being an exhibitionist

Juergen Teller : That is pretty incredible. So I was wondering, would you say that you are an exhibitionist ?

Björk : In my most natural state, I’ll be introverted for say, six days in a row, and then on the seventh day I’ll become very extroverted, completely inside-out. Then I’ll have to go back inside myself. Sometimes the change can be quite forceful-it’s something I can’t really control. It’s a bit like the ocean and the tides.

Juergen Teller : Yeah, I know what you mean. Do you ever try to fight it ?

Björk : It’s quite interesting. If you always go by how you feel, life can end up quite a lonely affair. But if you go against that sometimes-say you’re in the middle of an introverted stage and a friend comes for a visit, and you make an effort to get out of yourself, to communicate-I think that’s beautiful thing. It’s a sacrifice of your own emotional state for someone else.

Juergen Teller : Right.

Björk : That was one of the most painful things about doing the film. The cast and crew only saw me when I was being extroverted. We’d film, and then we’d have lunch, where I felt compelled to be outgoing, and then we’d go back to filming, and then I would go to bed, and then I’d wake up the next morning, and I’d have to be extroverted again !

Juergen Teller : For months and months...

Björk : I experienced that time as very violent, because I’m not like that. I’m far more secretive. There are sides of myself that I don’t show to anyone-I’m actually quite a loner. So when I had to be extroverted everyday for the film, the pressure built up like a volcano. I certain people are born to be actors, and they’re naturally extroverted when they wake up every day.

Juergen Teller : That doesn’t apply to you at all.

Björk : But I am quite attracted to people who are like that, because I’m not.

Index magazine, june/july 2001