In the quest for those “Emotional Landscapes,” which is the title and leitmotiv of the show, and while reflecting on the museum’s concurrent exhibition of American landscapes, “American Art from the Thyssen Collection” (from December 14, 2021 to October 16, 2022), we venture through the different sceneries inhabiting Kjartansson’s works on show. We travel from the lofty snow-covered Canadian Rocky Mountains in The End to tawny Texan fields in The Man to the opulent interiors of the historic Rokeby Farm on the banks of the Hudson river in The Visitors. It is a journey where music is the guiding thread, which include the sounds of Outlaw country and Mississippi Delta blues from pianist Pinetop Perkins in The Man and homages crooners such as Frank Sinatra in God, which is set against a lavishly ornamented pink satin ballroom background with its own big band orchestra. 

The conversation concludes with rich interventions by fellow artist Janet Cardiff and TBA21’s Chairwoman Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza, as Kjartansson reflects on his work process and strategies such as the use of repetition, popular musical references and lyrics, beautiful vistas and theatrical compositions, personal relationships and intimacy, as well as endurance in relation to performance art.   

This talk between artist Ragnar Kjartansson and curator Soledad Gutiérrez took place on February 21, 2022, as part the opening of Kjartansson’s exhibition at the Museo Nacional Thyssen Bornemisza (February 22 – June 26, 2022).

Credit list of the images used in the conversation HERE

Acces the audio file HERE