Sjón

Sigurjón Birgir Sigurðsson (born 27 August 1962), known as Sjón (/ˈʃoʊn/ SHOHN), is an Icelandic poet, novelist, and lyricist. His pen name (meaning "sight") is an abbreviation of his given name (Sigurjón). Sjón frequently collaborates with the singer Björk and has performed with The Sugarcubes as Johnny Triumph. His works have been translated into more than 25 languages.

Biography

Born in Reykjavík, Iceland, Sjón began his writing career early and published his first book of poetry, Sýnir (Visions), in 1978. He was one of the founding members of the neo-surrealist group Medúsa and became significant in Reykjavik's cultural scene.

Active on the Icelandic music scene since the early 1980s, Sjón has collaborated with many of the best known artists of the era and was featured as guest vocalist on a rare Sugarcubes 12" single "Luftgitar" in 1987 using the name Johnny Triumph; this was accompanied by a music video of Sjón playing an air guitar with Björk and Einar Örn Benediktsson. Sjón would occasionally reprise this role for the final encore of The Sugarcubes concerts, including the band's one-off 2006 reunion show in Reykjavík. Still involved in the Icelandic music scene, Sjón is on the board of the record label Bad Taste (Smekkleysa) and a member of the advisory board for the Kraumur Music Fund.