26th April 2012 : To the lighthouse; SIM Residency show

The SIM Residency group show:

Chris Meerdo
Daphne Plessner
Felipe Meres
Gentaro Ishizuka
Gillian Fitzpatrick
Jaimes Mayhew
Paula Fujiwara
Verena Faisst
Yiannos Economou

22nd April 2012 : Keilir, a trip to the moon ( part 1 )

Today the Dublin 8 Space Program went out on a mission.
In 1965 and 1967 astronauts came to Iceland in training for their future lunar missions. As close as I can pin down they trained around Keilir, a rather pyramid shaped mountain, very close to Reykjavik, and at Askja and Herðubreið, inland, further north. Thanks to Gunnhildur, SIM Residency Co-ordinator, for all this information, during my artist's talk on Wednesday, she mentioned that her grandfather had met Neil Armstrong.

This morning we headed towards Keilir, Verena Faisst was our driver. We traveled along the road towards Keflavik Airport, until we found the sign post for Keilir. However the road quickly deteriorated and we had to abandon our plan to drive to the mountain. We walked for a while through the bleak lunar landscape and planted the Dublin 8 Space Program flag in view of Keilir.

19th April 2012 : Hveragerdi, Reykjadalur and Hot Springs

Today, two car loads of us travelled to Hveragerdi, about 30 mins drive south east of Reykjavik, SIM residents Verena Faisst and Chris Meerdo were our drivers. We then hiked about 3 kms through the geothermal hillside to Reykjadalur, where we went bathing in the naturally heated river.

 

15th April 2012 : Svartsengi Geothermal plant

This evening SIM Residency artist Jaimes Mayhew was going out to the Svartsengi Geothermal plant and he invited a few of us to come along and explore. The Svartsengi Geothermal plant feeds the water to the Blue Lagoon nearby.

12th April 2012 : Geysers, Hot pots and crater lake

Carpooling again today with artist Jaimes Mayhew at the wheel, we visited Pingvellur, Geyser, and the crater lake at Kerið.

 

9th April 2012 : Snaefellsnes pennisula

NASA Transportation solution suggestion No. 2. - Carpooling
Hired a car today with two other artists from the residency, Daphne Plessner and Yiannos Economou. Yiannos was our driver, and with our GPS satellite co-ordinates, we left the residency early, heading towards the Snaefellsnes pennisula. I was particularly keen to see Snaefellsjokull, as this mountain was the location that Jules Vernes used as the entrance to the subterranean passage in 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth.'
There is a saying about the changeability of the Irish weather, that there are four seasons in one day, but really if this couldn't not be applied to Iceland, then I can't think of anywhere I've been where it would be more appropriate. These images were all taken on the same day, over a maximum distance of around 300 kms from Reykjavik.

When we took a break for coffee in the local shop/petrol station in Hellissandur, we were given this invitation.

On a deserted beach, in the rain, snow and freezing winds we found what we think was the remains of sperm whale.