Live TV in a Museum: 100 Episodes in 100 Days with Ragnar Kjartansson

In 2021, when Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson, hailed as the “#1 Modern Artist of the 21st Century” by The Guardian, set out to recreate the infamous U.S. TV series Santa Barbara at the V-A-C Foundation’s new GES-2 building. Lorem Ipsum was chosen to develop the entire production pipeline for this ambitious endeavor.

The task was enormous: constructing a fully functioning film studio within the museum space, designed by the renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano, and producing 100 episodes of the series over 100 consecutive days — with live audiences watching every step of the process.

Lorem Ipsum managed all production elements from the ground up, including designing and building five sound stages and live editing suites, adapting scripts, casting actors, and orchestrating the marathon multi-camera shoot. Over 70 actors and 90 crew members were involved in bringing the show to life.

Each episode, directed by Icelandic filmmaker Ása Helga Hjörleifsdóttir, was edited live by Lorem Ipsum’s team of editors and shown to visitors on screens in specially arranged viewing green rooms.

The music accompanying the show was composed live in real time by musicians observing the performance on site.

“Santa Barbara: A Living Sculpture” stood out as one of the most notable art events of 2021, praised for its complexity and innovative approach to blending theatre, film, and performance art in a unique, live setting.