Some more photographs from the exhibtion on the street

Will the economic crisis in Iceland put galleries out of business and art on the street?

Public art project

An one day photography exhibition with pictures hanging on streetlights in Austurstræti, 101 Reykjavik was heldt Saturday the 6th of December. The exhibition was called "Bláma" and the photographs are by Ellen M Fodstad. The exhibition is a part of a project about Public Art.

The exhibition was also a comment on the economic crisis in Iceland and what concequenses this will have on the artlife, who now gets no support from private sponsors.

This weekend...
there will by a happening by Minerva and myself at the citysquare of Reykjavik and at the Kringlan shoppingmall.
It will be a whole lot of warmth and love!
We need it, and so do you!

The picture shows the view of the city from my livingroom window.

Exhibition with norwegian artist in Reykjavik?

Hopefully Crispin Gurholt will be having performance, and show the connected videoart and photographies here in Reykjavik!
Meeting with the board of Nylo this week. Nylo, Nylistasafn, The living art museum, is run by the artists themselves.
Waiting also for funding for the New Life project from the institution Fritt ord. Be patient..

Interviews
Lately I`ve been working on my paper about Norwegian contemporary artphotographers, and it is coming along. Hopefully all the artist, Tom Sanberg, Torbjørn Rødland, Mikkel McAlinden and Mette Tandem has time to answer my questions.
I have been talking to the Nordic embassies in Reykjavik about my New life project and they like the idea, but has no money for fonding.. It amkes me sad if the project has to die before coming alive...
So, here`s a happy image from last summer, a picture of me and the sky, and hope if you may.

A picture of you?
Well, now the moment has come. The participants of the workshop are sending in their selfportraits... and we are going to choose a winner. Not on the base of who has the best persona!!!It is based on the criteria that the picture shall communicate something about the person to us. Have you tried taking a selfportait? Have you thought what you want it to communicate to the viewer?

"Identity in photoes and text" update
The workshop started the 21st, and will last until the 5th of October. The participants are eager and interested, and from the age of 17 to 60. A good mixed group in other words! It is a pleasure to be able to work with this topic as well. An assignement is : describe yourself in three words, and take a picture that communicates each of the words.
Try it yourself!

The heart and the mind is the true lens of the camera
The New Life project, wich will tell stories of peoples everyday life in Reykjavik, will try to afftect the viewers heart and mind as well.
In the end of September I`ll know if the Nordic culture fond will support the project. Let`s cross our fingers.

JOIN US!
The new photography workshop is called "IDENTITY IN PICTURES AND TEXT" and is starting the 21st of September. We will work on taking pictures of people that shows more... The focus will also be on light, angles, background and context. If you are in Reykjavik from the 21st to mid October, call the Nordic society at: 00354-551 0165 to learn more about the workshop.

Cultural night in Reykjavik
The amount of people at the cultural night proved what you notice here in Iceland, people are interested! The number of inhabitants in this country is 300 000, and 100 000 attended that day. It was concerts all over town, galleries and museums had happenings and there were many activities for the kids. The nordic society showed the pictures of the winners in the photocompetition. The picture on the right is from downtown where it was packed with people.
I forgot about the unpredictable Icelandic wind and had a cold for a week after.

News
The winners of each category in the photocompetition was announced in front of fifty people and the Icelandic news-station NFS. The photograph by winner of best everyday picture was published in Morgenbladid the next day. He was a happy man, the prices was mobile phones, mp3 player and more.
A new photography workshop starts at the Nordic society the 21 st of Setptember. It will focus on identity, and will be lead by me. Contact the Nordic society for more info, number is further down on this page.
Hope you are well and happy!

Who`s the winner?
The winner of the photography competition at the midnightsun safari is being decided.The people attending the safaris in June have now sendt in portraits, scenes from everyday life and pictures of nights in the midnightsun. So many did!!!! And the photoes are good. We are meeting at the nordic society tomorrow to decide the winner in each category. The result will be announced tomorrow night.

A picture of you
Interested in taking pictures of people? Wondering how to get the personality through? Thinking about how you would take your own selfportrait? What part of your identity would you like others to see in the photoes?
We`ll work on that together! Contact the nordic society in Reykjavik to know more: 00354-5510165.

Back in Iceland
Well, now I`m back in Reykjavik, looking out at the Icelandic summer from my window. Happy to have had a month in Oslo with sun everyday! But I still got to work on the "New Life "project, and now I`m sending the report, hoping for money from the Nordic culture fund.
I have done my best!

PS: The pictures is from Norway, there`s no way you can wear sandals here today..

The New Life project continues
Tomorrow I`m meeting with a representative from the parliament, and I`m hoping he will approve of my photoproject. Trying to prepare, and be convincing! I need his support to be able to exhibit the pictures.
Looking at a photograph of the ocean through a small window might bring good luck?

A new life
Working on a project wich involves people from the other Nordic countries living in Reykjavik telling about their lives. Then we work together on communicating the stories by taking photoes. Want to join?

Want to take midnight sun photographs with us?
If you would like to join the photography safari in 101 Reykjavik tomorrow night,
please contact the nordic society or ask for Ellen Fodstads number.
We`ve been lucky with the weather, it hasn`t rained so far, and the weatherforcast for the next days are good.

Midnight sun photographs
This is from the second photography safari here in Reykjavik. A full class of eager photographers and the midnightsun was beautiful!
This time of year you should never go to sleep in Iceland :-)

Photosafari in Reykjavik

The photosafari here in the capital of Iceland is going well, three of the photography courses are allready full.
Heard myself trying to speak Icelandic on the radio, it was needless to say ..translated. People have shown a lot of interest in the photosafari! After a two hour long talk about light and composition, we go downtown and take pictures in the midnight sun.
Takkfyrir to the Nordic society who gave me this chance.
Here`s a picture of a skateboarder viking we met. And "my students" taking photographs of the viking ship. For information about the photosafari, contact www.norden.is