Skaftfell Center for Visual Art was founded in the year 1998 by a group of art enthusiasts, the Skaftfell Group. The Skaftfell Group was formed by friends of the artist Dieter Roth (1930-1998) who had regularly spent time in Seyðisfjörður during the last decade of his life in Seyðisfjörður and had a strong influence on the town´s artistic life.
The art center is situated in Austurvegur 42 in Seyðisfjörður, in a grand house built in 1907, which was donated to the Skaftfell Group by Garðar Eymundsson and Karólína Þorsteinsdóttir. Today the building contains the Skaftfell gallery and bookshop on the middle floor, an artist residency apartment on the top floor, and the Skaftfell Bistro and library on the ground floor.
Skaftfell´s role is to present, discuss and encourage the development of contemporary art. The art center is an importan meeting point for artists and locals, and its activities involve exhibitions and events throughout the year, an international artist residency program and an art education program. Skaftfell is also the guardian of a minuscule house in Seyðisfjörður, Geirahús, previously owned by the local naive artist Ásgeir Emilsson (1931-1999). Now a tiny museum, Geirahús can be visited by appointment. Another artwork to visit is Tvísöngur , a sound sculpture on the hills of the fjord, developed by Lukas Kühne with Skaftfell in 2012.
In 2013 Skaftfell received the Icelandic Eyrarrósin award for outstanding cultural leadership in a rural area.
For opening hours please visit our website skaftfell.is
For more information please contact us: skaftfell@skaftfell.is
