Ix207 // Container

Congress Square Park // September 27 - October 12, 2016
University of Southern Maine // October 17 - October 28, 2016
Thompson's Point + Bissell Brothers // November 9 - November 27, 2016
Ocean Gateway Terminal // December 13, 2016

PORTLAND, MAINE // ICELANDx207: Container is a multimedia installation by Portland photographer Justin Levesque that documents Iceland's recent entry into Maine’s waterfront and economy via the Icelandic steamship company, Eimskip. On view from September 27 through October 12, the exhibition was housed in an Eimskip shipping container and initially installed in Congress Square Park.

The exhibition was on view in conjunction with the 2016 Arctic Council, an international conference dedicated to economic development in the Arctic region. Hosted by the Maine North Atlantic Development Office, the event took place at the adjacent Westin Portland Harborview from October 4 through 6, 2016.

ICELANDx207: Container is a 2016 Kindling Fund grantee. The Kindling Fund is presented by SPACE Gallery and is part of the Regional Regranting Program from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.

While walking through the container, viewers were encouraged to use their mobile devices to experience the exhibition's interactive audio guide.

This audio guide was accessed by calling (207) 558-3694 after which one could look for black item numbers that could then BE DIALED to hear the corresponding audio (Item Number + #).

STARBOARD // Numbers 1 - 11 were paired with a formal portrait of each of the eleven members of the Selfoss crew along the right wall. These audio portraits provided an account of a life at sea in their own voices. They were recorded while sailing from Portland, ME to Reykjavík and originally appeared on the Green Line podcast.

PORT // Numbers 12 - 18 were punctuated throughout the left wall among images of the ship's material culture and daily happenings. These audio stories provided an examination of Maine's shipping past and future and were included to provide a broader context to the State's emerging relationship the North Atlantic region. Recorded + produced by Galen Koch in collaboration with Justin Levesque. This audio provided the beginnings of what would become, 03. The Terminal.

Numbers 1 - 11

Numbers 12 - 18

Thank you // Takk FYRIR

Eimskip, Maine Port Authority, SolidDG, Maine North Atlantic Development Office, Selfoss Crew, City of Portland, ME, Maine International Trade Center, JoNA Magazine, Neon Dave, Creative Portland, FoCSP, University of Southern Maine, Kristen Levesque PR & Marketing, Chris Cary, Dana Eidsness, Larus Isfeld, Hildur Einarsson, Gwendolyn Tatro, Rose Marasco, Jen McDermott, Kate McMahon, Edwige Charlot, Jennifer Hutchins, Justin Harvey, David & Bonnie Wickham, Big Joe, Tyler Karu, Jay Brown, Jan Piribeck, Patrick Arnold, Jill Packard, Captain Kalli, Vilborg Einarsdóttir, Pétur Petersen, Galen Koch, Duncan Hewitt, Rachel McDonald, Peter Handy, Bree Lacasse, Lisa + Jim Castonia and Joseph Zamboni