Sjón at LiteratureXchange Festival ín Aarhus (Denmark 2019)
Sigurjón Birgir Sigurðsson (born 27 August 1962), known as Sjón (/ʃoʊn/SHOHN;[1]Icelandic:[sjouːn]; meaning "sight" and being an abbreviation of his first name), is an Icelandic poet, novelist, lyricist, and screenwriter. Sjón frequently collaborates with the singer Björk and has performed with The Sugarcubes as Johnny Triumph. His works have been translated into 30 languages.[2]
Early life
Born in Reykjavík, Iceland, Sjón grew up in the city's Breiðholt district, where he lived with his mother.[3] He began his writing career early and published his first book of poetry, Sýnir (Visions), in 1978 at 16.
Career
He was one of the founding members of the neo-surrealist group Medúsa and became significant in Reykjavik's cultural scene.[4]
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.
Björk
Sjón and Björk first met when they were teenagers, and together they formed a two-person band called Rocka Rocka Drum.[3] Later, when Björk began her solo career in the 1990s, Sjón wrote lyrics for her.[3] The pair teamed up to write the song "I've Seen it All" for the film Dancer in the Dark in 2000, and as a result, Sjón and Björk shared nominations for "Best Original Song" at both the 2001 Golden Globes and the 2001 Academy Awards.[3] Two years later, Sjón was featured in the documentary Inside Björk. In 2004, Björk performed "Oceania" – a song that the two had written together – at the 2004 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony in Athens, Greece.[5]
Writing
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.[6]
From August to December 2021, Sjón was writer-in-residence at the Literaturhaus Zurich and the PWG Foundation in Zurich.[7]
Sjón co-wrote the 2022 film The Northman, a historical epic and revenge thriller based on the legend of the Viking prince Amleth, with director Robert Eggers. Björk appears in the film in a supporting role as a seeress.[citation needed]
Personal life
Sjón has lived and worked in London, but he currently resides in central Reykjavík with his wife. He has two adult children.[3]
Works
Novels
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)
"Hvörf" - a play co-written with Lab Loki theatre troupe - The National Theatre - Reykjavík 2013
"Folie à Deux" - a libretto in six songs created with composer Emily Hall for opera company - Mahogany Opera Group - premiered Bergen 2015
"Seven Stones" - a libretto for an opera co-written with Ondřej Adámek, directed and choreographed by Éric Oberdorff - Théâtre du Jeu de Paume - Aix-en-Provence 2018
