Private view 21 August 17.00–22.00
Scientific Sing-Along Performance by Eriksson & Reuter at 18.30 and 20.00
DJ Urhymn from 19.30
Artist talk Saturday 22 August at 14.00
Opening hours Friday–Sunday 1–4 pm, until 6 September 2026.
Gotlandsgatan 76, Stockholm. Bus´ 3, 66 and 76 to Gotlandsgatan or metro to Skanstull.
More than twenty-five years after creating Bensín (1997–1999), Spessi returns to one of the defining series of his career.
Bensín Revisited is not about reproducing the original photographs but continuing their journey. Through silkscreen printing, each image is reinterpreted using colours inspired by the original palettes of the petrol companies. The printing process remains open and intuitive: every print develops individually, and no two works are alike. The image emerges through the act of printing, where colour, material and chance become active collaborators.
Bensín Revisited is an exploration of time, transformation and the enduring potential of an image to generate new meaning.
In the artist’s own words: “Landscapes convey the land, but petrol stations convey the landscape and the people – even the mentality […] An old petrol station is a bit like an old man; the new ones are so young it’s not yet clear what they’ll turn into.”
Spessi Sigurþór Hallbjörnsson (b. 1956) is an Icelandic visual artist who has, for more than three decades, developed a distinctive artistic practice exploring the relationship between people, place and society, making him one of Iceland’s most important visual chroniclers.
Rooted in an attentive observation of the overlooked, Spessi’s work reveals the quiet complexity of ordinary lives and places. Through a refined visual language, he transforms everyday encounters into images of lasting resonance. Photography serves as the point of departure rather than the destination of his practice. His works unfold across film, artists’ books and exhibitions, where still and moving images become part of an expanded visual narrative. Remaining true to his conceptual approach, he establishes a framework for each project and follows it consistently throughout the process.
Spessi has exhibited extensively in Iceland and internationally. In 2020, the National Museum of Iceland presented the retrospective Spessi 1990–2020, surveying more than three decades of his artistic practice.
Spessi is invited by Johan von Schreeb, johan[at]candyland.se
Candyland’s exhibition programme is based on voluntary work but is also supported by the City of Stockholm and the Swedish Arts Council.
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