In Iceland the landscape is a substantial part of the nation’s image. The image of Iceland’s “pure” and terrifyingly beautiful nature has reached far in and ultimately contributed to a great boom in tourism in recent years, with people flocking in from all over the world to experience it.

In 2007 the Icelandic prime minister appointed a special image committee to shape the countries international image. The committee decided on the catchwords energy, freedom and peace as the key components of Iceland’s image, with special emphasis on Iceland’s sustainable energy resources.

This volcanic island in the north Atlantic has an abundance of geothermal spots and violent glacial rivers prime for harnessing energy. Geothermal and hydroelectric resources generate nearly all of the countries energy and heating needs. Because it’s plentiful, it’s also cheap. At present, only 30% of the energy produced in Iceland is for domestic use. The remaining 70% is generated for industrial use, predominantly aluminium smelters run by international corporations, (the largest and most controversial being the purpose built Kárahnjúkar hydroelectric energy plant in the east-Icelandic highlands).

The Orka project focuses on new and unexpected representations of Icelandic nature. Centred on the structures around eight geothermal and hydroelectric energy plants, it shows the rarely displayed man-made structures of the country. The implementation of these power stations in Iceland has great visual impact on its nature, creating a dilemma for a nation that identifies itself internationally through its image of untouched landscape.