Fjallagrös / Mountain moss ( Cetraria islandica) have been on my mind for awile. These special little vigorous artic lichens (True Icelandic lichen) grow on the Melrakkaslétta ( Melrakkaplain)
Lichens are a symbiosis of fungus and algae. Two organism that live together and cannot be without each other. The algae provides nutrition for both through photosynthesis, and the fungus obtains water and minerals for both. Clear division of labor and mutual respect!
The title of the work derives its name from this arrangement. The symbiosis of lichens refers to the symbiosis of other organism., - our realtionship with nature and with each other. Lichens symbiosis also brings to mind opposites. The algae is the light, the fungus is the darkness. The algae is under, the fungus is over. Opposites are the creative forces of nature that seek balance.
The tectonic plates on the Melrakkaslétta divide it along its length into wetlands and drylands.
And then Þórshani popped up. The rare bird that cisits the Melrakkaslétta around the same time I llike to be there, on a glear summer nights in June and July. Þórshani only comes here to lay eggs. Then he flies off with his babybirds to tropical countries.
The patters of the eggs of Þórshani is reminicent of Fjallagrös ( the Mountain moss). I use the cone end of the egg and make one with fjallagrös and an other with crystal thread that is called ljósleiðari. I put the two cones together to create an egg with the opposites, light and darkness. The icelandic name for these crystal threads is ljósleiðari and it brings to mind egg conductors that in icelandic is eggjaleiðari. And from there brings to mind the other’s womb in Icelandic called móðurlíf ( motherlife) and the beautiful Icelandic word líknarbelgur that is the thin membrane that protects the fetus.
The thin membrane seperates the inside from the outside. I spread a conceptual membrane over what I want to preserve.
The work Symbiosis is the result of the symbiosis of thought processes and experiences on the Melrakkaslétta.
