Artist: Keg de Souza Work: Things I Learnt in a Hot Tub(2016) Partner: Nes Artist Residency Location: Skagaströnd, Iceland
Taking the Icelandic hot tub ritual as a space created for in depth conversation linking participants back to local knowledge labour, economics, and community, both past and present, and fish (or more specifically, the fishing history) Keg de Souza re-maps the cultural, historical and political spaces of the Skagaströnd community in Iceland on through this installation work for North by Southeast.
“I quickly realized the way to meet more Skagaströnd locals was by spending more time in the hot tub. Hot tubs really are a quintessential Icelandic social space to experience - people do come here to relax, gossip and even do business meetings.” Keg de Sousa
About the artist: Keg de Souza works with mediums such as inflatable architecture, food, film, mapping and dialogical projects to explore the politics of space. This investigation of social and spatial environments is influenced by her formal training in architecture and experiences of radical spaces through squatting and organising. She creates site and situation specific pedagogical projects to foster new relationships with people that emphasise exchange.
Recent exhibitions include; the 5th Auckland Triennial, 15th Jakarta Biennale and Vertical Villages at 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney (all 2013), Temporality in Architecture, Food and Communities, Delfina Foundation, London; Temporary Spaces, Edible Places, Atlas Arts, Isle of Skye, Scotland and If There’s Something Strange In Your Neighbourhood… Ratmakan Kampung, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (all 2014). If There’s Something Strange In Your Neighbourhood… Lismore Regional Gallery, Lismore & Alaska Projects, Sydney; Temporary Spaces, Edible Places: Vancouver and Preservation; Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver; and Temporary Spaces, Edible Places: New York, AC Institute, New York (all 2015).
About our partner: The Nes Artist Residency was founded in March 2008 in Skagaströnd, a small town in North West Iceland. Nes is one of the largest residencies in Iceland, providing opportunities for international and artistic exchange. Due to the intimate relationship between Nes and the community of Skagaströnd, Nes also places an emphasis on community engagement and collaborative practices.
