By Kateřina Blahutová & Francesco Fabris

“Glitsteinar” emerges as a floating audiovisual installation, shedding light on the pervasive issue of ocean plastic pollution. Plastic, now an integral element of the marine ecosystem in the form of microplastics, floating plastic islands, or plastiglomerates, serves as both inspiration and medium in this surreal installation.

Crafted by upcycling PET packaging, the artwork manifests as ice-like sculptures, each fragment narrating a tale of transformation. The material, formed by heat, takes on an almost organic behaviour, giving rise to unforeseen and uncontrollable shapes. Here, the artist relinquishes all control, allowing the forms to organically shape themselves in a dance of unexpected beauty and environmental commentary.

The soundscape is a composition of field recordings from Jökulsárlón and the melting glacier that gives rise to the lagoon. The piece incorporates aquatic sounds from both above and below the surface of drifting icebergs. The melodic interplay of cracking, melting, and colliding of these majestic monoliths is seamlessly blended with recordings of the plastic material used to create the sculptures.

Commissioned by Vetrarhátíð and List í Ljósi. Sponsored by Reykjavikuborgur and Veitur.