Arkadenalle 2023 

This is an informal post-video documentation of the sound installation created in the winter of 2018 in Blonduós, Iceland. Blonduós is a tranquil town with a population of about 500 people, where the sounds of car horns are rarely heard. Iceland has never had a railway, and it’s unlikely to have one in the future. The train symbolizes progress and revolution, marking the dawn of a new era for humanity. I deliberately incorporated the sound of the first electric locomotive, the ‚Lumiere‘ train, which initiated the era of new art cinema.

I generated the train sound using two large speakers placed at the ’station,‘ where we resided as part of the art residency program. This station was housed in the city’s oldest building, the former church.

I invited the residents of Blonduós to contemplate and dream about the possibility of a train in Iceland, reflecting on the train’s historical significance, the concept of progress, revolutions, and their own history.

The sound installation stirred the local community, leaving people bewildered by the unfamiliar sound. Some even called the police to inquire about the source of the commotion. We were quite bored that month in Blonduós, but that evening our town was dubbed ‚the most cheerful city in Iceland‘ on Facebook.