Iceland: Igneous and Glacial Sand Landscapes
In Iceland: Igneous and Glacial Sand Landscapes, Iván Juárez | x-studio invites us to contemplate and reflect on the sand landscape, where volcanic and glacial sediments merge to form textures, colors, and shapes that narrate the geological history of the territory and the constant interaction between fire, ice, and water.
The Icelandic landscape is defined by its intense volcanic activity and the interaction between fire and ice, shaping a unique geography. The proposal for this territory pays homage to this igneous and glacial landscape through a series of interventions carried out with rocks found on site.
Río glaciar Hvítá / Hvítá glacial river
Fotografía / Photography: Cortesía x-studio
These basalt rocks are part of the Icelandic volcanic landscape, which over time is deposited in the form of sand along riverbanks and black-sand beaches due to erosion, weathering, and climate. The pieces balance and blend with the landscape, finding their own weight and gravity, naturally integrating with the environment.
Intervención / Intervention
Fotografía / Photography: Cortesía x-studio
The intervention evokes, on one hand, the volcanic landscape and the black-sand beaches; and, on the other, it refers to glacial sediments, as it is located at the Hvítá river delta, which flows from the Langjökull glacier to the Borgarnes fjord in the Atlantic Ocean. Along its course, from the glacier to the delta, the river creates diverse water landscapes, including waterfalls, canyons, and cracks formed by fluvial erosion, as well as rapids and meanders that continuously shape its bed until it flows into the fjord.
The intervention evokes, on one hand, the volcanic landscape and the black-sand beaches; and, on the other, it refers to glacial sediments.
Localización del río Hvítá en Langjökull / Location of Hvítá river in Langjökull
Fotografía / Photography: Cortesía x-studio
Thus, this landscape is defined by the combination of volcanic sands and glacial sediments, creating a setting where the elements of fire and ice meet and merge.
The basalt rock stacks integrate into the sandy landscapes, composed of sediments and granulations originated in lava that once flowed into the ocean during past eruptions. Created along the delta’s banks, these interventions are placed in a space where meltwater carries glacial sediments and volcanic sand, becoming a meeting point between igneous and glacial elements.
Intervención / Intervention
Fotografía / Photography: Cortesía x-studio
The dark tones of the sand generate colors and textures that form a natural mosaic reflecting the geological history of the site and the constant interaction between fire and ice, continuously transformed over time by tides and floods of the river. In this changing landscape, the rock stacks integrate reflecting the relationship between weight, gravity, and environment, and proposing a dialogue between time, geology, water, and human action.
The dark tones of the sand generate colors and textures that form a natural mosaic reflecting the geological history of the site and the constant interaction between fire and ice.
