Stofan | An interview with José

We had a chat with José Luis Anderson, composer, musician and second participant in our second year of Stofan - A Public Living Room.
His version of Stofan will open on October 25th on the 2nd floor of the Reykjavik City Library Grófin. All ages welcome so come and join us!

Which spot did you choose for your Stofa?
I chose the middle room on the second floor

What will you do in it ?
I will create a space of rest in it, where people can come and close their eyes for a while. I will provide a selection of sounds I find soothing, sounds that I find helpful to bring peace of mind and quietness inside.

What kind of feelings would you like to give users?
I would like to provide a safe space within a public establishment, a place to pause and recharge. Calm, safety, coziness, warmth.

If you could change one thing about the library and bring a new rule in, what would it be ?
One thing I would change in the library is the character of strictness and restraint that is normally attached to it. I find it often challenging and intimidating to be in a library and the concept of it, to the point that it becomes even untouchable and inaccessible. This holy place where only smart people go, where you shouldn’t even breathe so that no sound is produced. Suddenly I feel I have to be so controlled, quiet, and barely move. I find that very, very limiting. I would be more comfortable in a library if I could come and be more myself, while keeping awareness of the other, of course, but still allowed to be.

What does comfort mean to you and how do you plan on translating it beyond language during your happening ?
Comfort to me means feeling well, being at ease. It means stretching my legs, breathing freely, it means laying down to rest while listening to music, wrapped in a colourful blanket. It means also being an equal part of a society, being seen and acknowledged, being safe inside a space; having certainty of my place and rights in a community.

Have you ever fallen asleep to the sound of a plane in the sky? Or to the sound of a truck? Have you fallen asleep to the sound of the rain falling, water dripping? How about falling asleep to the sound of boxing water up in the Icelandic lands? Have you fallen asleep to the sound of your family chatting?

The way I plan to translate some of my notions of comfort through this happening is by opening up one of my personal practices, and inviting people to try it out and to make it theirs. The sounds I will provide are mostly, if not totally, works of my production, a catalogue backed up with my personal experiences, a compendium of sounds embodying emotions, textures, places and memories. A personal experience of intimacy and vulnerability. 

Further information:
Martyna Karolina Daniel, Intercultural specialist
martyna.karolina.daniel@reykjavik.is