Sunneva Ása Weisshappel b. 1989

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Sunneva Ása Weisshappel
Sunneva Ása Weisshappel

Sunneva Ása Weisshappel, born in 1989, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts from the Iceland University of the Arts in the spring of 2013 and a joint MFA in Fine Arts at Goldsmiths University in London and the Iceland University of the Arts in 2024. Sunneva works in various mediums, including painting, sculpture, performance, and video art. Through her art, she conducts emotional and psychological combinations, aiming to challenge herself and the audience.Sunneva's work is a subversive exploration of femininity, intending to reveal its delicate charm and corrosive secrets, by juxtaposing softness and grit, intertwining themes of time, beauty, and aggression through motifs such as hair, steel, latex, and lace.

She works in a variety of mediums; painting, installation, performance, and video art. Along with fine art, she has worked in theatre and film as a production designer, set, and costume designer.

Weisshappel’s artworks have been exhibited, both nationally and internationally. She has completed art residencies and has been active in the visual art world since her graduation.

She challenges the self on experimental platforms to explore and mirror the present, space, time, and human emotions. Painting and performance are Sunneva’s primary mediums. within her artistic expression, moreover, she has experimented by channeling it through many different platforms such as a canvas that is sewn together and each layer treated differently. Together, the layers form a work that is multifaceted, raw, and time-related.

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Works
Biography
Sunneva Ása Weisshappel

Education

2021- 2024  Goldsmith, University of London, England, / Iceland University of the Arts, MFA. Fine Art

2009-2013  Iceland University of the Arts, B.A. Fine Art

2009-2010  Klassíski Listdansskólinn, Reykjavík, Iceland, Contemporary dance

2006-2008  Fjölbrautarskólinn í Breiðholti, Reykjavík, Iceland, Visual Art

1997-2006   Listdansskóli Íslands, Reykjavík, Iceland, Contemporary and classical ballet

 

Solo Exhibitions (selected)

2023 Odd Girl Out, Robilant+Voena, London, United Kingdom

2023 Flagð, Þula, The Marshallhouse, Reykjavík, Iceland

2022   New Work, Robilant+Voena, London, United Kingdom

2021   Undirlög, Þula, Hjartatorg, Reykjavík, Iceland

2018   Metamorphosis, Gallerí Port, Reykjavík, Iceland

2018   Sugar Wounds No.04, Ármúli 7, Reykjavik, Iceland 

2012   Ylhýra, Iceland University of the Arts Gallery, Reykjavík, Iceland

 

Group Exhibitions (selected)

2021    Vol.1, Þula, Hjartatorg, Reykjavík, Iceland

2020   Tíðarandi, Listasafn Árnesinga, Hveragerði, Iceland

2018   Sugar Wounds No.01, Ármúli 7, Reykjavik, Iceland

2018   Raunir, B Plan Art Festival, Borgarnes, Iceland

2018   Human Centipede, Mammút homecoming concert, Gamla Bíó, Reykjavík,   Iceland

2015   Soundscapes & Landscapes – Terraforming experiment 1, performer, Mengi, Reykjavík, Iceland

2015   Hörund, Kynleikar, Ekkisens, Reykjavík, Iceland

2015   Dauðaherbergið, Lunga Art Festival, Seyðisfjörður, Iceland 

2015   Algera Fiesta Flow, Algera Studio, Reykjavík, Iceland

2015   Flaggskip, Hávaði, Ekkisens, Reykjavík, Iceland

2015   Plato’s Parable of Light 3D, performer, Sequences Art Festival VII, Reykjavík, Iceland

2015   Dauðaherbergið, off-venue Sequences Art Festival VII, Algera Studio,
Reykjavík, Iceland

2015   Mara, Listasafn SÍM, Reykjavík, Iceland

2014   Bæjarleyfi, Ekkisens, Reykjavík, Iceland

2014   Hrekkjavaka, Algera Studio, Reykjavík, Iceland

2014   Natura Mater, Umbreyting Einars, Listasafn Einars Jónssonar, Reykjavík, Iceland

2013   Hávaði, Iceland University of the Arts gallery, Reykjavík, Iceland

2013   Welcome: Play Me and Do You Want To Ride, Iceland University of the Arts graduation exhibition BA, Reykjavik Art Museum, Iceland

2013   Stabi Project, Ateliers de Bitche, Nantes, France

2012   Snertu Mig, Iceland University of the Arts gallery, Reykjavík, Iceland

2011   Homies Where My Heart Is, Laufásvegur basement, Reykjavík, Iceland

2011   Welcome To The Greenhouse, Sequences Art Festival, Reykjavík, Iceland

2010   Me To The Export Of The It, Lunga Art Festival, Seyðisfjörður, Iceland

2010   Do Not Cover, Æringur Art Festival, Stöðvafjörður, Iceland

 

