AnevocativechronicleofthepowerofsolitudeinthenaturalworldI’moftenasked,buthavenoideawhyIchoseIceland,whyIfirststartedgoing,whyIstillgo.IntruthIbelieveIcelandchoseme.--fromtheintroductionContemporaryartistRoniHornfirstvisitedIcelandin1975attheageofnineteen,andsincethen,theisland’streelessexpansehashadanenduringholdonHorn’screativework.Throughaseriesofremarkableandpoeticreflections,vignettes,episodes,andillustratedessays,IslandZombiedistillstheartist’slifelongexperienceofIceland’snaturalenvironment.Together,thesepiecesofferanunforgettableexplorationoftheindefinableandinescapableforceofremote,elementalplaces,andprovideasustainedlookathowanislandanditsatmospherecantakepossessionoftheinnermostself.IslandZombieisameditationonbeingpresent.ItvividlyconveysHorn’sexperiences,fromthedeeplyprofoundtothejoyfulandabsurd.Throughpowerfulevocationsofthechangingweatherandothernaturalphenomena--theviolenceofthewind,theoftenaggressivebirds,theimposinginfluenceofglaciers,andtheubiquitouspresenceofwaterinallitsvariety--wecometounderstandtheauthor’sabidingneedforIceland,aplaceuniquelyessentialtoHorn’screativeandspirituallife.Thedramaticsurroundingsprovokeexaminationsofself-sufficiencyandisolation,andtheseruminationssummonarangeofculturalcompanions,includingElGreco,EmilyDickinson,JudyGarland,WallaceStevens,EdgarAllanPoe,WilliamMorris,andRachelCarson.Whilebrilliantlyportrayingnature’ssublimeenergy,Hornalsoconfrontsissuesofconsumption,destruction,andloss,astheindustrialandman-madeencroachonIcelandicwilderness.Filledwithmusingsonasecludedregionthatperpetuallyencouragesasenseofdiscovery,IslandZombieilluminatesawildandbeautifulIcelandthatremainsessentialandnew.
