SÍM Residency, Reykjavík. 2019.

Icelandic Notes For the Weltgeist.

Taking inspiration from histories of natural science, nature-based spiritualties, and ecological philosophy, this residency project engaged art and ecology through the proposition of nature as non-binary, land spirits, and the absurd (weird). The unique natural settings of Iceland in combination with an enduring Icelandic folklore and its ecological philosophies provided an unequaled setting for the project. The development of this body of works continued practice-led research into emerging ecological philosophies via a multidisciplinary arts practice.

The SIM Residency project culminated in a body of assemblage sculptures, still life photographs and cimemagraphs. The cimemagraphs, consisting of found object assemblages collected from within Iceland and filmed on location. Still life assemblages constructed at the residency and photographed under controlled lighting in studio conditions. This project extend the previous project developed at SIM in February and March of 2018 and seeks to continue previous engagement with the Icelandic art scene and philosophy community.

Collecting objects to form the subjects constituted the core of the project. This was achieved by actively being in nature; walking and observing. Here, in nature, objects (where permitted) were collected. Driven by both research and aesthetics, an engagement with chance, phenomena, and spirit allowed the experience of being in nature to guide the final outcome. Working between traditions of natural history (specimen object), still life (inanimate subject), and found object assemblage (subjective object / constructed subject), the body of assemblage sculptures, still life photographs, and cinemagraphic video loops was created.

Conceptually, the works explored the subject position of the non-human and the abject positioning of nature to suggest contemporary stories of ecology and place. By conceptually removing the nature/culture binary, and with consideration to myth and folklore, the residency project attempted to playfully “collaborate” with chance, phenomena, and found objects. The found objects were deliberately presented as subjects with a considered use of pareidolia (seeing patterns or faces in random data) and invited a questioning of a prevailing anthropocentric worldview.

The resulting works formed the basis of several multidisciplinary exhibitions at Artist Run Initiatives and commercial galleries in both Iceland and Australia in 2019/2020.