Söltuð píka / salted pussy
I’m part of the committee for Grapíka Islandica, a network for women working in graphic design in Iceland. Our committee is currently five members, with one on maternity leave, representing around 200 members in the group. This year, we had the exciting opportunity to organize a group show for DesignMarch (Hönnunarmars), Iceland’s premier design and architecture festival.
Our exhibition, titled Söltuð Píka ("Salted Pussy"), shed light on the experiences of women and genderqueer people working in graphic design in Iceland — exploring the past, present, and future of the field.
Söltuð Píka was designed to be a multi-layered experience. In the Past section, visitors were confronted with the derogatory, inappropriate, and sometimes absurdly funny comments that women and genderqueer individuals have had to endure in the industry. We created an interactive installation where guests could sprinkle salt on the statements that resonated most strongly, building a physical, visual representation of the emotional toll of these words. Alongside this, we presented intriguing industry statistics that offered insight into the ongoing challenges of representation.
The Present was brought to life through a lecture series featuring women and genderqueer graphic designers who shared their personal stories, challenges, and victories. It sparked much-needed conversations about the realities of working in the Icelandic design scene today. Meanwhile, the Future looked forward with optimism: members of Grapíka were invited to submit works envisioning the future of the industry, celebrating innovation, resilience, and inspiration.
The exhibition space we secured was absolutely gorgeous—an expansive, unfinished grey concrete room that served as the perfect canvas. To add a burst of color and warmth, we decided on a bold pink palette. My role started with securing a mountain of donated picture frames through my connection to a local thrift store. Once we had the frames, we hosted a Paint & Wine evening where participating members painted the frames pink, matching our theme perfectly.
Our fearless leader, Íris, at the opening party.
We also invited several pioneering women in Icelandic design to the opening ceremony, where they were honored with small gifts as a thank you for paving the way. The event was emotional and heartwarming; many of them expressed how much it meant to be recognized.
Some of the pioneers.
Organizing Söltuð Píka was an intense, beautiful experience — a true labor of love that connected history, community, and creativity. I’m so proud of what we accomplished, and I can’t wait to see how we grow from here.
And I also had an illustration in the show!
