User:Johann Sigmarsson

The Artist, filmmaker Johann Sigmarsson was born in 1969 in Reykjavík, Iceland. "PLAN B report " is his third feature film. "ONE FAMILY" was his second, and "WALLPAPER", his debut, is one of the most popular movies ever made in Iceland. His career began in 1988 with the TV production company in Reykjavik, + Film ehf. From 1988-2002 Sigmarsson worked on 500-600 of short films, music videos, TV shows and series. He had studio in Reykjavik from 1989-1992 where he was painting and doing iron sculptures. Sigmarsson began working on the script of ONE FAMILY, besides creating the Reykjavik Shortfilm Festival in 1992. The idea was to create a forum for young film makers to get together and show their work as well as to generate interest in film. That festival discovered several filmmakers that has later been recognised and get international awards, like “Un Certain Regards in Cannes Film Festival. 2001 Sigmarsson was awarded official recognition for the 10th festival by the Minister of Culture and Science in Iceland.

For his second film, ONE FAMILY, Sigmarsson himself is the script writer, producer and director. British Film Institute quoted that the film is one of the most important cult movie in Icelandic cinema. He was finishing his third film in full length, "PLAN B Report" in 2000. The script was supported in by the European Script Fund. It is the only film in the history of Icelandic cinema that got all four filmmakers from Iceland which has been nominated in different times for Oscars Academy Awards from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. Sigmarsson has always produced the sound tracks of his films under the label of Bad Taste LTD. His films has been screened at festivals and in cinema, TV, VHS, DVD distribution around the world. Sigmarsson cofounded the Icelandic Film Company in 1991. He produced his last film, "Plan B Report" through the Icelandic Film Corporation ehf. Sigmarsson lived and worked in Berlin from 2001 - 2011 writing film scripts; Gentlemen Alone,The Hidden People and The Poisoned Chalice. All three titles are feature film projects in development, supported by European Union, Nipkow program, Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg, Nordic Film and TV Fund, and the Icelandic Film Centre. Since late 2013 he has been concentrating on developing “The Equator Memorial Project” an international, itinerant artists project.

He is now living in Iceland working on painting sculptures, designing and making handcrafts s.a. chairs, desks, shelves and japanese beds, simply just creating - ART. His idea is to collect group of people, whose aim is the design, building and marketing of handmade furniture from old recycled wood. All furniture should be handcrafted and made of solid wood. There will be a limited, numbered stock of each piece and they are intended as collectibles. The target group is those who want good design with style.

Education: 1985 - 1986 - The Reykjavík Technical College - Metalwork and mechanical engineering 1986 - 1987 - The Reykjavík Technical College - Technical Drawing 1988 - 1990 - The Reykjavik School of Visual Art - Paintings

Exhibitions: 1992 - 900 Drawings and Storyboard at Mocca in Reykjavík 2011 - Co-idea for exhibition in End of Psüch Galerie Melike Bilir in Hamburg 2012 - Bird on the Shore, Environmental accidents - Disasters and damage in the nature in Dead Gallery in Reykjavík 2013 - The Art of being Icelandic - Group exhibition in co operation with Reykjavík UNESCO, City of Literature. Designed and handmade furniture in old pinewood recycled from the Harbor of Reykjavík, which was constructed between 1913 and 1917 exhibited in Reykjavík City Hall. 2013 - Saatci Gallery - "Handmade armchair" name of the piece; The Gift of the Spirit) by Johann Sigmarsson. The armchair was selectet at The World Interiors News Annual Awards wich is a part of The World Architecture News. 2013 The armchair, “The Gift of the Spirit,” and desk, “SomethingRegal,” by Johann Sigmarsson were selected for the Design Award & Competition 2014 in Milan. In April 2014 the competition announced the armchair got Runner-up for A’Design Award and the desk is A’Design Winner.

Established, co-foundation of companies and organizations: 1991 – Founded and established The Icelandic Filmcompany, a private limited company 1992 – Founded and established The Reykjavík Shortfilm Festival 1992 – Co-foundation and Patron of THE ALTERNATIVE HOUSE, a cultural and information centre for young people aged 16-25. The centre offers various help and advice, runs an art workshop, a gallery, employment agency and a Special Unit that works with and encourages disabled individuals. 1992 – Co-foundation of The Independent Art Festival in Reykjavík 1997 – 2000 – Producer for the Icelandic Film Corporation ehf 2001 – Founded SR Production, a private limited company 2013 - Founded 40.074KM, a private limited company 2013 - Entrepreneur of the http://www.40074km.is/ The Equator Memorial Project]- International, itinerant Artists project. The Equator Memorial Project is a group of international artists who are creating art pieces and functional objects by recycling historical materials of ruins from world heritage sites. The mission is to hold a series of exhibitions in galleries or museums worldwide in support of a sustainable environment, justice, freedom and peace. At each exhibition approximately 80-100 art pieces will be presented, created by 20 international artists. A part of the income for each sold piece will be allocated to a charity fund for humanitarian and community projects.

Confirmed materials: the Reykjavík Harbor, the Berlin Wall, the Hamburg Port, Hiroshima (A bomb) and the Norwegian government's headquarters in Central Oslo after it was damaged from terrorist attack by Anders Behring Breivik.

