Elín Hansdottir studied at Iceland Academy of the Arts and then later finished her masters degree at KBH-Weissense in Berlin. Her work has been exhibited widely, most importantly at Institute for Contempary Art in Berlin, National Gallery of Iceland, Reykjavik Art Museum, i8 Gallery, Den Frie in Copenhagen and at the Marrakesh Biennale. Hansdottir´s work center around the the human being and alterations of the human surroundings whether through architectural manipulations or optical illusions.
Künstlerhaus Bethanien was founded in 1974 and is one of the most prestigious and distinguished art venues in Germany. Around 25 artists from all over the world work at the venue, which offers an international network of contacts and collaborations within the contemporary art scene. The residency allows participating artists access to a powerful, international contact network; curators, museum staff, journalists and others who work in the field. The Künstlerhaus Bethanien also organises exhibitions, publishing and events for the artists-in-residence.
The Ministry of Culture and Business Affairs and Viljandi fund the project.