Geldingadalir Volcano Memento

Here is an unusual memento of the 2021 volcanic eruption that first showed itself in Geldingadalir in Iceland.

This limited-edition collaboration print features a photograph taken by Ægir Thor of Lífsbjörg ICE-SAR team, alongside a pareidolia drawing by Donna McLuskie of Hidden Creatures Art. 

Pareidolia drawings show faces and hidden creatures perceived by the artist in unusual places and inanimate objects. Donna perceived a cluster of human faces in the gas cloud and realised that these men resemble some of the crew of the WWII Liberator that crashed into the side of Fagradalsfjall mountain in 1943. Hence, the drawing has become as much an ode to crew of that crashed aeroplane, called Hot Stuff, as it is a record of the early days of this eruption.

In delineating the sky around the volcano and hot gasses wafting above the lava field, Donna took advice from a thermodynamicist and a volcanologist. Ægir’s photograph epitomises the keen tourist experience at this volcano. His image includes distinctively attired search-and-rescue team members, who keep 24-hour watch on site to ensure public safety and help scientists monitor the ever-changing conditions.

What first attracted Donna to create a pareidolia drawing inspired by Ægir’s remarkable image was the way he managed to capture the inward-looking nature of this volcano. Just as people have come close to admire the eruption, Donna perceived lava creatures staring in at the heart of the volcano, which they enclose.

Would you like to have one of the limited-edition fine art giclée prints of this collaboration layout?  

Half of the profits from every print sale will go to Lífsbjörg ICE-SAR team, who have been helping out with regular 12-hour shifts on duty by the volcano.

Here’s where to order your print: Hidden Creatures Art website