I went to Ólafsjörður for an artist residency. A small fishing village north of the island, touching the polar circle, reaching the arctic experience.

I met up with the most amazing people and landscape there. Some of us are photographers, observers. We remained stealthy; scanning the light, the shapes and framing the looks that want to be stripped. We came here looking for inspiration, or maybe we came to empty ourselves, so inspiration could find us. Either way, it was going to leave the island in many ways, reaffirming the particular look.

We decided to see more, to travel around Iceland. To share experiences and to be part of each other’s imagery. We climbed valleys searching for white holes, walked in front of the stranded ship. An iron thorn doomed to sea. We smelled rotten wood and listened to the deafening silence. Collected vertebraes and treasures of the earth. We captured everything around us because we were fascinated. I was fascinated.

I found myself in the middle of an irrational twisted stone landscape, electrifying green and steaming formations. I had to dive into this world of exploration. The constant rediscovering of foreign territory.

I was the innocent eye that gazes the wild peak of the unknown landscape.

Images & words by Laia Gutiérrez