Sjón

Sigurjón Birgir Sigurðsson (born 27 August 1962), known as Sjón (/ˈsjoʊn/ SYOHN), is an Icelandic poet, novelist, and lyricist. His pen name (meaning "sight") is an abbreviation of his given name (Sigurjón). Sjón frequently collaborates with the singer Björk and has performed with The Sugarcubes as Johnny Triumph. His works have been translated into 30 languages.[1]

This is an Icelandic name. The last name is patronymic, not a family name; this person is referred to by the given name Sigurjón or Sjón.
Sjón
BornSigurjón Birgir Sigurðsson
(1962-08-27) 27 August 1962
Reykjavík, Iceland
OccupationPoet
Novelist
Lyricist
NationalityIcelandic
GenreFiction
Surrealism
Notable worksThe Blue Fox (2003)
From the Mouth of the Whale (2008)
I've Seen It All (2000)
Sjón at LiteratureXchange Festival ín Aarhus (Denmark 2019)

Biography

Born in Reykjavík, Iceland, Sjón began his writing career early and published his first book of poetry, Sýnir (Visions), in 1978. He was one of the founding members of the neo-surrealist group Medúsa and became significant in Reykjavik's cultural scene.[2]

Active on the Icelandic music scene since the early 1980s, Sjón has collaborated with many of the best known artists of the era and was featured as guest vocalist on a rare Sugarcubes 12" single "Luftgitar" in 1987 using the name Johnny Triumph; this was accompanied by a music video of Sjón playing air guitar with Björk and Einar Örn Benediktsson. Sjón would occasionally reprise this role for the final encore of The Sugarcubes concerts, including the band's one-off 2006 reunion show in Reykjavík.

Sjón was featured in the documentary Inside Björk. In 2007, he contributed the original story and wrote the screenplay for the animated film Anna and the Moods. He also joined the cast, voicing the character Dr. Artmann.[3]

Sjón has lived and worked in London. He currently resides with his wife and two children in Reykjavík.

Works

Bibliography
  • Night of Steel ("Stálnótt", Mál og menning, 1987)
  • Angel, Stovehat and Strawberries ("Engill, pípuhattur og jarðarber", Mál og menning, 1989)
  • Night of the Lemon (Greyhound Press, 1993)
  • Made in Secret / Your Eyes Saw Me ("Augu þín sáu mig", Mál og menning, 1994)
  • The Story of the Great Cap ("Sagan af húfunni fínu", Mál og menning, 1995)
  • Númi and his Seven Heads ("Númi og höfuðin sjö", Mál og menning, 2000)
  • With a Quivering Tear ("Með titrandi tár", Mál og menning, 2001)
  • The Story of the Strange Bird ("Sagan af furðufugli", Mál og menning, 2002)
  • The Blue Fox ("Skugga-Baldur", Bjartur, 2003)
  • The Whispering Muse / The Splinter from Argo ("Argóarflísin", Bjartur, 2005)
  • From the Mouth of the Whale / The Marvels of Twilight ("Rökkurbýsnir", Bjartur, 2008)
  • Moonstone – The Boy Who Never Was ("Mánasteinn – drengurinn sem aldrei var til", JPV/Forlagið, 2013)
  • CoDex 1962 (JPV/Forlagið, 2016)

Poetry
  • Visions ("Sýnir", 1978)
  • Madonna (1979)
  • Birgitta (Medúsa, 1979)
  • How Does One Make Love to Hands? (with Matthías Sigurður Magnússon) ("Hvernig elskar maður hendur?", Medúsa, 1981)
  • The Blind Man's Bicycle ("Reiðhjól blinda mannsins", 1982)
  • The Book of Illusions ("Sjónhverfingabókin", Medúsa, 1983)
  • Oh, Isn't it Wild? (Medúsa, 1985)
  • Toy Castles ... ("Leikfangakastalar", Medúsa, 1986)
  • The Boy with the X-Ray Eyes, poems from 1978 to 1986 ("Drengurinn með röntgenaugun", Mál og menning, 1986)
  • there is something I can't remember about the clouds ("Ég man ekki eitthvað um skýin", Mál og menning, 1991)
  • obscure figures ("myrkar fígúrur", Mál og menning, 1998)
  • the song of the stone collector ("söngur steinasafnarans", Bjartur, 2007)
  • Collected Poems 1978–2008 ("Ljóðasafn 1978–2008", Bjartur, 2008)

Stage
  • "Shadow Play" ("Skuggaleikur") - a libretto based on the short story "Skyggen" by H. C. Andersen - Strengjaleikhúsið - Reykjavík 2006
  • "Gargoyles" ("Ufsagrýlur") - a play - Lab Loki - Reykjavík 2010
  • "Tales from a Sea Journey" - a play written in collaboration with the theatre group - New International Encounter - Oslo 2011
  • "The Motion Demon" - a libretto based on the short stories of Stefan Grabinski - Figura Ensemble - Copenhagen 2011
  • "Red Waters" - a libretto co-written with Keren Ann and Barði Jóhannsson - CDN Orleans - Rouen 2011
  • "Folie à Deux" - a libretto in six songs created with composer Emily Hall for opera company - Mahogany Opera Group - premiered Bergen 2015

Collaborations with Björk

Film

Awards
Winner of the Nordic Council Literature Prize 2005
  • 1995: DV Newspaper Culture Prize for Literature for Made in Secret
  • 1998: Icelandic Broadcasting Service Writers Fund for contribution to Icelandic literature
  • 2002: DV Newspaper Culture Prize for Literature for With A Quivering Tear
  • 2005: Nordic Council's Literature Prize for The Blue Fox
  • 2005: Icelandic Bookseller's Prize for Novel of the Year for The Whispering Muse

Sjón was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for the song "I've Seen It All" from the film Dancer in the Dark.[4]

In 2016 Sjón became the third writer chosen to contribute to the Future Library project.[5]

References
  1. "Sjonorama". Web. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  2. "literature.is - Höfundar". Web. Bjartur. Archived from the original on 2012-03-23. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  3. "Anna and the Moods". Web. CAOZ Ltd. Archived from the original on 2013-05-20. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  4. "Awards - Sjonorama". Web. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  5. Cowdrey, Katherine (October 14, 2016). "Icelandic writer Sjón named next Future Library contributor". The Bookseller.
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