Ragnar Kjartansson, Say I’m Weary, Say I’m Sad (2026)
Experience a new six-hour live musical performance by acclaimed artist Ragnar Kjartansson with musician Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir, created especially for Goodwood Art Foundation.
Overview
Inspired by Jenny Kiss’d Me, a poem written in 1836 by English poet Leigh Hunt, the durational performance brings the words to life through music. Reimagined by Kjartansson in collaboration with Bryce and Aaron Dessner of American band The National, the composition explores love, memory, nostalgia and the passing of time.
Taking place in the Pigott Gallery, against the backdrop of the Foundation's winter landscape, the performance unfolds alongside Kjartansson’s series of paintings, Weekdays in Arcadia. Depicting Icelandic mountain scenes, the paintings offer a glimpse into the artist's annual participation in a traditional sheep-gathering in southern Iceland.
The live performance will be filmed and later incorporated into the exhibition. Presented as a video documentation, the recording will play on a continuous six-hour loop in the Pigott Gallery.
Drop in for a few minutes or stay for the entire duration; you're welcome to experience the performance at your own pace.