Iceland Airwaves and the Golden Circle

I left the small town of Skagastrond and headed down to Reykjavik for the Iceland Airwaves music festival on Wednesday the 15th of October. Instead of spending almost sixty bucks on a bus ticket, I just got a ride with the mayor of Skagastrond since he was heading down there for a meeting concerning the financial crisis.

The festival was good stuff... Discovered some new bands, boogied down, and things of that nature. On Saturday, a friend of mine drove a few of us around the Golden Circle, where you can see the famous Geysir, the waterfall Gullfoss, and Thingvellir, where the two tectonic plates of Iceland come together (the only place such an occurrence can be seen above the ocean floor) . Here be some pics of that nastiness.

A few good bands at Airwaves:

Seabear

The Handsome FursRokkurro

Yelle and FM Belfast were also pretty dope, if you're interested.

The Golden Circle:

Hot pots near Geysir

Geysir doing its thing!

Gullfoss

Thingvellir

A Very Long Crack

This is a very long crack in a sidewalk near where I lived in Reykjavik. I want to turn this into an accordion book to directly reference the way the photos were taken.

Some Pictures

So I'm not very good at taking pictures. A lot of the time, I forget that I have a camera. This is fine with me because I think there's something kind of special about not interrupting moments by taking pictures. It's also interesting to leave things like this up to your memory, but since I have a horrible memory, this probably isn't the best idea. A third possible explanation is that I'm just plain lazy.

Anyway, here are a few of the pictures that I have taken so far. I'll try to do better in the future.

A group of sculptures atop a hill outside of Reykjavik

Iceland vs. Scotland World Cup qualifying match (Scotland won 2-1)

The home stadium of Akranes, a team I might train with when I return to Reykjavik

Behind the Stadium
Happens all the time!

Climbing Mount Esja outside of Reykjavik

A small waterfall in Alafoss

My new home, Skagastrond

The cemetery just outside of town

Ideas, Drawings, and Experiments (September)

I haven't made a whole lot since I've been here. Mostly I've been trying to get out to meet people and see things, but as usual, I've been thinking a lot. Here are some of the things I have done, most of which are just ideas for bigger projects that I hope to create later during my stay. My explanations might not be as articulate as I would like because I have a headache from partying until 5 with the four people in this town that are close to my age, but nonetheless, I want to get this done so you can check it out.


The environment in Iceland is often dark and dreary, but there is a sense of color and joy that opposes this darkness, whether based on the fun lifestyles that Icelanders often lead or the bright colors that can be seen on buildings and playgrounds. I wanted to acknowledge this while also commenting on Iceland's past and present. I would love to turn this drawing into a photo or video, so it is basically a visualization of an event that I want to create.

Balloon Release Visualization:


The surrounding landscape on the bus ride into Reykjavik from the airport was flat and rocky and man made rock piles could be seen all over. The image of these rock piles has stayed with me, as they represent an extremely basic interaction with the landscape. By referencing these rock piles, my hope is to call attention to the fact that all man made things have ultimately come from the environment. Juxtaposing these piles with modern processes and products asks questions concerning progress as a society and brings to light our constant interaction with our surroundings.

Building:


Concept for large sculpture consisting of a rock pile constructed with both stones and modern day appliances:


Ideas for a series of photographs putting rock piles in very modern settings:


The following idea is sort of a one liner, but I think if it is done well, a group of rocks with keyholes on them could be rather compelling. As this sketch says, the design element of them would have to be executed well, making them look like products. This keyhole idea could also translate well to a large scale project, perhaps putting a keyhole in the side of a mountain or something.

Rock Locks Sketch:


Rock Lock Experiment created with oil clay (and a rock of course):


Because of Iceland's dramatic landscape and weather, the culture has many mythological creatures and stories that accompany them. When I was on a beach one day I thought it would be fun to turn these little grassy blobs into creatures using shells and stones (it was).



Iceland's landscape contains many lines, whether rivers, cracks, coastlines, or dramatic changes in terrain. I tried to reference those lines in this experiment by breaking a rock apart and gluing it back together with felt between the pieces. Nothing too special.

Landscape Lines experiment: