Iceland review - 2019, Qupperneq 55

51
Iceland Review
embroidering?
I get that a lot,
the question
if it changes
something
about my work.
And I do think
it matters in
the minds of
loads of people.
But it’s all a matter of perspective. Does it really
matter whether it’s a man or a woman creating
something? If you look back to Iceland’s history,
men sewed and mended nets in the harbours.
That’s essentially needlework. It’s all a matter of
how you look at the feminine and masculine. It all
just depends on what’s going on in the head of the
people viewing the art – whether it matters or not.”
In stitches
There’s a nostalgic quality to Loji’s work and a
quick look at the canvas will often transport the
viewer back to childhood. “The medium is nostal-
gic in itself, evoking this feeling of the past. I can’t
put a finger on it. But I often take graphics from
years gone by, something that can trigger a scene
in people’s heads. I might embroider a pack of Blár
Ópal [discontinued Icelandic candy] and it gives the
picture the power to shock you back to a different
time. It takes you from the here and now to the
moment you last had Blár Ópal. It might not be the
prettiest embroidery in the world, or the most tech-
nical, but it moves people.”
Loji often draws inspiration from everyday life,
whilst entwining his works with a humorous touch.
He might insert a glass of milk into a large picture
of a plant, completely out of the blue, or fill an
“environmentally sound” gas canister with flow-
ers. “I’m not afraid of showing humour. I enjoy it.
Some of my colleagues wouldn’t want an inkling of
humour present
in their work
– it’s all dead
serious with a
lot of important
messages. I feel
I should have
fun creating the
work. I’ve done
political pieces,
which have mainly revolved around humorous takes
on plastic usage, sewing garbage and plastic. I
believe a little humour in my work strengthens the
piece and improves it.”
Curious case of Sigvaldi
It’s not just his art that has endeared Loji to his
audience. He’s been making music since he was a
teenager and has performed solo and in countless
group acts, such as Sudden Weather Change and
party band Bjartar Sveiflur, famous for their New
Year’s Eve shows. He’s also garnered some atten-
tion for his Instagram account in recent years,
where he’s on a mission to photograph every single
house designed by architect Sigvaldi Thordarson.
His beautiful mid-century modernist buildings
can be found all over Iceland, their residents often
oblivious to the man behind their homes. The main
features of a Sigvaldi building are his preferred
colour scheme of marigold, white, and blue; a
clear-cut base; diagonal roofs; and unconventional
window placement.
It seems Loji has a penchant for finding the
beauty in the mundane. But where does his fascina-
tion with Sigvaldi stem from? “Let’s just call it what
it is – a Sigvaldi fetish,” he laughs. “I first encoun-
tered Sigvaldi as a kid in the Álftamýri neighbour-
hood. I saw two of his apartment blocks painted in
Sigvaldi colours and started to wonder about the
forms and colours. Then when I was 20 years old, I