The National Gallery of Iceland has opened a major exhibition dedicated to Björk, one of the artist’s most ambitious museum projects to date. On view from May 30th, 2026, the presentation brings together three large-scale audiovisual installations exploring memory, ancestry, technology, and the emotional force of sound. Alongside newly commissioned works, visitors are offered a first glimpse into Björk’s next creative chapter.
‘Sorrowful Soil’ and ‘Ancestress’, and other exhibition highlights
Among the exhibition’s centrepieces are Ancestress and Sorrowful Soil, two deeply personal works created during Björk’s acclaimed Fossora era and dedicated to her late mother.
A major highlight is Nerve Bloom, created with painter Natalia Kleszczewska and CGI director Natalie Liu. Björk describes the work as an attempt to merge traditional techniques with new technologies, combining hand-painted imagery, digital animation, and physical display systems developed over seven months of experimentation.
The project reflects Björk’s long-standing idea of “sonic symbolism,” which she describes as “sound made visual, a reverse synesthesia.” Throughout the exhibition, music appears not only as something heard, but also as image, environment, and physical presence.
Bottega Veneta supports Björk’s exhibition through a creative partnership
Fashion plays an important role in the project. Bottega Veneta joins as patron of Nerve Bloom and official exhibition partner, supporting the installation while strengthening the dialogue between fashion, moving image, and contemporary art. Björk attended the opening in a custom Bottega Veneta look, highlighting the house’s continued engagement with experimental creative practices.
Additional partners include Apple, supporting the VR components, and AIAIAI, which provides headphone technology throughout the exhibition.
James Merry presents ‘Metamorphlings’ alongside the Björk exhibition
Running concurrently in Gallery 4, Metamorphlings presents new work by James Merry, Björk’s longtime visual collaborator and co-creative director. Through sculpture and hand-crafted organic forms, the exhibition explores metamorphosis, materiality, and many of the themes that have defined their creative partnership.
Don’t miss our conversation with James Merry, in which he reflects on the fluid boundary between humans and nature, and on how mask-making can reveal unexpected dimensions of identity.
Björk’s ‘Eclipse’ performance arrives this August
The exhibition is accompanied by Echolalia, a one-day gathering taking place on 12 August 2026 at Víðistaðatún during a rare solar eclipse. The event will culminate in one minute and four seconds of totality, when the moon completely obscures the sun.
Björk will perform a DJ set alongside Arca, Ronja, and Sideproject, while also marking the 40th anniversary of Smekkleysa. Festival passes include access to the exhibition, limited-edition publications, and collector items.
Photography by VIDAR LOGI
Photography by VIDAR LOGI
Nerve Bloom