PART OF PRESS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE PROJECT http://issuu.com/frettatiminn/docs/12_oktober_2012/37    http://www.pressan.is/Veroldin/LesaGrein/kom-heim-thegar-ljost-var-ad-hundur-kaerustunnar-var-hjartveikur-byr-a-selfossi-og-smidar-glaesileg-husgogn     http://visir.is/smidar-stola-og-bord-ur-100-ara-gomlum-vidi/article/2013130629139    http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/interiors/index.php? fuseaction=product.productview&pdid=762    http://listings.grapevine.is/events/the-art-of-being-icelandic-wood-from-reykjavik-harbour/     http://www.ruv.is/innlent/hjartveikur-hundur-kveikjan-ad-husgognum     http://www.adesignaward.com/designer.php?profile=131456     http://www.visir.is/section/MEDIA98&fileid=CLP23953     http://www.visir.is/mublur-ur-minjum-hormungarsvaeda/article/2014702119985     http://eirikurjonsson.is/islenskt-skrifbord-til-milano/     http://www.mbl.is/frettir/innlent/2014/02/20/berlinarmurnum_gefid_framhaldslif/     http://www.mbl.is/frettir/innlent/2014/04/03/fridrik_thor_framleidir_heimildarmynd/     http://www.visir.is/midbaugshopurinn-kominn-a-skrid-og-vinnur-list-ur-stridsminjum-heimsins/article/2014704049977     http://www.adesignaward.com/design-image.php?y=2013&design=31337     http://www.adesignaward.com/design-image.php?y=2013&design=31336     https://www.adesignaward.com/designer-interview.php?profile=131456     http://www.dv.is/menning/2014/4/20/husgogn-ur-gomlum-bryggjudrumbum-reykjavikurhafnar-vinna-til-verdlauna/     http://www.ruv.is/sarpurinn/vidsja/22042014     http://www.honnunarmidstod.is/Frettir/Lesafrett/3462     http://www.ruv.is/vidsja-dagsins/vidsja-22-april?fb_action_ids=10152439842344665&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=feed_opengraph&action_object_map=%7B%22311832415632419%22%3A448021942010576%7D&action_type_map=%7B%22311832415632419%22%3A%22og.likes%22%7D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D     http://www.visir.is/skrifbord-johanns-hlaut-verdlaun-i-milano/article/2014704309935   http://www.mbl.is/frettir/innlent/2014/06/11/unesco_stydur_midbaugs_minjaverkefnid/    http://ruv.is/frett/ur-kvikmyndagerd-i-husgagnasmid    http://www.dv.is/folk/2014/9/12/hefur-thrisvar-sinnum-laert-ad-ganga-NJW7VH/    http://grapevine.is/mag/interview/2014/09/29/world-historical-monuments-recycled-as-furniture/     http://www.utvarpsaga.is/frettir/1352-reynir-að-fá-minjar-úr-sögufrægu-þorpi-til-listsköpunar.html#.VDAmEc3sJto     http://www.designmedal.com/article.php?ID=788     trailer.the.story.behind.history/the.equator.memorial.project     https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+equator+memorial+project

official site: www.40074km.is / e-mail: 40074km@40074km.is

ARTISTS Johann Sigmarsson, Steingrímur Eyfjörð, Jón Adólf Steinólfsson, Halldór Ásgeirsson, Matthias Krause, Patrice Lux & David Walker.

TEAM Johann Sigmarsson artist, filmmaker, CEO is the founder of 40,074KM and entrepreneur of the Equator Memorial Project, International. He will supervise the project and deal with PR, design, graphics, artwork and furniture construction. Tómas Þorvaldsson, attorney at law, provides legal advice and negotiation of contracts for the Equator Memorial Project. Steingrímur Karlsson filmmaker, aims to direct a full lenght documentary “Story behind the History”about the Equator Memorial Project. Friðrik Þór Friðriksson will be the producer of the documentary film will cover sales and distribution of the film. German co-producer, Elvira Geppert & GEPPERT PRODUCTION. Aasa Charlotta Ingerardóttir photographer has been involved in establishing the company 40,074KM from the beginning and the Equator Memorial Project. Gunnar Gunnarsson, economist will bring together professional groups of investors for the Equator Memorial Project, for the Icelandic share of the estimated budget. Volker Otte, a German lawyer, has been assigned with applications for public culture funds in Germany and Europe for The Equator Memorial Project. Jan Paulus, attorney at law will act as a legal advisor for the Equator Memorial Project in Germany. Björn Bjarnason, former minister of Culture and Science in Iceland, is advisor on the project for Mr. Sigmarsson. Sabia Khan is curatorial assistant. Jón Proppé is assistant curator. Manuel Bonik promotional & exhibitions coordinator. Robert Carrithers curator.

Feature films: 1992 - Wallpaper / producer, writer, second director 1995 - One Family / producer, writer, director 2000 - Plan B Report / producer, writer, director

Feature films projects in development:

The Hidden People / writer Gentleman Alone / writer The Poisoned Chalice / writer

WEB SITE: http://www.40074km.is

PORTFOLIO URL: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Equator-Memorial-Project-Miðbaugs-minjaverkefnið/294201460728848?ref=hl

RSS URL: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JohannSigmarsson/posts

COUNTRY: Iceland