along-
side heavyweight art institutions Kling
& Bang and The Living Art Museum,
Sigmann says the group will have a long
overdue discussion about what happens
next. “We’ve never had the space to think
about what we want to do, which is maybe
not a bad thing as it allows us to be in the
moment,” he says. “Realistically though,
we’re unlikely to look for another exhi-
bition space unless we start applying for
grants.”
In their minds, they’re more likely to
continue finding other places to exhibit
their art together as a collective. When
asked where they’d like to do that, Þórdís
jokingly said: “The National Gallery! Or
Perlan!” Sigmann instead suggested that
“maybe we can have a performance art
piece at Parliament, where we wear suits
and deliver long speeches.”
Young And Playfully Creative
These days, it’s not uncommon to see recent art school graduates finding strength in num-
bers and opening a studio together—it is unusual, however, to find them still running years
later. This makes the Kunstschlager collective particularly unique. In the span of three
years, the group, originally composed of five friends who rented an apartment together on
Rauðarársstígur, has grown in size and moved into Reykjavík Art Museum’s Hafnarhúsið.
Photo Anna Domnick
Words Gabríel Benjamin
ART
EXHIBITION
Runs Until September 20 Kunstschlager Hafnarhús