Mussel Man is a recreation of an early 20th century photograph seen at the Technical Museum of East Iceland. The photograph was depicting a man from Seyðisfjörður covered with mussel shells, possibly involved in a local play.

This character is believed to depict the Icelandic mythical creature skeljaskrímsli (the shell monster), which, through the sound of its shells clinging together as it walked on the beach would terrify any passer-by.

“On the isle of Grímsey, Northern Iceland:

A man named Gísli Brandsson, brother of JónBrandsson from Yztibær, was walking by the sea checking his nets for fish when he saw a huge monster wade up out of the sea and onto the beach.... The monster pursued him, gaining on him somewhat, and he heard guttural or rattling noises emanating from it. He ran as fast as he could and ...he was deathly pale and exhausted when he finally laid himself down on his bed”

Gísli Konráðsson

Being mindful of material, a running thread throughout various projects, was a part of the process. The mussel shells for this piece were collected in restaurants instead of going to landfill.