The third episode of the second season of Icelandic Art Center’s podcast “Out There” is out there! The episode is devoted to speaking with Sigurður Guðjónsson who is best known for his striking time-based media works that often focus on human-made machinery and technical relics, investigating their enigmatic, hidden elements, just beyond our field of vision. Becky and Þórhildur Tinna talked with Siggi about his contribution to the Icelandic Pavilion at La Biennale di Venezia, Perpetual Motion. They also discussed his art practice throughout the years as well as two exhibition openings in Reykjavik, Iceland this October at ‘Perpetual Motion’ BERG Contemporary and Reykjavik Art Museum.

Throughout Guðjónsson’s oeuvre features the interplay of sound and vision. The artist uses intricate soundscapes as the foundation of his works, drawing out the acoustic properties of his visual investigations to create a stronger link to the subject matter. Perpetual Motion which is in the Icelandic Pavilion now in Venice includes a visceral soundtrack, developed by Guðjónsson and Icelandic musician Valgeir Sigurðsson. The soundscape fills the Pavilion and envelops visitors as they enter the artwork, forging a deeper connection with the frequencies of the metal dust as it moves and pulsates across the screens’ surface 

To celebrate Siggi’s participation in la biennale di venezia a new catalogue on his career and practice has been published and is available to purchase from the Biennale Bookshop and online. The book, which has been designed by Studio Studio (Arnar Freyr Guðmundsson, Birna Geirfinnsdóttir) in Iceland and produced in collaboration with the Reykjavik Art Museum and Distanz Publishing in Berlin, features artwork stills and installation photography of Perpetual Motion and selected recent and past works, with a curatorial essay by Mónica Bello. Available at La Biennale Bookshops and The Reykjavik Art Museum.

Created and produced by the Icelandic Art Center, Out There brings co-hosts Becky Forsythe and Þórhildur Tinna Sigurðardóttir in conversation with artists, curators and art professionals.​​​​​​​​

Listen to the full podcast on Spotify or find it here on our website.

Useful links

Sigurður Guðjónsson Instagram and Website

The Icelandic Pavilion’s Instagram and Website

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Image Sigurður Guðjónsson