National Nordic Museum in Ballard, Washington—about six miles north of downtown Seattle—presents an immersive art installation by Jónsi (Jón Þór Birgisson), the lead singer of the acclaimed Icelandic post‑rock band Sigur Rós. Created for the museum and opening ahead of a European and North American tour beginning in June, this installation marks Jónsi’s first museum exhibition in the United States.
© National Nordic Museum
On view through July 30, the exhibition explores the natural and cultural ties between Seattle and Reykjavík, sister cities since 1986. Ballard’s maritime history and Scandinavian heritage provide a fitting context for an artwork that evokes the sea. Within the gallery, changing environmental conditions are designed to engage hearing, sight, and smell, transporting visitors into a sensory encounter with the ocean.
Jónsi composed original music for the installation, which plays through a spatialized surround‑sound system that immerses the room. The audio includes a choir composition and field recordings that simulate the movement of a single wave traveling the length of the gallery. Complementing the soundscape, scents derived from seaweed harvested in both the Pacific and the North Atlantic are tinctured, distilled, and dispersed to deepen the sensory experience. The gallery is darkened and filled with mist and fog to encourage inward visualization, while a narrow strip of light above moves in time with the sound wave.
© Rafael Soldi
Since the 1990s, Jónsi has been recognized as an interdisciplinary artist who blends minimal, classical, and progressive elements to create ethereal sound worlds. He first rose to prominence as the distinctive lead vocalist of Sigur Rós, whose music has often been described as sublime. Jónsi’s vocal and instrumental approach continually pushes genre boundaries, securing his reputation as one of today’s most influential musical artists.
Beyond his work with Sigur Rós, Jónsi has built a diverse body of solo projects and collaborations. In 2009 he and Alex Somers released the ambient album Riceboy Sleeps, followed by Lost & Found in 2019. In 2018 Jónsi, Alex Somers, and Paul Corley launched Liminal, presenting ambient soundbath events at art spaces worldwide. In 2019 he formed the duo Dark Morph with Swedish composer Carl Michael von Hausswolff, expanding his explorations in experimental composition and performance.
© National Nordic Museum
Curated by Leslie Anne Anderson, director of collections, exhibitions, and programs, the exhibition offers opportunities for a wide audience to experience Jónsi’s work. The museum offers free admission on the first Thursday of every month; regular admission is $20 for adults with discounts for seniors, college students, and young adults. Please note the exhibition is closed on Mondays.