Valur Hreggviðsson

If you walk by Kaffibarinn on a Monday evening it´s not unlikely that you would hear songs coming from the upper floor of the bar and into the streets. There, Bartónar, the male choir of Kaffibarinn is based and holding a practice.
The installation is inspired by Bartónar of which I am a part.
We get together at Kaffibarinn on Monday evenings and sing together in a four voice choir. This fellowship is a core element of the research which led to this installation. The visual aspect of the work is attributed to the distinctive characteristics of Kaffibarinn in which the color palette plays a major role. The pastel pink color dominates the upper floor while the lower floor is pastel green and brown. Red corrugated iron on the outside walls gives the bar its unique look and I use it in a visual presentation of the piece.
The characters of the choir are very diverse, with different backgrounds and opinions. However, everyone is equal and I want to express that with portrait paintings of each member, in the same size and style, in the bar´s color palette.
I recorded a choir practice one Monday night, trying to capture the atmosphere where joy, singing and friendship are the main elements. I am using the recording as sound for the installation because I hardly think that it is relevant to have a choir related installation without including the singing aspect of it.