TANJA GEIS

I spent June 18th to 28th, 2010 in Bildudalur, Iceland for the Dionysia Artist Residency, an artist-run residency hosted in a different rural village in Iceland each year. It emphasises collborative projects that integrate local residents.

I was inspired by the local Seamonster Museum, local mythology, Bildudalur's historical development as a thriving fishing community, and its present reality as a rural community struggling to survive following the financial crisis of 2009. The work can be loosely seen in four parts: 1) four illustrations of monster in various undisclosed locations around Bildudalur; 2) a free sea creature face painting day hosted on the Iceland Solstice; 3) an installation at Gallerie Dynjandi; and 4) costume design for video artist Brianna Olsen.

For photo and video documentation of this work please scroll down this page!

1. Playing hide and seek with monsters in Bildudalur

Power line monster

Construction site monster

Dump monster

Raw sewage monster

2. Free face painting

Painted portraits

Other images (photos taken by Brianna Olsen)

Videos (videos taken by Laura Arena)

3. Costume collaboration