From Etching to Fossil Hunting: A Week at Artica

It has been a busy and inspiring week at Artica Svalbard, with workshops, community events, creative exchanges, and time spent exploring the landscapes that continue to shape so many residency projects.

The week began with artist Soghra Khurasani’s two-day workshop, Introduction to Soft Ground Etching, where participants learned the fundamentals of this printmaking technique and experimented with creating their own etched images.

We also gathered for our monthly First Friday Coffee Club, enjoying coffee, conversation, and a rare spell of sunshine while connecting with members of Longyearbyen’s creative community.

Later in the week, we welcomed the public to an Artists in Residence Open Studio with journalist and writer Audun Aagre, artist Laura J. Lawson, and artist Jessica MacMillan. Community members joined us for presentations, soup, and discussion, learning more about how each resident's work is developing during their time on Svalbard.

One of the highlights was hosting children from Polarflokken kindergarten in the studio. After collecting plastic waste around Longyearbyen, the children transformed their findings into colourful collages, exploring creativity, recycling, and care for the local environment.

And, of course, no week would be complete without venturing outdoors. Together with our residents, we spent time exploring the misty landscape of Longyearbreen, searching for fossils and sharing stories about the ancient history embedded in the terrain around us.

Thank you to everyone who joined us this week. We look forward to sharing more from our residents and upcoming events throughout the summer.