About Friðgeir Helgason
Friðgeir Helgason was born on the small island of Vestmannaeyjar off of the south coast of Iceland. At 6 years old, he and his family were evacuated to escape a volcanic eruption that in the weeks that followed, lead to the loss of their home.
He spent most of his formative years in Reykjavík with summer breaks spent at sea working on fishing trawlers and merchant marine ships. Friðgeir dropped out of school when the Prime Minister of Iceland, Steingrimur Hermansson, gave him a ticket to Europe for winning the equivalent of Rock n' Roll Jeopardy. He set off to see the world.
Friðgeir first visited the United States as a tourist, arriving on Christmas Day. Within a few years, he was living in Louisiana, working as a promising young chef in New Orleans.
In 2004, Friðgeir's personal life collapsed - he was living on Skid Row in Downtown Los Angeles. He checked himself into the Midnight Mission, where he resided for a year and a half, formally graduating from the program in 2006. During his stay at the mission, he returned to school, studying Cinematography at Los Angeles City College. During a requisite Beginning Photography Class, Friðgeir discovered his creative voice in photography.
Friðgeir Helgason shoots film on a 6x7 Medium Format Camera and a 4x5 Large Format Camera. He prints in both color and black and white.
Contact
Friðgeir Helgason
fridgeir.helgason@gmail.com
213-221-9217 in the United States
Exhibitions
2017
Stemning/Mood, Listasafnið Akureyri, Ketilshús, Akureyri, Iceland - solo show
Frá Hörgshóli Til Hollywood, RAMSKRAM Reykjavík, Iceland - mother/son show
2016
Stemning/Mood, Ljósmyndasafn Reykjavíkur (The Reykjavík Museum of
Photography) Reykjavík, Iceland - solo show
2015
Above and Below, ARK (ARK Gallery and Studios), Altadena, CA
ISO2015, Ísafjörður, Iceland - invitational
Reykjavík Outpost, Los Angeles, CA
2014
Innra Myrkur (Inner Darkness), Samband íslenskra myndlistarmanna (SÍM), Reykjavík, Iceland - invitational group show of FÍSL members
2013
Da Parish, Scott Edwards Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana - solo show
Visible Iceland, Hyller Art space, Washington DC
FF/REW, Groundspace Project, Los Angeles, CA
2010
Breiðholt - at the moment, Reykjavík Art Festival, Menningarmiðstöðin Gerðuberg, Reykjavík, Iceland - solo show
Selections from Nordic Mood, Palm Springs Photo Festival, Palm Springs, CA Juried
emerging (I) 5, Creative Center for Photography, Juried by The Freestyle Educational Steering Committee
2009
The Calm Before The Storm, Stelladottir, Los Angeles, CA - solo show
Open Call LA 2009, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Winter Group, 118 Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
The Canadians, Raw Materials, Los Angeles, CA
Nordic Mood: Photographs from Iceland, Gallery Skart, Santa Monica, CA - solo show
2008
Kiosks of Lonelyness, Metropolis Books, Los Angeles, CA Summer
Emerging (I) 3, The Gallery at the Creative Center for Photography, Los Angeles, CA April – June
Dystopia Utopia, Los Angeles Poverty Department, RedCat Theater, Los Angeles, CA December
Photographs of Iceland, Stelladottir, Los Angeles, CA - solo show
2007
Go Native, Gallery 825/Phantom Galleries, Pasadena, CA December Juried by Karen Constine
I know what it means to miss New Orleans, ePluribus Media, August
Photographs of Iceland, Metropolis Books, Los Angeles, CA - solo show
Open Call LA 2007, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles, Summer
Photographs of Iceland, Stelladottir, Los Angeles, CA - solo show
Grants and Awards
The Cultural and Tourist Bureau of Reykjavik, Exhibition Grant, June 2010
City of Reykjavik, Breiðholt Photo Project, Development Grant, September 2008
Los Angeles Community College District Foundation – Scholarship Award, February 2008
Los Angeles City College Foundation – Scholarship Award, May 2008
Palm Springs Photo Festival – Scholarship Award, April 2008
Publications
Stemning, 2016
Konan sem kann Ekki að hræðast, Kvennablaðið, 2015
List í 365 daga, Art365, 2014
List í 365 daga, Art365, 2013
Frontiers of Another Nature - Pictures From Iceland, Kehrer Verlag, 2011
Affiliation
Félag íslenskra Samtíma Ljósmyndara - www.fisl.is
Education
Bruce Davidson – Master Class at the Palm Springs Photo Festival 2008
Ken Merfeld – portrait photography 2008
Los Angeles City College, Media Arts Department – 2006 - 2009
Los Angeles City College, Cinema Department
Collections
Ljósmyndasafn Reykjavíkur
City of Reykjavík
Private Collectors
Los Angeles City College, Cinema Department
Chef Fridgeir Helgason
Learn more about his food at Chef Fridgeir Helgason