"God" is a captivating video installation by Ragnar Kjartansson, created in 2007. The work features the artist himself as a crooning lounge singer, dressed in a tuxedo and accompanied by an orchestra. Set against the backdrop of an opulent theater, Kjartansson performs a melancholic tune with the repeating lyric, "Sorrow conquers happiness." The performance is a loop, allowing viewers to enter and exit at any point, thus experiencing the perpetual ebb and flow of emotion encapsulated in the phrase.

The installation presents a rich tapestry of influences and references, from theater and opera to the tradition of the tragicomic. Kjartansson’s repetitive use of a single lyric brings forth multiple interpretations, each changing with repeated viewing. The phrase itself becomes a mantra, turning the piece into a meditative exploration of existential themes.

As with many of Kjartansson’s works, "God" draws upon the artist’s fascination with duration and repetition, using them as tools to delve into the complexities of human emotion. The work has garnered attention in various exhibitions and has been analyzed in academic discourse for its intricate layering of art forms and emotional states.

This performance was adapted in Russian and performed in 2014 (in Saint-Petersburg) and 2019 (in Moscow).