LOS ANGELES: George Guðni and Viggo Mortensen collaborated in "Strange Familiar", featuring the art of Guðni and the poetry of Mortensen. Mortensen is not only an outstanding actor who has worked in award winning films such as "The Lord of the Rings" and horror maestro David Cronenberg's "A History of Violence" but he is also a writer who has published: "Coincidence of Memory", "The Horse Is Good", "45301", "Hole in the Sun" and "Recent Forgeries". Mortensen is also a musician who collaborated with Buckethead and published the CDs "Intelligence Failure" and "Please Tomorrow". Guðni and Mortensen's many fans were waiting in line. Everyone was excited about the opening. 

By Marisa Darnel, Photos by Victor Aguilar
Copyright by Artist Interviews/Victor Aguilar, all rights reserved.

Georg Guðni is a painter from Iceland who currently lives in Reykjavik. He creates surreal and beautiful landscapes on canvas that are layered with soft and almost transparent colors, rendering a unique and minimal window into the world. Guðni's artwork can be found in museums and private collections around the world. 

Viggo is an extremely warm and friendly person to talk to. We spoke with him about his poetry, work and the time that he lived in South America. Mortensen was born in New York to a Danish father and an American mother. He spent the very early part of his childhood in Manhattan. His family traveled a great deal, though, and they lived several years in Venezuela, Argentina and Denmark.

Among many of Mortensen’s notable books are “Linger” and “Myelo”. His fascinating book “Linger” holds black and white photographs that speak silently about the world that we live in, observing society and life with a kind and compassionate view. His book “Myelo” deals with the beauty of nature and loneliness, taken from a single roll of film.

Since his screen debut as a young Amish Farmer in Peter Weir's “Witness” (1985), Viggo Mortensen's career has been marked by a steady string of well-rounded performances. Critics have continually recognized his work in over thirty movies, including such diverse films as “The Portrait of a Lady”, “The Indian Runner”, Brian De Palma's “Carlito's Way”, Ridley Scott's “G.I. Jane”, Tony Scott's “Crimson Tide”,“A Perfect Murder” (1998), “La Pistola de mi Hermano” and Tony Goldwyn's “A Walk on the Moon”.

He studied acting with Warren Robertson in New York and appeared in several theatre plays besides movies. But he is also an outstanding poet, photographer and painter.

"Photography, painting or poetry those are just extensions of me. How I perceive things and they are my way of communicating" with this simple words, Viggo explains his incursions on different kinds of art.