Reykjavík Grapevine - 05.11.2011, Blaðsíða 20

20
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 17 — 2011
Diving Into Metamorphosis
Art | Or fashion?
‘Metamorphosis’ is open in Hafnarborg until December 30.
Please head along to the show this Sunday, November 6, at 3pm, where Hildur Björk and
Saga Sig will engage in an open talk with guests.
www.sagasig.com, www.hilduryeoman.com.
“We wanted to take the legends of the
sea up to the surface with us, not just
to show fashion as superficial but ap-
peal to the subconscious of women and
rewrite the ocean myths by a feminine
hand.”
EMERGING FROM THE OCEAN
The exhibition ‘Metamorphosis’ by
fashion designer Hildur Björk Yeoman
and photographer Saga Sig has been
described as blurring the boundaries of
fashion and art. The show explores me-
diums such as photography, drawing,
sound and video installation.
In their collaboration, the pair of-
ten depict different sides of femininity
within their work: sisterhood, mother-
hood, young delicate girls and strong
timeless beauties. Their interest in the
stories of women is clearly seen in the
exhibition. Inspired by the ocean, they
wanted their work to be viewed as vi-
sual poetry, telling the story of feminine
mystique, empowering and liberating
one’s inner goddess.
THE COllABORATION
Their first collaboration was ‘Garden Of
Enchantment’ at Kling og Bang gallery
in 2010, where they displayed beauti-
fully crafted wooded prints, illustrated
with lively, nostalgic and dream-like
paintings. Compared to their current
exhibition, this work took more of a
whimsical, romantic flavour. Their col-
laborations came from the mutual ad-
miration they had for one another’s
work.
Hildur Björk Yeoman—who’s cur-
rent fashion line ‘Cherry Bomb’ was
displayed at this year’s Reykjavík
Fashion Festival—is best known for
her accessories range, with her finely
crochet poodle bags and elegant swan
necklaces. Her illustrations have seen
her work for brands as Lascivious and
Thelma Design—a fantastic hat design-
er, kind of like the young Philip Treacy
of Iceland.
Saga Sig has produced photography
for many magazines including Dazed
and Confused, I-D and top fashion
brands such as TOPSHOP 214. She also
has been quite dedicated to the label
Kron By KronKron, producing their
lookbooks for the past two years. You
can see why, with Saga’s eye for colour
and lighting that contrasts so well with
the KronKron style.
The current collaboration with the
exhibition ‘Metamorphosis’ has a more
adventurous vibrancy but somehow
manages to retain the same elegance
as the previous show. Their imaginative
worlds this time seemed to be more of a
celebration of pride and flamboyancy!
To me you both play on ideas of
beauty, whimsical worlds and femi-
ninity. Why do you think these ap-
peal to you both and appear in your
artwork?
HBY: Mistaken ideas of femininity are
still a problem I feel. Even in Iceland
today. We love to show strong women
and girls we consider inspirational. In
the show, instead of using stereotypi-
cal fashion models, we have different
women who inspire us. Our beautiful
pregnant friend Liv, a little red-haired
pearl, and my small cousin with her
amazing self-confidence aged only
seven.
SS: I grew up with legends. I lived in
the countryside close to where legend-
ary stories took place, Þingvellir, Skál-
holt and also in V-Skaftafellsýsla, near
Mýrdalssandur. Growing up there, you
find the stories in the air and in the old
people who visited your homes. They
would often tell my siblings and I myths
and ghost stories.
The energy and atmosphere of life
around these stories had a big influ-
ence on me. I put lot of thought into the
history of these women, especially after
writing my BA thesis on feminism and
sexuality, in the context of women in
history with a strong sensuality being
portrayed as evil, bloodthirsty charac-
ters.
Working together, do you still share
these same ideals?
BOTH: We connect well together as
we love beautiful things, not necessar-
ily conventional beauty also things that
are maybe “pink ugly.” For example, in
the exhibition we used so many plastic
banners and party fringes. Some peo-
ple might find this does not conform to
their sense of beauty.
Did you admire each other’s work
for a long time before collaborat-
ing?
HBY: I had seen Saga’s blog and
watched really closely to see what she
was doing. This was before she left for
London to study fashion photography.
Immediately it was clear to me that she
was a very talented girl. Saga shoots all
of my clothing lines, and is very much a
part of Hildur Yeoman’s world.
SS: I remember when I first saw Hil-
dur’s fashions on a famous fashion
blog, Style Bubble, and sent an email;
ever since we followed each other’s
work. Until finally we collaborated on
a photoshoot for Hildur’s collection,
which marked the beginning of our col-
laboration.
Would you call what you produce
fashion or art?
HBY: Fashion. Although we get inspira-
tion from everything and nothing—art,
film, music, nature, folk stories, friends
and family. There’s just something
about fashion that lights a fire in our
hearts!
“We connect well together as we love beautiful things,
not necessarily conventional beauty also things that are
maybe “pink ugly.” For example, in the exhibition we
used so many plastic banners and party fringes. Some
people might find this does not conform to their sense of
beauty.”
RICHARD P. FOlEY
SAGA SIG
Music | Review
Emmsjé Gauti’s long overdue and highly
anticipated debut album, ‘Bara ég (“Just
Me”) does not disappoint, and with
production from Iceland’s finest, such as
Introbeats, Redd Lights and Gnúsi Yones,
this album was bound to be a hit. In fact,
I’m going to go as far as saying that it is
one of my favourite hip hop albums of
the year.
The majority of the songs are party
related, with rhymes about fine looking
women, smoking, drinking and overall
partying. But Gauti gets personal on
some occasions and two of the personal
songs gave me goosebumps (‘Blikk blikk’
and ‘Kæra Ester’), and when a song
gives you goosebumps you know you’re
on to something good.
For me the highlights of the album
are the two previously mentioned tracks,
along with ‘Steinstjarna’ and ‘Dusta
rykið’. These four songs show how ver-
satile Emmsjé Gauti and the production
team can be, ranging from the ‘80s styl-
ings of ‘Dusta Rykið’ to the Dirty South
influenced ‘Steinstjarna’.
However, I do have some negative
things to say about the album. Two tracks
are missing from the album, and there is
one song that I really can’t stand. Why?
Mainly because RnB isn’t my cup of tea.
As for the ‘missing tracks,’ I recommend
curious readers visit YouTube and type
in ‘Kveikjum í Reykjavik’ and ‘Eitt glas
enn’ to hear why their omission is so
troubling.
Emmsjé Gauti might not be inventing
the wheel with this album but whether
you're driving a car, going out for a walk
or just need something to boogie with in
your party, this is the shit.
- ATlI HElGASON
Emmsjé Gauti
Bara ég
www.myspace.com/gautigerirtonlist
Party and personal