My name is Kristveig Halldórsdóttir. I am an artist and teacher in Reykjavík, born 1964.
I graduated in textile art from the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts in Reykjavík in 1993 and did my masters degree from the Oslo National Academy of Art (SHKS) in 1998. There I specialized in textile art using handmade paper and various plant fibers which I continued to use after I moved to Iceland.
My art has, since then, gradually evolved into using other media and techniques, especially photography and computer graphics, most often in some connection with textile. My most recent works are installations based on documenting the past which I then work with and put into new context by using various types of new media.
Hafðu
Gullkistan, Center for Creativity e.h.f is owned by Kristveig Halldórsdóttir and Alda Sigurðardóttir who, together, run a residency for artists under the name of Gullkistan.
In 1995 and 2005 we initiated an art festival in Laugarvatn by the same name. One of the main purposes of the festival was to bring the attention to the bad condition of the old and historic high school building in the village, called Héraðsskólinn, with the intention to encourage a new and worthy role for the building. Somewhat one hundred artists took part in the art festival and a few thousand people came to enjoy the art events.
At the Gullkistan Art Festival in 2005 we also organized a symposium on the future utilization of the old high school building as a center for art. The idea sparkled hope in many hearts although other plans for it’s use remained stronger.
Nevertheless we started our company in the spirit of the ideas discussed at the symposium. We rented apartments in Laugarvatn, owned by the Student’s Construction Society, and the farm Eyvindartunga where we founded our artist residency. The first guests arrived on the 1st of June 2009 and by the end of 2012 more than 100 guests from 15 countries had stayed at the Gullkistan residency for one month or more at a time.
At the end of 2013 bought Gullkistan new housing at Laugarvatn, Miðstöðin a Creative Center formerly camping center and a staff house that is called Kistan. The center is now the workshop for artists who have their accommodation in Kistan and a gallery, classroom, lecture hall and large kitchen. The building will be used for various events, exhibitions and workshops.