SOUND CAFFEINE: Bjork Digital at Somerset House

THAT CLOSER LOOK: Bjork at Somerset House

THAT CLOSER LOOK: Bjork at Somerset House
by Storyline Illustration

Bjork is coming to Somerset House! Her exhibit will be there from September 1st, which is basically tomorrow.

We missed out on her exhibit at MOMA. However we’re excited to see her work on Biophillia and her Black Lake video, which will be showcased. This being an exhibit on Bjork, we’re expecting a unique juxtaposition of nature and technology, and its expression in music.
 
The exhibit at Somerset House will also feature video by Nick Knight, Michel Gondry, and Spike Jonze, who just released a top form commercial for Kenzo.
 
Check this space for our experience at Bjork Digital. Did we mention that we scored tickets for Bjork’s 24th of September performance? September is my birthday month, but I’ll happily christen it Bjork Month this year.

An immersive virtual reality exhibition from Icelandic icon Björk.

Somerset House is thrilled to announce the European premiere of Björk Digital, an exhib­ition of digital and video works, resulting from Björk’s collaborations with some of the finest visual artists and programmers in the world and coinciding with a special performance at the Royal Albert Hall.

Björk constantly and consistently challenges the status quo, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in music, art and technology. The exhibition at Somerset House invites visitors to engage with her work through the latest in virtual reality (VR) technology. Björk believes that by offering a private theatrical experience, VR provides a unique way to connect with her audiences.

The exhibition will include Black Lake, Björk’s groundbreaking immersive film commissioned by the New York’s Museum of Modern Art where the audience is treated to panoramic visuals and enveloped by a bespoke, cutting edge surround-sound system. Filmed in the highlands of Iceland, the work was directed by the Los Angeles-based filmmaker Andrew Thomas Huang. Huang also collaborated with Björk on Stonemilker VR, a project that transports the viewer to a private performance of the first track from Björk’s critically acclaimed Vulnicura album. Shot on location on a remote, windswept beach in Iceland and viewable in full 360-degree VR, the viewer will be able to experience a one-to-one recital.

In Mouthmantra VR, Björk worked with director Jesse Kanda to capture intense footage from inside her mouth whilst she sings the title track, her teeth and tongue twisting and seemingly taking on a life of their own. Meanwhile, Notget VR, directed by Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones, presents Björk as a digital moth giantess transformed by stunning masks created by artist James Merry.

As part of the European premiere of Björk Digital, Björk will hold two special concert performances in London in September. These are her only UK shows this year and her first London shows since her acclaimed sold out Biophilia show in the round at Alexandra Palace in 2013.

Somerset House’s edition of the Björk Digital exhibition will include never-before-seen work by Björk. There will also be an interactive educational space which showcases the innovative apps and custom-made musical instruments from Biophilia, an app created by Björk that explores music, nature and technology. A programme of Björk’s extensive video work will run alongside the exhibition, spanning the artist’s 24-year career during which she has collaborated with film directors including the award winning Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry, Nick Knight and Stephane Sedanaoui.

Bjork Digital Exhibition at Somerset House is supported by
Intel, AMD, HTC, Bowers and Wilkins and Barco Iosono.

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