The Icelandic wind is a killer

One suit, 21 days across Iceland through sun, rain, wind, dust and snow. Conceptual artist Joshua-Michéle Ross and collaborator Yvette Molina are halfway through their odyssey. They are having a show on Saturday, June 20th at Reykjavik art venue Mengi in which Josh will still be wearing “the suit”, with the hope that it will be in a presentable condition. Iceland Monitor caught up with Josh to check out on his progress. See our previous article on their project The Suitable World HERE. 

How is the suit holding up?

Remarkably well.  It has withstood sun, wind, snow, rain and an attack by arctic terns.  It has lost its creases and is showing some dirt but overall it still looks good.   

What has been the most difficult part of the journey?

I would answer that in two ways. The first is physical.  The wind.  I can cover up a bit in snow or seek shelter in rain, but the wind is a killer.  We are currently in the north near Asbyrgi and it just bites through the clothing.  I need to keep moving to stay warm.The second is social.  I never fully anticipated  how much I would stand out.   Every day I get a lot of stares.  Most of them are accompanied by a bemused smile but every now and then people seem genuinely unhappy to see a man in a suit approaching them.   

What would you change if you could do it again?

Different socks.  The ones I have keep falling back into the boots… Terrible.  

What have your learned about Iceland that you didn't expect?

The physical beauty here is overwhelming.  The whole place feels ancient in its newness; like what the world was like one million years ago.  In terms of the people Icelanders are short-term planners, long distance drivers and they follow good weather.  They don’t seem to need a lot of advance calendaring… you just pop-in and pay a visit.   I love that!   Take your shoes off before entering the home.  Practical.   Finally, Iceland has amazing music playing everywhere - even in the grocery stores! 

This is a collaboration with Yvette Molina but the focus is on one suit.  What’s the story there?

Yvette has her own suit and sticks to the same rules.  This allows us to have a shared experience and creates a more interesting dynamic when we engage with people.  In terms of the documentation I wanted to focus on the man’s suit as the central character because of its history and the contradictory feelings it evokes. Aside from keeping the lens on “the suit” Yvette is driving the visual documentation and edits almost everything I write.

Related stories: 

Article on Iceland Monitor

Around Iceland in a three-piece suit