Costume design

Sunneva Ása Weisshappel

Sunneva Ása Weisshappel graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts from the Icelandic Academy of the Arts in spring 2013. Sunneva Ása founded and managed Algera Studio, a workshop, art gallery and residency in Reykjavík. The studio was one of the main research bases for young artists in Iceland. She ran the studio for three years, but when entering the theatre world, she passed it on to other artists. At the moment she is running the fine art studio and pop-up gallery, Ármúli 7 in Reykjavík, Iceland.

In Weisshappel’s work the artist’s self is often brought into play as field of research to explore and reflect the present. Weisshappel has exhibited her fine art in numerous galleries and venues in Iceland and abroad. Visual art is the frontline of Weisshappel’s explorations, from which she garners material for other art media.

Weisshappel’s first work in theatre was designing costumes and prosthetic makeup for the play »Njála« at Reykjavik City Theatre. For that work, she won Gríman awards for the best costume design of the year 2015. In 2016 she designed costumes and video »Mutter Courage« at Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden, choreography, costume design and prosthetic makeup for »Enemy of the Duck« (»Enemy of the People and The Wild Duck«) at the Norwegian National Theatre. She also created costumes and art design for »Othello« at Staatsschauspiel Dresden and costumes for »Othello« with theatre group Vesturport at the National Theater of Iceland. In 2017 she did costume / art design with Katrína Mogensen for »Hamlet« at Staatstheater Hannover and costumes for »Álfahöllin« at the National Theater of Iceland. She also handled the costume, choreography and video design for Wagner’s »Siegfried« at the Staatstheater Karlsruhe and the costume design for »God Bless Iceland« at the Reykjavík City Theatre. In 2018 she did costume design for »Ruhrepos« at Recklinghausen Festival and was the Art Director for »Stuðmenn Fullvalda« which was an event held to celebrate 100 years independency of Iceland in the National Theater in Iceland.

»Mutter Courage« was nominated as one of the top 10 theatre works of the year 2016 in Germany and »Enemy of the Duck« was nominated as one of the best theatre works in Norway 2016. She was also nominated for best costume design of the year for »God Bless Iceland«. Her main partner in theatre is the director Thorleifur Örn Arnarsson who just won the German Faust awards as best director for »Die Edda«.