Konstfack student Harpa Dögg Kjartansdóttir on controlled spatial mood swings

MFA exhibition Reflections In Spatial Conversation opening 5 November

We are all slightly out of balance in different ways and are trying to understand our world better by having a certain system of working. We are used to categorizing and organizing things in our surrounding in order to make everything more clear and approachable. The grid is the support we use in many ways and many materials, everything from a metal grid to strengthen the concrete to math books and those for mapping and situating us on earth. It´s a tool we can use to try to keep within a certain frame.

Harpa Dögg Kjartansdóttir’s MFA exhibition Reflections In Spatial Conversation can be experienced as a system within a system as a network connecting through supportive grids, a spatial relationship between combined fragments from diverse systems in a conversation, from personal to general.

— My process involves observing, finding material, sketching, drawing, edging, experimenting, and combining objects and materials. All those fragments are important parts of the development. I recently started emphasising the process, observing, testing my reflection in the material. Each material has it´s body, character and mood. The materials, their arrangement and shape create a dialog. A note in my sketch book inspired me to this exhibition:

"I can feel my heartbeat in my throat and stomach. I feel the circulation in my veins, pumping and pulling blood from one place to the other. I sit in a silent room but I can hear the water in the walls around me, someone is using the sink. The light bulb has a soft but high pitch screechy sound. Everything is in it´s own process, it´s own rhythm and movement. It feels like they are having a conversation."

Harpa Dögg Kjartansdóttir (b. 1982) graduated from the visual art department of the Iceland Academy of the Arts in 2007, from the art education department in 2009 and is currently in the Master’s programme of Fine Art at Konstfack. She has participated in, curated, initiated and organised numerous exhibitions both domestically and internationally.

Opening Wednesday 5 November, 5pm–8pm, in Vita Havet, Konstfack, LM Ericssons väg 14, Telefonplan. The exhibition is open 5–14 November. Welcome!

Opening hours: 9–18 weekdays, 12–16 weekend

For more info and pictures: www.harpakjartans.com and/or harpakjartans@gmail.com