'A Single Stand of Houses' is a photography exhibition born from the idea that the houses stand alone, abandoned yet surrounded by magnificent nature.

The houses stand empty, but are they really empty? Aren't they full of memories of the people who lived there? Memories of a bygone era that will never return. Memories that are fading away. Knowledge that we forget.

Throughout history, abandoned settlements have been an inspiration for many creators, whether they be writers, painters, photographers or other artists. There is a certain mystique to deserted settlements, seeing them standing alone and abandoned in a magnificent landscape where the mountains or the sea often play a major part in their surroundings.

A deserted settlement is a source of information about bygone times: how the people lived, how they related to the forces of nature, and the isolation of that era. Ruins leave behind memories of a bygone era, full of life. Ruins can hold great significance for various reasons. They can be important cultural monuments and vital sources of information on rural settlement history.
There is often such a great air of mystery attached to these houses. That the departed seek to live there and that old inhabitants are said to haunt them, watching over visitors who come near. Many ghost stories and superstitions spring up around the houses, and one can often imagine that the house has a soul, even appearing as a mere optical illusion to the onlooker. A monument to the desert dwellers who lived there and a testament to the builders who constructed it.

Many questions remain unanswered. What caused people to build houses far from any civilisation? An even bigger question… why did they abandon their homes so suddenly?

In my opinion, collages are a fun change from having everything fixed, to influencing how we perceive the images, proximity, depth, and thus creating a completely different effect than the original picture had. When we look at photographs of derelict buildings, they are very often in black and white because it gives a certain depth and mystery to the image. I decided, however, to let the nuances of the colours shine in the Icelandic landscape, where time has painted the houses in its own rusty colours.

Dagný Dögg Steinþórsdóttir graduated from Photography at the Technical College in the spring of 2021. Photography has always held a special place in her heart. She often perceives her surroundings in terms of a photographic frame, and has been particularly fascinated by deserted places.

A special exhibition opening will be held on Thursday, 8th June from 18:00-20:00, and everyone is most welcome.

Opening hours are as follows:

• Thursday 12:00 – 18:00
• Friday 13:00 – 18:00
• Saturday 12:00 – 17:00
• Sunday 14:00 – 17:00

The event is sponsored by the Culture and Tourism Committee of the City of Hafnarfjörður.