We caught up with photographer and entrepreneur Mariell Lind Hansen, founder of House of Hulda, the artist-led residency in Norway she co-created with Ezra Meaden. In this conversation, Hansen reflects on the impetus behind the project and the vision driving its artist-first ethos.
By Rise Art | 19 Mar 2026
Having encountered images of Andøya’s ethereal landscapes, though not yet experienced in person, it seems almost inevitable that Mariell Lind Hansen would develop such an attuned eye for spaces that prompt quieter, internal shifts. One of the founders of House of Hulda, Hansen grew up within this boreal terrain before leaving at sixteen to travel, eventually settling in London. There, she established a photographic practice spanning architecture, design and culture, alongside co-founding Benk & Bo, an East London project space that hosted exhibitions and collaborations for over seven years.
Her partner, Ezra Meaden, is a British carpenter and furniture maker whose work moves between bespoke craft and film production. House of Hulda emerged after the pair renovated a home on Andøya – initially intended for themselves, before recognising its potential as a site for others not just to enjoy but experience the creative and otherworldly energy of its surrounding landscape. What began as a private retreat has since opened outward: a residency shaped by stillness, material attention and the slower rhythms of the Arctic.
Rise Art recently partnered with House of Hulda to host a series of artist residencies, beginning with Henry Ward and Fa Razavi. We asked Hansen three questions to trace the impulse behind House of Hulda programme and the thinking that underpins our ongoing collaboration.
Why did you set up House of Hulda?
House of Hulda began quite unexpectedly. I grew up on the island of Andøya in the Arctic, where the vast landscape and solitude shaped how I experience creativity. Many years later, my husband Ezra and I bought and renovated a house there as a place to live ourselves, but we soon realised we couldn’t live that remotely full time. One day, Ezra suggested inviting artist friends to stay and make work for the walls. And, in that moment, everything clicked. What began as our home became the realisation of a long-held idea: to create a place where artists can retreat into nature, slow down and reconnect with their own rhythm within the Arctic landscape.
What led you to collaborate with Rise Art?
Our collaboration with Rise Art felt natural from the outset. At House of Hulda, much of what we do centres on supporting artists at pivotal moments in their practice, and Rise Art shares that same commitment. When we first met the team, it felt like an alignment of values, and a shared curiosity about how to create meaningful opportunities for artists. Bringing artists from the Rise Art platform into the quiet landscape of Andøya felt like a natural extension of that dialogue.
From your first round of shortlisting, what drew you to Henry Ward and Fa Razavi?
When selecting artists for House of Hulda, we tend to follow feeling as much as process. Henry Ward and Fa Razavi stood out immediately, particularly in their use of colour and the emotional atmosphere within their work. Interestingly, although neither paints landscapes directly, their work carries a strong sense of landscape – something expansive and deeply felt. That sensitivity felt closely attuned to the experience of spending time immersed in Andøya’s Arctic environment.
You can now view the series created on location by both Henry Ward and Fa Ravazi, and explore additional residencies offering artists both retreat and stimulus across the globe.
