8 ancient manuscripts arrive at the Schirn

Gabríela Friðriksdóttir's “Crepusculum” opened at the Schirn Kunsthalle on September 28, and features eight ancient manuscripts from Iceland in an entirely new context.

  • Crepusculum - forsida

The Schirn museum in Frankfurt forms a magnificent backdrop to Gabríela Friðriksdóttir's “Crepusculum”, which opened on September 28. The exhibition sees ancient art meld with contemporary, through Gabríela's incorporation of eight medieval manuscripts into a new multidisciplinary artwork.

The manuscripts, which Gabríela has described as “soul sheaths” containing the stories of people from centuries past, were flown specially from Iceland for the occasion. We met them at the Frankfurt airport, and tracked their journey through the city and into the Schirn, where they were unpacked from
their fireproof compartments.

Photography: Þorsteinn J / Bjarni Felix Bjarnason

Music: From Gabríela's exhibition

English subtitles: Steingrímur Teague