S-I-L-I-C-A-0-2: Hulda Rós Gudnadóttir
Hulda Rós Gudnadóttir’s exhibition S-I-L-I-C-A-0-2 examines the global manufacturing structure behind silicon—a key component in technologies central to green energy transition such as solar cells as well as consumer electronics and our social infrastructure in general. Through sculptures, photographs, and materials from the production process, Hulda Rós Guðnadóttir traces the material’s journey from extraction to the creation of purer silicon and beyond, revealing the vast network of industries, landscapes, and geopolitical forces that shape its production. The work in the exhibition investigates entanglements of what is labelled green and non-green and the extractive economies that most objects in our everyday life are a part of.
For over a decade, Hulda has researched global trade and the hidden labor behind industrial supply chains. Her long-term project Keep Frozen focused on the shipping industry, revealing the human and environmental impact of maritime logistics. S-I-L-I-C-A-0-2 extends this inquiry, looking at how Iceland, Australia, Colombia, Egypt, Taiwan, and other regions are connected through the silicon supply chain. Iceland, often positioned as a leader in renewable energy, plays a crucial role in the creation of purer silicon using its geothermal resources before it is sent for further processing. As geopolitical tensions over the Arctic intensify—driven by resource extraction, trade routes, and strategic interests—the subject of Iceland’s role within the global system shifts from being of peripheral interest to gaining a major international attention.
The exhibition features silicon metalloids alongside images from Hulda’s research archive in Australia and Iceland, documenting the landscapes and infrastructures shaped by silica extraction and processing. The digital photo series Here Comes the Sun juxtaposes a scan of a solar cell with a silicon metalloid, underscoring the raw material origins of renewable energy. A sculptural installation of seven elongated glass pipes, each over two meters long and filled with coal, highlights the continued reliance on fossil fuels within the green technologies sector.
Hulda Rós invites us to examine the complexity embedded in the clean energy transition as well as in the infrastructure of our social systems. What does sustainability mean when it depends on extractive industries spanning multiple continents? How does Arctic geopolitics intersect with resource economies, and what role does Iceland play in this increasingly contested region?
Through her research-driven practice, Hulda Rós Guðnadóttir challenges us to look beyond the surface of materials and industries we take for granted, highlighting the hidden entanglements of energy, economy, and environment.
