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On and In Perpetual Motion: The 59th Venice Biennial International Art Exhibition
Two winters ago Sigurður Guðjónsson was doing his food shopping in Bónus when he got a call in which he was invited to represent Iceland at the 59th Venice Biennale. Which is how this particular journey began for Sigurður, who has just…
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Water and Blood: The Icelandic Love Corporation’s Oracular New Work
Water and Blood, the Icelandic Love Corporation’s (ILC) video-installation in the National Gallery of Iceland is inspired by the life and art of Ásgrímur Jónsson (1876-1958). Eirún Sigurðardóttir and Jóni Jónsdóttir—founding members—pop out of the video and enter into the room dressed…
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Echo: Rúnar Rúnarsson’s Portrait Of A Time And Place
‘Echo’ is comprised of 58 poignant scenes presenting short stories, emotions and atmospheres, all set in Iceland between Christmas and New Years. There is a birth, an old farm burning to the ground, children singing Christmas carols, a daughter joining her father’s…
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SYKUR Gives Birth… To A Long Awaited New Album
Sugar is the name for sweet tasting simple carbohydrates used for making food sweeter. SYKUR is the name for Iceland’s favorite electro-fab-party-techno-pop group. Now, the band’s fiery frontwoman Agnes Björt Andradóttir, and guitarist Kristján Eldjárn are ready to chat about the long-awaited…
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Moviegoers And Fanatics Unite: It’s RIFF O’clock
RIFF returns for its sixteenth year and will be held from September 26th through October 6th. The festival offers an expansive program of screenings, Q&A sessions, screening in a swimming pool, a masterclass with legendary director Claire Denis, and more. The official…
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Film As Composition: Hlynur Pálmason’s ‘A White, White Day’ Illuminates Love, Loss, Grief & Doubt
‘A White, White Day’ is travelling the world, picking up heat after its premiere at the International Critics Week at Cannes, and it is clear Hlynur Pálmason is creating visually stunning, soul-wrenchingly cathartic narratives. The director spoke with us about the importance…
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Meet The Trows: Arnljótur Communes With Orkadian Fairies As Kraftgalli
Trows rockin’ and rollin’, joking and telling stories, oh my! Icelandic micro-label Smit Records released Kraftgalli’s adventurous three track EP ‘Trítill’ on vinyl last autumn. Trítlar, or trows, are mysterious, mischievous fairies or spirits from the folklore of the Orkney Islands. They’re…
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Versatile Uprising: A Window Into Another World
Artists Claire Paugam and Raphaël Alexandre recently opened an intriguing interactive exhibiton entitled ‘Versatile Uprising’ at the Wind and Weather Window Gallery on Hverfisgata. Made up of ethereal sculptures, the work speaks to bypassers through an ever-changing light and soundscape; when you…
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Suspiria: Halla Þórðardóttir Danced Into A Twilight Zone
Luca Guadagnino’s regeneration of ‘Suspiria’ is an ode to the 1977 original, holding on to its exploration of dream, ritual and dance. The dance scenes, choreographed by Damien Jalet, are phenomenal and key to the film’s haunting visuals. When Damien came to…
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Grapevine Music Awards 2019: Shout Out – R6013 & HÁSKAR
From a longest of many worthy projects, two leapt out of the pack this year for their general excellent service to improving Icelandic music. The first was R6013, a not-for-profit basement venue that provides an invaluable platform for emerging artists at a…
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Love, Drugs, Escapism: The Mysterious Cult Of kef LAVÍK
Kef LAVÍK are an unusual band in more ways than one. They’d released three albums—‘Kuldinn er Fínn,’ ‘Lifum Alltaf,’ and ‘Vesæl í Kuldanum’—before they even played their first gig, opening for Vaginaboys in front of 400 people at Harpa in 2016. An…
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Five Friends, Five Fools, Five Artists: Marble Crowd Is Moving Mountains
Marble Crowd is a local collective of artists who have worked together in various dynamics and circumstances for ten years now. Many constellations of artists and works have formed within the collective since. Marble Crowd’s award-nominated show Moving Mountains: In Three Essays…
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Never Quit: Benny Crespo’s Gang’s Long-Anticipated Second Album Is Here
Benny Crespo’s Gang, the dynamic Icelandic rock quartet, formed in 2003, and their self-titled debut album was released in 2007. They’re worshipped by rock enthusiasts in Reykjavík, and known for their energetic and wild performances. Lovísa Elísabet Sigrúnardóttir is the singer of…
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All the Wild Feels: Skoffín Is A Musical Creature In 101’s Anarchic Scene
Skoffín, an exciting band active in the post-dreifing collective, is a solo project by Jóhannes Bjarkason. His first EP ‘Í Hallargarðinum’ was released two years ago and has recently been picking up traction. Skoffín is Jói’s brainchild, but some of Reykjavík’s favourites…
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It’s Her World: SiGRÚN Prepares To Unleash Debut Album ‘Onælan’
Solo artist SiGRÚN—aka Sigrún Jónsdóttir—is a fascinating presence on the Icelandic music scene. She first appeared in 2016 with the ‘Hringsjá’ EP after an early career spent as a touring musician with Björk, Sigur Rós and Florence and the Machine. “It’s been…
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The Birth Of The Pop Alien: Katrín Helga Evolves Into Special K
Chances are, if you follow Icelandic music, you’ll have seen Katrín Helga Andrésdóttir. A founding member of Reykjavíkurdætur and Kriki, she’s been active in the Reykjavík music scene for years. She plays and tours with Sóley and her solo project, Special-K, debuted…
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NÝLÓ For Life: The Living Art Museum’s 40th Anniversary Show
This June, Nýlistasafnið (also know as NÝLÓ, or The Living Art Museum) opened its 40th birthday exhibition, ‘The Pressure of the Deep.’ The show is a cultural snapshot that brings us into the contemporaneity of the present, simultaneously looking all the way…
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Underlying Forces: SEINT Explores What Comes After The Apocalypse
SEINT is a dreamy electronic act that announced itself as “post-apocalyptic pop” in 2015, with the release ‘Post Pop/The Last Day with Us.’ The cover of the album shows a nuclear explosion with two figures kissing, enjoying the last moments of their…
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Inside The Eclectic Weird Kids Art Collective In Reykjavik
If you’ve ever caught a Sacha & the Mermaids concert, you’ll have seen Sacha Bernardson beaming as he performs, lighting up the stage and covering it with glitter. The person behind the stage presence is an amiable Iceland-based French musician, who is…
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The Power of Three: Meet Ateria, Winners Of Músíktilraunir 2018
In a garage in the West of Reykjavík, Ateria are meeting for a practice session. Their studio is just large enough to fit their instruments, amongst the vintage walking skies, homemade jams, some belongings in storage, and a few scattered boxes of…
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Ritual Magic And The Esoteric World: Freyja Eilíf’s Search For The Art God
Icelandic artist Freyja Eilíf graduated from the Iceland Academy of the Arts in 2014, opening the Ekkisens gallery in the basement of her grandparents’ house on Bergstaðastræti soon after. Over three years later, Ekkisens has a monthly exhibition programme, and has become…
