Hot Docs 2008

Cerebral and substantial in its focus, yet eclectic and funky in tone, Steypa explores the relationship between inspiration, creativity, culture and environment through a collaboration of seven of Iceland's most acclaimed young artists. Gabriela kneads dough and wears it as a mask; Ásmundur pours Coca-Cola into empty Fanta bottles; Kartin builds a small model of a house only to throw it off of a bigger one; the Icelandic Love Corporation recreates Van Gogh's The Starry Night in licorice. Mixing elements of realism and performance, the film frames the phenomenon of contemporary Icelandic art within the international scene through interviews with some of the art world's leading curators and critics. The Icelandic word for concrete (Ásmundur's sculpting material of choice) as well as a colloquial Icelandic term for "something weird," Steypa offers a playful and intelligent discussion of the scene.

Co-presented with the Toronto Free Gallery.