Þorvarður Árnason
Þorvarður Árnason is an environmental scientist and artist who has devoted the past two decades to documenting changes in Vatnajökull. His approach can be described as an integrated visual research, a blend of art and science that examines the effects of climate change not only on nature itself but also on the people whose lives are intertwined with it.
The Hoffellsjökull series is based on a long‑term project that continued uninterrupted for eight years. The project involved repeated photography — one image per month — from a fixed point in front of the glacier’s original edge, documenting its retreat over time. The work began in February 2008 and concluded in December 2015, resulting in a total of 77 photographs. The sequence captures the dramatic recession of the outlet glacier and the transformation of the surrounding landscape. By returning to the same location year after year, Þorvarður creates a powerful visual record that renders the glacier’s retreat both measurable and deeply felt. This portrayal of Hoffellsjökull’s melting is not only a testament to what has been lost, but also a call to reconsider how we engage with the fragile ecosystems of the natural world.
In his films, Þorvarður offers an immersive experience of Vatnajökull, the vast glacier system in southeast Iceland. Through a range of perspectives — from close‑ups of textures and melting ice to sweeping aerial views that reveal the glacier in all its magnitude — the videos invite viewers to encounter the landscape both physically and visually. The work shifts between ground‑level framing, the viewpoint of a bird in flight, and perspectives that blur the boundaries between experimentation and documentation, making visible the subtle nuances that shape our experience of glacial terrain.
The installation encourages visitors to step behind the screen, place their bodies within the projected image, and for a moment become part of the ever‑changing landscape unfolding across its surface.”
Bio
Dr. Þorvarður Árnason is a leading environmental scholar and one of the founders of the Environmental Humanities in Iceland. His academic background is highly interdisciplinary, involving studies in biology, filmmaking, and environmental philosophy and politics.
Þorvarður´s research activities over the past three decades have involved a broad spectrum of topics. In recent years his main focus has been on interdisciplinary climate change research and mediation. This decision reflects his dual position as Director of the University of Iceland´s Hornafjordur Research Centre and his Associate Research Professorship in Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies at the University of Iceland.
Þorvarður´s artistic work spans over four decades, beginning with freelance activities as a photographer in the early 1980s, following studies in filmmaking in 1989-1992.
Þorvarður´s research activities over the past three decades have involved a broad spectrum of topics. In recent years his main focus has been on interdisciplinary climate change research and mediation. This decision reflects his dual position as Director of the University of Iceland´s Hornafjordur Research Centre and his Associate Research Professorship in Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies at the University of Iceland.
Þorvarður´s artistic work spans over four decades, beginning with freelance activities as a photographer in the early 1980s, following studies in filmmaking in 1989-1992.
Listen to Þorvarður speak about his work and fascination with glaciers in his native language: