Phoenix – Reykjavík Edition

A co-production with Reykjavík Arts Festival in May-June 2016.

You are about to embark on a sensuous walk, mixing installation, soundscape, interactive technology, poetry and performance. You will go through the experience all on your own, guided by performers and a GPS sound system, all the while you follow the scent of delicate tracks leading you to unexplored places. The scent of weathered boat-hulls, burning timber, forgotten dreams and childhood-dusty corners – the shadow of a face resembling your own.

Rewritten and remade for the sea, hills, boats and buildings at Snarfarahöfn, Phoenix took wings in Reykjavík together with guest artist Ragnar Ísleifur Bragason as well a local production team, and a four-days workshop with Haukur Ingi Jónasson, Prof. PhD at Reykjavík University.

The audience said:

“Much entertainment is about escapism—that is, taking people out of the everyday world. What “Phoenix” does differently is to invite people to escape into it …”
– The Reykjavík Grapewine

“The most profound, life affirming experience I have had in a long time. This journey sent me deep within and far out …”

”Incredible experience. Lost all sense of self importance, time and worry. Instead I found myself and nature. Good work!”

Thank you so much! It was an unique experience, I rediscovered the importance of the senses! And let them guide me…”

Photos: Anni Savolainen (FIN)

The Phoenix Concept:

You become the main character: physically, you move through the harbour area, mentally and emotionally you are invited to travel through your own personal adventure.

Encounters and experiences lead you further into the crevices of what you are, what you remember, what you fear and what you dream of.

Each of these experiences has been developed based on the key themes within the classical ‘journey’ myths and is designed to give the audience the opportunity to delve into the main theme in a deeply personal and experiential way.

The experiences of the journey aim to touch the underlying knowledge in the body, and ask questions that pass beyond our normal consciousness and control. This creates an opportunity to open new or forgotten doors in the mind of the audience.

Reykjavik Arts Festival

Phoenix – Rekjavík Edition

11th – 15th of May 2016 – Workshop with local professional and semiprofessional artists led by artistic leader of Wunderland, Mette Aakjær (DK), and professor from Reykjavík University, Haukur Ingi Jónasson.

16th – 29th of May 2016 – Development of Phoenix – Reykjavik Edition with local guest artist Ragnar Ísleifur Bragason, a local production team and Wunderlands team of artists.

30th of May – 6st June 2016 – Performance plays at Reykjavík Arts Festival.

Credits

Artistic leader, workshop leader & co-creating performer Mette Aakjær (DK)
Composer & sound artist Thoranna Bjornsdottir (IS)
Co-creating performer & dancer Nina Matthis (SE)
Co-creating performer & dancer Sara Vilardo (IT)

Co-creating guest performer Ragnar Ísleifur Bragason (IS)
Performer and storyteller Sigrid Moses-Jacobsen (DK)
Visual artist Sigrid Astrup (NO)
Writer and technical interaction Sonja Winckelman Thomsen (DK)
Workshop leader and researcher Haukur Ingi Jónasson (IS)

Producer, project leader and stage manager Gunnar Hansson (IS)
2.nd stage manager Gígja Sara Björnsson (IS)

Scenography assistant Nanna Rosalia Sigaard (DK)

Set builder Klemens Hannigan (IS)

Production assistant Magdaléna Csóti (HU)

Technical support Kristín Björk Kristjánsdóttir (IS)

Creative PR and production assistance Sandra Oskk & Hrefna Lind Lárusdóttir (IS)

Photos for social medias Anni Savolainen (FIN)

Builder’s assistance Gudmundur Ingi Thorvaldsson (IS)

Co-creaters from the birth of Phoenix

Dramaturgy consultant / process leader Sarah John (AUS)
Co-creating performer & dancer Cindy Rudel (GER)
Co-creating performer Helga Rosenfeldt Olsen (DK)
Technical interaction designer Rune Brink (DK)
Technical development Mads Gundersen & Carl Jensen (DK)

Supported by

The Danish Arts Foundation, Nordic Culture Fund and Nordic Culture Point, Notours.

Part of Reykjavik Arts Festival