Styrmir Örn Guðmundsson: Astro Lilies

Styrmir Örn Guðmundsson (b. 1984) is a storyteller, a performer, a dancer, an object maker, an illustrator. He has a love for the absurd, by which is meant less an obsessive passion for the ridiculous, nonsensical or the odd, than a tender and caring attitude: he takes care of the absurd, helps it to develop, gives it a place alongside everything else where it can be your most disturbing neighbour and your best friend. More often than not Styrmir uses the written language as a genesis of his work. Written pieces are then adapted into live performances that activate objects, things and gestures. The performances and their narrative, which often is delivered as monologues, serve as an exhibition device for autonomous art objects. Styrmir is currently an artist-in-residence at Künstlerhaus Bethanien and lives in Berlin. 
 
There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differs from another star in glory. Some stars are more special to us than others. It is the matrix that reveals how the stars speak within us. Because Earth orbits around the Sun we see the Sun against the same stars year after year - the constellations of the zodiacs.
For ages these constellations have been important symbols to tell stories about each other. Each and every one of us is born under one constellation. Your zodiac is the birthday present the stars gave you. It carries your qualities and character. But we also possess the other zodiacs within our body, at different magnitudes. The body travels from one constellation to another. The distance is very long but while there are stars in the sky you’ll get by.

This autumn, Reykjavík Art Museum for the second time holds a group exhibition of new art in public spaces. The works of eight artists appear in a diverse and novel fashion around the city and in the communal spaces modern technology has to offer. This includes performances, interventions and various happenings which echo the communal space, the public domain, streets, squares and buildings which we share. Mostly, these works are created in intangible media; the Autumn Bulbs take root around the city and appear in unexpected circumstances. The subject matters of the eight participating artists vary but they all have in common that they illuminate or ask questions about the daily life of locals and visitors in the city. They revolve around the line between private and public space, ownership and freedom as well as getting people to stop, look around and gain a new perception of their environment. Inevitably, the works incorporate the societal changes which have taken place this year, regarding daily interaction and habits in epidemic times. Some of the works will only be performed once but others have a longer or more frequent existence. The programme can be found in an accompanying catalogue, on the museum’s social media and its activity calendar.