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Location:  Skeiðarárbrú,  A Bridge over a Former Glacier River, Skaftafell National Park, Iceland

Duration: 24 Hours

Artist: Jakob Veigar

Curator: Eva Bjarnadóttir

Livestream Location: Vienna, Austria

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Concept:

Burning Bridges is an endurance art performance that explores the themes of climate change, memory, and loss through a powerful visual and symbolic installation under a disused bridge in Skaftafell National Park. Skeiðarárbrú was the longest bridge in Iceland, significantly improving transportation across the vast Skeiðarársandur floodplain. It connected isolated communities, enhancing accessibility, trade, and communication in the region. This infrastructure development was crucial for the national road network, facilitating economic growth and uniting the eastern and southern parts of Iceland. Once spanning a vital glacier river that has since vanished due to global warming, the bridge symbolizes the collapse of natural and human connections, particularly those between local communities and their environment. In this performance, 17 fires will be lit and maintained under the bridge for a continuous 24 hours, symbolizing both the enduring memory of the river and the meaning the bridge had for the people of Öræfi, my family and the burning reality of climate change. The number 17 is the space between the bridge pillars and represents the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations, calling attention to the global responsibility for environmental stewardship.

 

The performance will be livestreamed by  A_circle to an audience in Vienna, where the absence of the river will be juxtaposed with the presence of burning fires, creating a direct connection between two distant cities.

Structure of the Performance:

Fire Installation:

Seventeen fires will be placed between the bridge pillars directly beneath the bridge, within the dry bed where the glacier river once flowed. Each fire represents a flickering memory of the river’s presence, the ongoing crisis of global warming. These fires will burn for the entire 24 hours, maintained by the artist, as a symbol for the difficult life of the people of Öræfi through the centuries, who will ensure that the flames remain constant throughout the performance.

The act of maintaining the fires is a tribute to the tough life of people of Öræfi and also mirrors the effort required to keep environmental issues in the public consciousness, a constant struggle that, if neglected, could result in irreversible loss.

Live Streaming to Vienna:

The entire performance will be livestreamed to an art space in Vienna, creating a real-time connection between the remote Icelandic landscape and the urban audience. Cameras will be positioned at different angles: some focusing on the fires burning beneath the bridge, others capturing the bridge itself against the stark backdrop of Skaftafell’s environment. A time-lapse will document the movement of light and shadows as day turns to night and night today, emphasizing the passage of time in relation to the persistent fires.

In Vienna, viewers will witness the performance as an ongoing meditation on absence and presence, distance and connection. The fires beneath the bridge, flickering on screens in an urban setting, will serve as a metaphorical bridge linking the global audience to the local environmental crisis in Iceland. The documentation of the work will be used to make a separate work after the exhibition

Symbolism:

• The Fires: The 17 fires symbolize not only the Sustainable Development Goals but also the vital forces of nature that are at risk due to global warming. Fire, in this context, represents both destruction (the burning of fossil fuels, the warming of the planet) and memory (a vigil for what has been lost). The act of keeping the fires burning for 24 hours becomes a ritual of endurance and resilience, reflecting humanity’s need to persist in the fight against climate change.

• The Bridge: The bridge, once a crucial link between municipalities, is now an architectural remnant, hovering over an empty riverbed. It serves as a powerful metaphor for the broken connections between nature, communities, and the consequences of climate change. Through this performance, the bridge is reactivated as a site of reflection and awareness.

• The 24-Hour Duration: The continuous 24-hour length of the performance symbolizes the ceaseless nature of environmental degradation, and the constant vigilance required to address it. The passage of time, as witnessed through the rising and setting sun over the burning fires, serves as a reminder that the clock is ticking on our ability to reverse climate damage.

Goals and Impact:

1. Raise Awareness of Global Warming: This performance is designed to visually and emotionally connect audiences to the very real impacts of global warming on natural landscapes. By presenting the absence of the glacier river alongside the burning fires, the work starkly illustrates the consequences of inaction.

2. Bridge Between Two Worlds: By livestreaming the performance to Vienna, Burning Bridges  creates a symbolic link between the remote, landscape of Skaftafell and a distant, urban environment. As a symbol for the importance the bridge had as a connection for the local people. The contrast between these two settings reinforces the global nature of the climate crisis and the interconnectedness of all communities in facing this challenge.

3. Encourage Reflection and Dialogue: The performance encourages both the Icelandic and international audiences to end reflect on the local and global implications of environmental loss. By placing the work in such a symbolic location and creating a time-based ritual, it invites viewers to contemplate their own connection to nature, memory, and the pressing need for environmental action.

4. Community and Global Involvement: The performance fosters a sense of shared responsibility and connection by involving both local Icelandic participants (who will help maintain the fires and engage with the performance on-site) and a global audience who will witness the event remotely. This dual engagement amplifies the message of collective responsibility in addressing climate change.

Technical Considerations:

• Fire Safety: Given the use of open flames, all necessary fire safety protocols will be followed. Fireproof barriers will be placed around each fire, and fire extinguishers will be readily available. The local authorities will be consulted to ensure all regulations are met.

• Live Streaming Setup: High-quality cameras with night-vision capabilities will be installed at various points around the performance site. The livestream will be transmitted via a stable satellite connection to the venue in Vienna, ensuring continuous coverage throughout the 24 hours.

• Sustainability: The performance will adhere to environmentally responsible practices. The materials used for the fires will be sustainably sourced, and the carbon footprint of the event will be minimized through careful planning and the use of renewable energy sources where possible.

Conclusion:

Burning Bridges is an immersive and deeply symbolic performance that praises the life of the people of Öræfi and calls for attention to the urgent issue of climate change through the evocative imagery of burning fires under a bridge where the mighty glacier river Skeiðará once flowed. By juxtaposing the endurance of fire with the disappearance of water, Jakob Veigar aims to evoke a sense of loss, reflection, and the critical need for action. The performance’s 24-hour duration, along with its livestream to Vienna, extends the experience to a global audience, encouraging collective reflection on the impacts of climate change and the role of art in inspiring environmental awareness and responsibility.

 

 

 

In memoriam of my grandparents who lived in Bölti, Skaftafell