Cinema work

2020- 2021  Trapped III, production designer, Rvk Studios & Netflix, Iceland

2019-2020   Katla, production designer, Rvk Studios & Netflix, Iceland

2018  The Hero’s Journey to the Third Pole, artistic consultant, Elsku Rut,
Ground Control Productions & Ursus Parvus, Iceland 

2017  Mules, actress, Rvk Studios, Iceland

2009  Baby Bird, actress, directed by Katrín Ólafsdóttir, Iceland

 

Theater work

2019   Zoo, Future X, creator and director, Sydhavn Theater, Copenhagen, Denmark

2018   Romeo and Juliet (William Shakespeare and Prokofiev), costume designer, Ballet des Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz, Munich, Germany

2018   Die verlorene Oper, Ruhrepos (Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht), costume designer, Staatstheater    Hannover, Germany

2017   Guð Blessi Íslands, costume designer, Reykjavík City Theater, Reykjavík, Iceland

2017   Siegfried, The Ring of the Nibelung (Wagner), costume, choreography and video designer, Staatsoper Karlsruhe, Germany

2017   Álfahöllin, costume designer, National Theater of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland

2017   Hamlet (William Shakespeare), costume and art design, Staatstheater Hannover, Germany

2016   Óþello (William Shakespeare), costume designer, Vesturport, National Theater of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland

2016   Othello (William Shakespeare), costume design and choreography, Staatsschauspiel, Dresden, Germany

2016   Enemy of the Duck (Enemy of the People + The Wild Duck by Ibsen), costume design and choreography Norwegian National Theatre, Oslo, Norway

2016   Mutter Courage and her Children (Bertolt Brecht), costume and video design,Hessian State Theatre of Wiesbaden, Germany

2015   Njála, costume designer, Reykjavík City Theater, Iceland

 

Video art and music videos (selected)

2020   Self-Painting, visual art performance video, 10.08 minutes

2018   What’s your Secret,  the music video for Mammút, 4:23 minutes

2018   Salt, music video for Mammút, 5:47 minutes

2018   Ró, video art performance as a music video for Mammút, 2:33 minutes

2016   Goldigaz, music video for We Are Z, 4:09 minutes

2016   Crazy Little You, music video for Cryptochrome, 3:49 minutes

2015   Glæður, music video for Mammút, 4:16 minutes

2015   Óráð, music video for Amabadama, 4:17 minutes

2015   Blood Burst, a music video for Mammút, 5:03 minutes

2015   Í Næsta Lífi, music video for XXX Rottweiler hundar, 3:26 minutes

2014   Stimulation, video artwork, 6:33 minutes

2014   The Rose, video artwork, 9:47 minutes

2014   Síðasti dansinn, music video for Camber Orchestra, Kúbus, 2:47 minutes

2014   The Backbone, music video for Rökkurró, 4:30 minutes

2014   Þau Svæfa, music video for Mammút, 3:07 minutes

2014   Lemon Stars, a music video for East of my Youth, 4:53 minutes

2013   Do You Want To Ride, video art/experimental movie, 47:02 minutes

2011   Nine, experimental video artwork, 4 hours and 5 minutes

2011   Flaggskip, video artwork, 10:09 minutes

2011   Hress Með Nananana, video artwork series of 2-4 minutes long episodes

2009  Golden Dick Dance, video art performance, 4 minutes

 

Work experience (selected)

2017    Artist in a residency program, Disco Art Festival, Oqaatsut, Greenland

2016   Artist in residency program at Le Wonder, Paris, France

2014- 2017 Manager of Algera Studio, residency programs and exhibitions, Iceland

2014   Performer in the music video Crossfade, directed by Tommy Kha, for GusGus, Iceland

2009  Performer in the film Democracy is a Mishmash of dead animals in a bun, by Steinunn Gunnlaugsdóttir, Iceland 

 

Awards

2015   Costume designer of the year at Gríman, the Icelandic Performing Arts Awards, for Njála, Reykjavík City Theater, Iceland

2013   Album cover of the year at the Icelandic Music Awards, from the album    Komdu til mín Svarta Systir by Mammút. The cover contained a photographed performance by the artist, Reykjavík, Iceland

 

Nominations

2019   Dance show of the year at the German Faust awards, Romeo and Juliet, costume design, Ballet des Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz, Munich, Germany

2017   Costume designer of the year at Gríman, the Icelandic Performing Arts    Awards, God Bless Iceland, Reykjavík City Theater, Iceland

2016   Theater performance of the year at Heddaprisen, The Norwegian Theater   Awards, Enemy of the Duck, costume design and choreography, Norwegian   National Theatre, Oslo, Norway

2014   Music video of the year at the Nordic Music Awards, Þau Svæfa by Mammút, director and creator, Oslo, Norway

2014   Music video of the year at the Icelandic Music Awards and the Northern Wave Film Festival for The Backbone by Rökkurró, director and creator, Iceland

 

Exhibitions
Art Fairs