5Eleven presents Anna Thorvaldsdottir: art, fashion and music in dialogue at Goodwood Art Foundation

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We have collaborated with the high fashion magazine, 5Eleven, and Goodwood Art Foundation on The Music Issue 16 – a publication that documents the professionals and enthusiasts inhabiting the fashion industry through a global lens.

When 5Eleven approached us to feature a composer whose work speaks across disciplines, borders and environments, we immediately thought of internationally renowned Icelandic composer, Anna Thorvaldsdottir. Her music is informed by landscape, texture and the physical experience of sound.

Read the full article here via 5Eleven

Anna Thorvaldsdottir © Edwin S Freyer, 5Eleven Magazine

Anna Thorvaldsdottir: music shaped by environment

Anna’s music is often described as immersive and elemental – shaped as much by physical space and natural forces as by traditional musical structures. Drawing on the dramatic landscapes of Iceland, her work explores slow-moving textures, dense harmonic worlds and a sense of sound as something almost geological: layered, shifting and alive.

In her interview for 5Eleven, Anna reflects on how environment continues to shape her thinking across art forms:

“I’m always thinking about sound as something tactile — something that has weight, surface and movement. Whether it’s music, fashion or visual art, I’m drawn to work that feels grounded in the physical world, where material and environment are part of the expression.”

This sensitivity to material, form and atmosphere made the collaboration with a fashion-led publication a natural fit. It also shaped our thinking about where the shoot should take place.

Why Goodwood Art Foundation

We approached Goodwood Art Foundation in West Sussex as the location for the photoshoot because of its striking natural setting and commitment to presenting art in dialogue with landscape and learning.

Set within 70 acres of rolling countryside, ancient woodland and sculpture-filled grounds, Goodwood Art Foundation provided a context that resonated powerfully with Anna’s work. The open spaces, natural light and sense of scale echo the environments that inform her music – creating a visual and conceptual bridge between Icelandic landscapes and the South Downs.

Bridging disciplines and borders

This collaboration builds on our wider commitment to working across art forms and contexts, from galleries and landscapes to fashion, design and storytelling. Recent projects such as our work with the Sainsbury Centre have explored how music and sound can sit alongside visual art and architecture to create immersive, multi-sensory experiences.

With Anna’s international profile and Icelandic roots, this project reflects our global outlook evident in Sounds Unseen with the British Council – connecting creators, organisations and audiences across borders, while grounding new music and sound in place and environment.

As our Chief Executive, Will Dutta, reflects:

“At Sound and Music, we’re drawn to the edges – to the places where our art form meets other art forms, ideas, environments. Collaborations like this one with 5Eleven, Anna Thorvaldsdottir and Goodwood Art Foundation show what’s possible when we work across disciplines. At their best, these partnerships deepen the listening experience; creating new meaning and entry points into creators’ worlds.”

Looking ahead — and how to explore more

This collaboration shows how we can realise our strategic vision. Throughout the year, we will continue to bring the frontiers of new music and sound across art forms – including visual art, fashion, design, gaming, storytelling and heritage. We believe creators have powerful roles to play in enriching spaces, narratives and experiences, and we are keen to collaborate with partners who share that ambition.

Anna is currently working on a new large-scale orchestral commission, alongside regular international performances of existing work. You can explore her music and upcoming performances via her website and recordings.

We also encourage you to visit Goodwood Art Foundation to experience their art programme, headline exhibitions and beautiful landscape– and to pick up a copy of 5Eleven The Music Issue to explore the interview in full.