Maritea Dæhlin’s First Solo Exhibition Opens in Longyearbyen

This past weekend marked the opening of A-FI-SA. But it might not be tomorrow, the first major solo exhibition by artist and performer Maritea Dæhlin, now showing at Nordover Art Centre in Longyearbyen. Presented by Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum, the exhibition traces its beginnings to Dæhlin’s 2023 residency with Artica Svalbard.

The project was initiated during Dæhlin’s time in Longyearbyen and later developed over a two-year period between Svalbard and San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico. The resulting work is a multi-layered meditation on ritual, memory, identity, and the body’s relationship to place.

The exhibition features a multi-channel video installation, analogue photography, engraved mirrors, and sound—woven together through personal and generational narratives. Dæhlin’s daughter Nina features prominently in the work, contributing to its spirit of play, intimacy, and intergenerational connection.

A public conversation during the opening weekend brought together Dæhlin, exhibition curator Liv Brissach, and current Artica resident Bianca Hisse, offering reflections on process, collaboration, and the influence of Svalbard as both context and catalyst. We warmly congratulate Maritea on this powerful and moving debut solo exhibition.

The exhibition highlights how ideas seeded during an Artica Svalbard residency can continue to grow beyond the Arctic. Our ongoing collaboration with Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum supports artists in developing thoughtful, place-responsive practices shaped by time spent in Longyearbyen.

The exhibition will travel to Bodø and Oslo in 2026.