At 93, Jóhann is in the midst of creating yet another large body of work, which is no less challenging to the critical eye of the public viewer. Not only is it large in scale, but extremely massive in weight, some pieces weighing up to 14 tons. I cannot readily explain the meaning of this series of sculptural pieces, but I do know that after 11 years of knowing him and following him through several different phases, that this one is quite remarkable.
The process by which these pieces are created begins by him finding large discarded and often mangled single purpose industrial parts, reminiscent of the industrial age and beyond. As he scrutinizes and makes his selection, Jóhann is carefully listening to each piece as it whispers to him, expressing its mangled past, each one subjected to the various destructive forces that shaped it as it was being decommissioned and discarded. It’s as if, once it loses its “raison d’être”or usefulness as a cog in the machine, the individual unique narrative of it’s life begins to take shape. The “cog” that was designed for its functional usefulness, born out, manufactured ‘en masse’, indistinguishable from the rest of the cogs, is now given new life again to express its unique self. Once again, Jóhann the artist, is the midwife that brings each of these pieces to light for us to experience.
As a viewer or participant of these Eyfells’ pieces, I can say with total conviction that if you are willing to listen hard enough to your own creative source, each piece will speak to you in ways that will blow your mind. Personally, I was left stunned.
SEE THE FILM: https://vimeo.com/135532487
Vitruvius Creations - A Film Production Company 