Olafur Eliasson’s work frequently addresses environmental themes and utilizes elemental materials to raise awareness about human impacts on nature. The hut series is an exploration of the remote structures Eliasson encountered in his travels across Iceland in the early 2010s. Like his other series that highlight particular elements of the remote landscape, from volcanoes and hot springs to glaciers and igloos, the huts are presented as a grid of 56 images. Designed to endure the harsh weather conditions of their environment, the huts’ A-frame structures are conspicuous against the vast, open plains; some are even integrated into the rugged, barren landscapes. These multifaceted buildings, while initially intended as shelters for shepherds in the highlands, have come to serve as rescue shelters, hiking huts, and hunting cabins.
Despite their isolation, these shelters function as crucial communal spaces—what the artist refers to as ‘micro-parliaments’—where hikers, farmers, shepherds, and travelers gather. Eliasson’s decision to photograph these huts in spring captures the brief transitional period between the melting of the snow and the influx of hikers, preserving the sense of solitude that characterizes these spaces.
As a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations, Eliasson has garnered significant recognition, allowing him to engage directly with global leaders and influence climate change policies on an international scale.
