“I think a more radical imagination is needed. How we can go about visualising a totally different reality; what our connection to systems, the environment and technology is.”
Garðar Eyjólfsson

Barbara is a near future design fiction by Garðar Eyjólfsson, designer and programme director of MA Design Explorations & Translations at the Iceland University of the Arts (IUA) and Marteinn Sindri Jónsson, a philosopher, musician and adjunct lecturer at the same university. Barbara is based on an eponymous short story by Garðar Eyjólfsson, that recounts snippets of the first few decades of Barbara’s life and certain transformations she undergoes. The project is intended as a collaborative venue for varius designers and artists to reflect on the intertwining possibilities between humans, technology, culture and the environment.

Garðar Eyjólfsson mixes contextual, critical and narrative research in his work as a means to explore & translate zeitgeist topics. Utilizing a variety of mediums to manifest his voice, ranging from; artefacts, scenography, curation, fiction, video, performance, music, dialog and writing. Balancing academia with studio practices his work ranges from developing his own projects, curating exhibitions, advising in the public and private sector, project managing and conducting workshops. Garðar also writes in various publications and gives public talks across platforms, often in the form of lectures and dialog in conferences, symposium and radio.

Marteinn Sindri has within the field of philosophy focused on the history of ideas, philosophy of art and design, cultural theory, inter- and transdisciplinary research, political theory, ontology, aesthetics, media and communication. He has authored articles for magazines and journals and translated several works in the fields of philosophy, art and design. Alongside his academic carreer he has worked as a radio producer for the Icelandic National Radio RÚV for years as well as developing his artistic practice as a musician. In 2019, he released his debut album ATLAS in collaboration with a range of contributing artists.

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