Ólöf Benediktsdóttir is a multidisciplinary artist, musician, and poet based in Reykjavík, Iceland. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Icelandic Art Academy and has continued to evolve as a creative force across various mediums since her graduation in 2013. Ólöf’s repertoire includes organising music festivals, participating in solo and collective exhibitions and in art festivals. She is the driving force the dark electronic band Svartþoka and as a solo musician she has explored various musical styles, including live coding, field recording, and singer-songwriter compositions. In her visual art she explores the interplay between nature, science, the human experience, and the mirroring of the self in the natural world.
Education
2020 Stúdíó Sýrland, Hljóðtækni
2017 Tónlistarskóli FÍH, Rythmic singing, grunnpróf
2016 Promennt, course in website building and photo editing
2010 – 2013 Icelandic Art Academy, bachelor of fine arts, Reykjavík.
2006 – 2009 Fjölbrautarskólinn í Garðabæ, visual art, Garðabær
Music
Select performances
Andkristnihátíð 2022, Svartþoka
Eistnaflug 2022, Svartþoka
Norðanpaunk 2022, Svartþoka
Raflost 2022, Svartþoka
Doomcember 2021, Svartþoka
Releases
Sírenusöngur by Svartþoka, single, 2022
Draumsóleyjahafið by Svartþoka, single, 2022
Recording and mixing
Sírenusöngur by Svartþoka, single, 2022 – Recording, mixing and mastering.
Draumsóleyjahafið by Svartþoka, single, 2022 – Recording, mixing and mastering.
Í sæng saman live session series at Loft Hostel in 2021 – Recording, mixing and mastering.
Other work in music
2017 Norðanpaunk/Art director
Visual arts
Solo Exhibitions
2018 Reykjavík Roasters / It’s a feelings, not a word
2018 Bókasafnið í Hveragerði / Fygli
2015 Kaktus / Sjálf-varp
2015 Ekkisens/Solo exhibition, Theory of Everything
2014 Gallery Orange/Solo exhibition, !0
Group exhibitions
2016 Verksmiðjan Hjalteyri/Two works in the group exhibition, Rífa Kjaft
2015 Gallery Ekkisens/Exhibition as part of the two piece collective Yotta-Zetta
2015 Anarkía/Exhibition as part of the two piece collective Samsýning Yotta-Zetta
2015 Lunga2015 / Festival art exhibition with interactive performance Picture of the universe in a 1000 pieces
2014 SÍM salurinn / Y
2013 Kaffistofan/Oil Peak, two artist exhibition with visual artist Darr Tah Lei
Artworks in public space
2018 Hótel Laki/Large mural
2017 Hlemmur mathöll/Large window paintings
Artist in residence
2018 Listamannahúsið í Varmárhlíð, Iceland/Artist in residence
2016 Arteles Creative Center, Finland/Artist in residence
Grants and funding
2018 Reykjavík UNESCO literary city, funding for a series of slam poetry events
2016 Selected to be part of a two person team participating on behalf of Reykjaví UNESCO literary city in Drop the Mic, a project about slam poetry
2016 Muggur travel fund, funding for a residency stay in Arteles Creative Center in Finland
Ólöf Benedikts 