In his performances — which often extend over several weeks or months — the Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson explores not only his own physical and psychological limits and the essence of early performance art, but also the artist’s status and the different images of his role.

For his installation The Schumann Machine (2008), created for Manifesta 7, he spent several hours every day for two weeks singing the cycle of songs Dichterliebe (1840) by Robert Schumann (1810–1856). The characteristic features of his performances are the melancholy, but also absurdly comical moments.

This book unites for the first time all of Kjartansson’s works related to music from 2001 to 2012. With contributions by Philip Auslander, Heike Munder, Markús þór Andrésson, and a conversation between Edek Bartz and Ragnar Kjartansson.

Published with the Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Zurich.

Second edition.