2021-2022
Location: Westmann Islands, Iceland
Collaborator: Eldheimar Museum

Film: Chris Paul Daniels
Music: Tonik Ensemble
Research: Brynja Dögg Friðriksdóttir

P E T R I F I E D - STEINRUNNINN

The Westmann Islands lie off the south coast of Iceland and in the early mornings of January 23rd 1973, near Iceland’s most important fishing ports the most destructive volcano eruptions in the history of the country, began. At the time over 5000 people populated the Island and at the time the eruption started everyone was fast asleep and it all came as a complete surprise. Alerted by the police everyone was summoned to the harbour, where a fleet of boats all in harbour due to bad weather the day before, started to ferry inhabitants to the mainland. Also, using airplanes for the most fragile citizens by midday the next day everyone was safe, only leaving behind about 200 people who stayed behind to save businesses and home valuables.

Entirely uncertain about what would happen to their Island and they’re home the people of Westmann Island feared they would never return. In matter of hours their whole life would change and ahead were months of realising the next steps of their lives. In this project, we want to focus on the personal stories of the people who experienced the evacuation, to explore how they came to terms with it and how they found to strength to move forward. Did they feel a sense of displacement, both in terms of physical displacement and physiological displacement? What were the reaction on the mainland to these people who had been left with absolutely nothing?

The Project aims are to explore these peoples’ stories through artistic collaborative explorations that will then be presented through a sonic visual experience.

Research
In the development stages of the project Producer Agusta Thorarinsdottir and Researcher Brynja Dögg Friðriksdóttir conducted interviews with people from the Westmann Islands who experienced the eruption back in 1973. They wanted to get a sense of individual experiences, how they felt and how life continued after the evacuation and how did they felt about leaving their home, their Island, their community. What did Home mean to them and what did it mean for it to be taken away in matter of minutes?

Residency
In August 2021 filmmaker Chris Paul Daniels and composer/musician Anton Kaldal spent a few days in Vestmannaeyjar (Westmann Islands) exploring the Island and it’s beautiful nature and finding inspiration for their upcoming audio visual film. Talking to local people and getting the sense of its history and what it means today through the eyes of an outsider will be the foundation for a new artistic film inspired by the events that unfolded back in 1973. An artistic conversation with the past.

Project Development
Further to our residency in Iceland summer 2021 the collaboration between artists Anton and Chris has created a path towards an imagined interpretation of their experiences, images and sounds towards a final piece of visual sonic artwork estimated to be completed by spring 2022.
With ongoing Zoom meetings and sharing ideas between Iceland and the UK during the winter months the project is on a path to be ready by Spring 2022. The poetic text that will accompany the film and written by film maker Chris Paul Daniels has been translated into Icelandic by Valgerður Þórðardóttir and recorded by Icelandic singer/composer Ragga Gísla.