[title]
Spring, summer, Björktumn? It’s not the catchiest portmanteau, but we’re calling it regardless: this is the autumn of Björk. Starting on September 1, Iceland’s most famous daughter takes up residence in London – in virtual reality form, anyway.
Running for two months at Somerset House, ‘Björk Digital’ is a snazzy multimedia exhibition and virtual reality project that’s never been seen in Europe before. Using music from Björk’s last album ‘Vulnicura’, it includes an immersive two-screen film called ‘Black Lake’, as well as a series of 360-degree VR videos. You’ll be able to strap on a pair of goggles and witness the singer performing alone on a windswept beach in Iceland, or listen to her sing ‘Mouthmantra’ while sitting inside her actual mouth: presumably the most intimate Björk show anyone will ever experience.
Parts of the show were included in Björk’s MoMA exhibition in NYC in 2015, and earlier versions have been on display in Australia and Tokyo this summer (here’s what Time Out Sydney had to say). But ‘Björk Digital’ is still a work in progress. By the time it lands in London it’ll feature even more as-yet-unseen visuals – including the latest version of ‘Notget’, which transforms Björk into a giant, interactive, sparkly firefly creature:
Björk’s interactive ‘Notget’ video by Rewind VR
Even for this serial thinker-outside-of-boxes, however, there’s still something special about physical human connections. So you’ll be glad to hear that Björk won’t just be appearing as binary code: on September 21, midway through ‘Björk Digital’, she’ll play a big live show at the Royal Albert Hall. It’ll be her first gig here in three years. You won’t be able to sit inside her mouth, though. Probably.
‘Björk Digital’ is at Somerset House from September 1 to October 23. Read our in-depth Björk interview from last year.