With its flowing lines and gleaming steel finish, the Sun Voyager (Sólfar) on the Reykjavik waterfront in Iceland is one of the city’s most recognisable sculptures. While the stainless steel work looks reminiscent of a skeletal Viking longboat on the shore, it has a deeper meaning. Sculpted by Icelandic sculptor Jón Gunnar Árnason, the Sun Voyager represents an ode to the sun, offering a sense of opportunity and freedom in the pursuit of new horizons. However, its meaning is made all the more poignant by the sad fate of the artist himself.
History of the Sun Voyager
A competition was held in 1986 to create an outdoor sculpture that could commemorate the city of Reykjavik’s 200 year anniversary. Reykjavik, Iceland’s first permanent settlement, was declared a city in 1786. The winner of the competition was Jón Gunnar Árnason, a native of Reykjavik, who designed a scale aluminium model of the Sun Voyager. The final design was unveiled in its current location on the 18th August, 1990, considered the birthday of the city.
Construction of the Sun Voyager
The Sólfar sculpture is made of stainless steel on a granite stand. Árnason’s assistant Kristin E. Hrafnsson, himself now a notable Icelandic sculptor, helped build the sculpture, along with technical expertise from the engineer Sigurjón Yngvason.
The sculpture was originally planned to be facing to the west, the direction of the setting sun, with an initial location idea of Landakot Hill, overlooking the centre of Reykjavik. However, it was decided to install the artwork instead on Sæbraut road, overlooking the waterfront and the mountains beyond.
The small outcrop of land doesn’t have a name, but the artist began calling it Jónsnes, ‘Jón’s Peninsula’.
What does the Sólfar Represent?
Contrary to how it appears, Sólfar is not supposed to represent a Viking longboat, but rather a dream boat that pays homage to the sun. Its form, the way it reflects light, and deliberate orientation represent discovery, freedom, and hope.
Árnason believes his sculpture to have a deeper meaning, too. When visiting the village of Bockholm in Sweden, he expressed a sentiment that he once visited before, centuries ago. Indeed, the artist told a hypothetical story of explorers who set off from the centre of the known world in the four cardinal directions. Some explorers landed in Mongolia, whilst others who followed the setting sun made their home on an island in the Atlantic. When visiting Bockholm, he came up with the idea of a ship that could take him on the same journey home, to a land of the setting sun.
Sadly, Jón Gunnar Árnason never got to see his final sculpture unveiled in its beautiful final location. He died of leukaemia in April 1989, a year before the official unveiling. It’s thought that Sólfar therefore has a second meaning of a ship transporting souls to the afterlife.
Visiting and Photographing Sólfar
Standing on the edge of picturesque Faxaflói Bay, and easy walking distance to Reykjavik’s city centre, Sólfar is one of the top visitor sights and photography spots in Reykjavik. Behind are majestic views of Mount Esja, a dramatic backdrop to Sólfar. It is especially popular during sunrise and sunset, which illuminates the stainless steel of the structure in reflected oranges, reds, and purples.
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The Sun Voyager is one of Iceland’s most recognisable pieces of art, from one of Iceland’s most renowned artists. For both locals and visitors to the city, Sólfar is a beautiful location to stop and appreciate the artist’s vision, and the beautiful, serene location of the ship sailing away towards the sun.
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