Inside The Eclectic Weird Kids Art Collective In Reykjavik

If you’ve ever caught a Sacha & the Mermaids concert, you’ll have seen Sacha Bernardson beaming as he performs, lighting up the stage and covering it with glitter. The person behind the stage presence is an amiable Iceland-based French musician, who is also the co-founder of the Weird Kids collective.

Our talk begins with a virtual tour of the artist residency he’s attending, including an introduction to his new workspace and colourful friends. “This residency is like the Weird Kids model,” says Sacha, over video chat. “It’s an assembly of creative people supporting each other.”

“There is too much individualism in the art scene. If we want to go far we have to do things together.”

Organized by Sacha and his friends, co-workers, and co-creators Rex Beckett (Rex Pistols), Ida Schuften (IDK IDA), the first Weird Kids party was held at Húrra last autumn. The concert, as it turned out, was only the start. The ball has been rolling since, gaining momentum as the Weird Kids collective has developed into a platform for eager creatives to collaborate.

“It was mostly about creating a new family of people who don’t fit into a proper music family,” says Sacha. “I talk about music, because I am a musician, but it includes anyone who has something to share. We just wanted to make something together.”

Why Weird Kids?

The name came when the four were making their first press kit. “We wanted to create space for weirdos,” says Sacha. “Then Rex proposed the name Weird Kids.” The name stuck, and Weird Kids quickly became a polymorphic movement; an ever-evolving and inclusive collective of musicians, VJs, dancers, and artists. Their aims—to coordinate events, establish nurturing relationships between artists, and build a community—are steadily taking shape.

“There is a lot of love—something special happens at the Weird Kids parties.”

“There is too much individualism in the art scene,” says Sacha. “Everyone is doing their own stuff, and it can be egotistical, but that is short term. If we want to go further we have to do things together.”

The Weird Kids are multidisciplinary artists who aim to create together, without boundaries. “It’s a concept,” says Sacha. “I would be happy to not have to take care of it—I would love for the idea to be expanded on by other artists. For instance, MSEA played the second Weird Kids show, now Maria-Carmela Raso is a forceful energy in organising Weird Kids events and writing the Manifesto with me.”

Creating Mystical Gatherings

“There is a lot of love—something special happens at the Weird Kids parties,” he continues. “There have been three events now, and people are listening to and hearing each other. We are discovering each other’s works, and inspiring one another.”

The next event will be held at Listastofan on May 9th  at 19:30, when visiting bands—The Post Performance Blues Band and rA—will perform amidst the “Absence” collective exhibition, featuring eight visual artists. Be sure not to miss upcoming Weird Kids gatherings—no two are the same, and these Weird Kids have a lot to give.

See the Weird Kids at Listastofan on May 9th.