A Conversation About Iceland

Einar Örn Benediktsson and Erin Boggs bring first impressions to life

They say it doesn’t hurt to ask. In the case of American poet Erin Boggs, reaching out to Einar Örn Benediktsson to inquire about opportunities to see his art while on her first visit to Iceland proved particularly painless. In fact, it spawned a two-year collaboration that has now flourished into a handsome book showcasing the pair’s poetry and art, and an exhibition at Listamenn Gallery opening November 2.

“A Journey of Iceland” couples Erin’s poems — all inspired by that first experience of Iceland and the handful of trips she has made across the Atlantic since — and the prolific Icelandic musician and fine artist’s charcoal drawings, with the latter drawing inspiration from the former. At Listamenn, the poems and drawings will be displayed alongside one another, augmented by a soundtrack by Kaktus Einarsson, to guide visitors through Erin’s journey of experiencing and coming to understand Iceland.

From the beginning

“Damon Albarn was performing at Harpa,” Erin recalls, explaining the catalyst for her journey to Iceland in 2022. “I had always wanted to come to Iceland and I’ve known [Einar’s] artwork since the 80s with the Sugarcubes, so I reached out to ask if he was exhibiting his art anywhere.”

What Erin wrote about is an observation of what Iceland did to her. And then my art is inflicted by what I got out of her poems.

“That was my first experience of Iceland,” she continues. “I was just really inspired by all of this and began writing. I reached out again and asked him if he wanted to collaborate.”

Einar’s response was in the affirmative and Erin soon sent her collection of poems for Einar to interpret through abstract shapes in varying shades of charcoal. The resulting book, published in October, 2024, is a bilingual (with a simple flip top to bottom) collection of memories and self-reflections of someone in the midst of a personal journey to Iceland; a window into Erin’s own experience of discovery.

Finding the flow

The poems and artwork follow a flow from dark to light, tracing Erin’s impressions of Iceland as a still mysterious place, through to reflections on the weather, adoration of the landscape and, finally, an understanding of the warmth of Icelanders and their culture.

“What Erin wrote about is an observation of what Iceland did to her,” Einar says. “And then my art is inflicted by what I got out of her poems. But the difference is that I’m a local and she’s an alien, and so sometimes I’m commenting on her experiences as an alien, not just illustrating each poem.”

It’s no secret that Icelanders revel in praise about the exceptionalism of their nature and cultural output. So how have Icelanders received Erin’s collection of poems about various aspects of their country and culture? “They didn’t puke or barf when they read the poems,” Einar says, delivering a glowing endorsement clearly meant to razz the poet with whom he’s developed a playfully antagonistic brother-sister relationship over their two years of partnership. “They might puke or barf when they see my drawings.”

Bringing the book to life

Distilling the product of their partnership — 113 pages of poetry and art — into the compact confines of Listamenn Gallery was an exercise in editing. Much like having to pick and choose choice excerpts from an hour-long conversation to be distilled into a brief article, Erin and Einar were tasked with distilling their joint creation down to the most impactful elements; just the right sound bites to effectively get the message and emotion across.

“There are 50 separate pieces in the book, in the total conversation,” Erin says in explaining what the public can expect from the exhibition. “We’re not going to be able to fit every piece [in the gallery space], so we have to decide what the conversation is going to be.”

Whether in its full glory in print or slightly abridged at Listamenn gallery, this conversation about Iceland is one worth listening in on for locals and aliens alike.

“A Journey of Iceland” is showing at Listamenn Gallery (Skúlagata 32) November 2 – 17. Erin and Einar’s book is available at Listamenn and Smekkleysa.