Kickstarter

Living and Working in Iceland 

I'm looking to raise funds to do a two-month artist residency in Iceland at the end of this year. I've already been accepted to the Skaftfell Center for Visual Art residency program in the town of Seydisfjorður, Iceland for December 2011 and January 2012. Skaftfell is providing me with studio and living space and will also culminate in an exhibition of the work I’ve made. This residency will fulfill my interest to live and work in a foreign country while also supporting my development as an emerging artist. Travel has had a large impact on my work by exposing me to new places, cultures, and materials. In particular, Iceland has stood out as a place of interest to me for a long time and the opportunity to live and work there is something I can't let pass me by.

Why Iceland?

Iceland is a completely unique place. Although it may seem like a desolate part of the world, this small island country actually has a very active cultural presence. Iceland has a rich contemporary art scene which includes the Reykjavik Art Museum, the Icelandic Academy for the Arts, and the National Gallery of Iceland. The Skaftfell Center for Visual Arts also plays a part in this scene by hosting events and exhibitions from a diverse group of artists on a regular basis. This residency will offer international networking opportunities as I will be able to meet other artists in residence along with members of the Icelandic arts community. A residency in this context would be a practical means to gain international exposure as an emerging artist. For years artists like, Dieter Roth, Olafur Eliasson, Roni Horn, and Richard Long, have been traveling to Iceland for inspiration. The intimate relationship between Icelanders have to both their landscape and eachother have made this island a fertile location for artists.

What will you make there?

In my studio process I use traveling as a way to collect. Both photographically and physically, the things and moments I collect while traveling inform my work. For example, I went to Japan last year and the images and objects I collected there led to a series of work titled Accidental Oriental (click here). Another example is how living in West Texas influenced my most recent body of work exhibited at the end of a four-month stay in Marfa, TX (click here). 

In Iceland, I’m interested in further developing the role travel plays in my work. I plan to focus on the unique culture of the Icelandic people as well as its geography to produce a new body of sculptures, wall pieces and installations. Iceland will serve as both site and source for the production of this body of work. While living in a country that spends much of the year in darkness, I plan to investigate the function of color in daily Icelandic life. I will merge the American objects and techniques of my background with new found objects and ideas I will gather in Iceland. I also intend to explore my interest in mixing art-making and functional living routines by installing works in my living spaces and exploring new furniture making techniques. This residency will allow me to further develop these disciplines as my living and studio spaces are in one location.

Where the money is going?

Your donations go directly towards covering my travel and living expenses during this residency. A portion of the donation will also go towards shipping some materials to Iceland before I arrive and mounting costs to put on an exhibition at the end of my residency. While this is a fantastic opportunity for me, please don’t be mistaken in thinking this is just an exotic art-vacation. Accomplishing a residency like this takes a good deal of time, effort and sacrifice. Your donations help ease some of the financial pressures encompassed by this project.  

So what do I get for donating?

I have a number of cool rewards for backers at different levels. All backers will have their name included on a thank you post on my blog. For complete listings of what you’ll get for your donation, see the column to the right. Here are a couple examples:

Here's an example of a dipped postcard artwork *Actual reward may vary, but will include 1-2 colors and a grommet for hanging.

Here's what the florescent paper and can pieces look like. *Actual reward may have a different can.

Here’s an example of the Tic Tac works available starting at just $50! *Actual reward may vary in color and size.

Here’s what the lamps look like. *Actual reward may vary in color, if you have a color in mind please contact me.

If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me at: thatmattjacobs@gmail.com

For more info about The Skaftfell Center for Visual Arts click here. 

To see more of my work click here or here. 

Thanks for checking out my Kickstarter!