Dining-table transforms into something else.

Four musicians take part in a happening which begins with a dinner party at Table
no. 1. Towards the end of it, the plates are removed, and the players open a lid on
the table in front of them where musical instruments appear in front of each member.
All at once, a musical performance, or musical feast, begins at the table. It is easy to activate the table as the various musical instruments and/or computers have been installed inside the compartments. Innermost in each compartment there is a hole for the various cords, wires, and cables that are needed if connected with electricity. The lids turn into a kind of music stand, phone stand, or iPhone stand. The table comes with barstools that fit the high table well, but it is also easy to stand at the table. A video camera is placed above the table in order to enable the exhibition guests to have a clear view of what is taking place at the table and everything that is happening there is broadcast on a wall.

Table no. 1 appeared to Ragga Gísla in a dream a few years ago. In the dream, six people were seated at a table and having dinner. The table seemed to be very ancient, made of dark brown wood and heavily carved. At the end of the meal, a waiter appeared and removed the plates, glasses, and other things from it. At that moment, the dinner guests simultaneously lifted the stiff place mats in front of each of them. Compartments appeared within the table with different musical instruments and little computers that were slowly rising up to the level of the tabletop. The dinner guests started playing the instruments and computers that were of different sizes and forms. Thus, the guests experienced a “food feast” and a “music feast” directly afterwards.

25. april 2024 at Anna Jóna
16.00 - 16.45 & 17.00 - 17.45
Performers:
Ragga Gísla,
Tómas Jónsson,
Guðni Finnsson,
Arnar Gíslason.

26. april 2024 at Anna Jóna
16.00 - 16.45 & 17.00 - 17.45
Performers:
Ragga Gísla,
Halldór Eldjárn,
Barði Jóhannsson,
Sólrún Mjöll Kjartansdóttir

27. april 2024 at Anna Jóna
15.30 - 16.15 & 16.30 - 17.15
Performers:
Ragga Gísla,
Magnús Magnússon,
Barði Jóhannsson,
Sólrún Mjöll Kjartansdóttir.

Design: Ragga Gísla, Heimir Sverrisson

Production: Yrmastudio

Ragga Gísla (Ragnhildur Gísladóttir) completed an MA degree in composition from the Iceland Academy of the Arts in the spring of 2013. RG has been an active musician for a number of years. She has also composed music for films, theater and dance. Ragga has participated in Dark Music Days, Nordic Music Days, Reykjavik Art Festival and Reykjavik Dance Festival. 

Composition was part of Ragga’s MA project which is about they way in which the hearing impaired sense music. Their sound world inspired the composition and in the work “Underseas” she uses so-called studs to interpret this tonal sensation in silence. Pursuant to that composition Ragga composed Chamber Music for Studs in 2015. Parallel to that composition she composed the work Dandelion Symphony where the musical instruments are also untraditional, i.e. the stems of dandelions.

Ragga Gísla (Ragnhildur Gísladóttir) completed an MA degree in composition from the Iceland Academy of the Arts in the spring of 2013. RG has been an active musician for a number of years. She has also composed music for films, theater and dance. Ragga has participated in Dark Music Days, Nordic Music Days, Reykjavik Art Festival and Reykjavik Dance Festival. 

Composition was part of Ragga’s MA project which is about they way in which the hearing impaired sense music. Their sound world inspired the composition and in the work “Underseas” she uses so-called studs to interpret this tonal sensation in silence. Pursuant to that composition Ragga composed Chamber Music for Studs in 2015. Parallel to that composition she composed the work Dandelion Symphony where the musical instruments are also untraditional, i.e. the stems of dandelions.

Ragga Gísla (Ragnhildur Gísladóttir) completed an MA degree in composition from the Iceland Academy of the Arts in the spring of 2013. RG has been an active musician for a number of years. She has also composed music for films, theater and dance. Ragga has participated in Dark Music Days, Nordic Music Days, Reykjavik Art Festival and Reykjavik Dance Festival. 

Composition was part of Ragga’s MA project which is about they way in which the hearing impaired sense music. Their sound world inspired the composition and in the work “Underseas” she uses so-called studs to interpret this tonal sensation in silence. Pursuant to that composition Ragga composed Chamber Music for Studs in 2015. Parallel to that composition she composed the work Dandelion Symphony where the musical instruments are also untraditional, i.e. the stems of dandelions.

Ragga Gísla on the creation of the Baby music: I wanted to bring out the sincerity and warmth in the conversation between an infant and an adult where there is no room for sarcasm, destructiveness or evil. Each time that we talk disparagingly to one another, or to ourselves, we are going against what is best and most beautiful in the world. 

Whenever I hold a little baby I change. The most sincere feeling that I possess comes to the surface effortlessly. When I look at the lack of deceit in the eyes of the little baby and feel how it changes me, the last thing I want to do is to inhibit, deceive and shame it. On the contrary, I want to treat this child as well as possible and hold on to this feeling as long as I can. I tune my voice into another waveband, speak gently and skip the words. This is where we feel good and this is how this music was created.

The music is intended to increase happiness, enthusiasm, play and positivity in the minds of the listeners. It was improvised in the studio from an idea of an environment and situation in each respective song. That is where conversations with babies begin. The words are made up simultaneously and the language is a complete fabrication.

Ragga Gísla (Ragnhildur Gísladóttir) completed an MA degree in composition from the Iceland Academy of the Arts in the spring of 2013. RG has been an active musician for a number of years. She has also composed music for films, theater and dance. Ragga has participated in Dark Music Days, Nordic Music Days, Reykjavik Art Festival and Reykjavik Dance Festival. 

Composition was part of Ragga’s MA project which is about they way in which the hearing impaired sense music. Their sound world inspired the composition and in the work “Underseas” she uses so-called studs to interpret this tonal sensation in silence. Pursuant to that composition Ragga composed Chamber Music for Studs in 2015. Parallel to that composition she composed the work Dandelion Symphony where the musical instruments are also untraditional, i.e. the stems of dandelions.

Ragga Gísla (Ragnhildur Gísladóttir) completed an MA degree in composition from the Iceland Academy of the Arts in the spring of 2013. RG has been an active musician for a number of years. She has also composed music for films, theater and dance. Ragga has participated in Dark Music Days, Nordic Music Days, Reykjavik Art Festival and Reykjavik Dance Festival. 

Composition was part of Ragga’s MA project which is about they way in which the hearing impaired sense music. Their sound world inspired the composition and in the work “Underseas” she uses so-called studs to interpret this tonal sensation in silence. Pursuant to that composition Ragga composed Chamber Music for Studs in 2015. Parallel to that composition she composed the work Dandelion Symphony where the musical instruments are also untraditional, i.e. the stems of dandelions.