Author: Valur Grettisson
Iceland Has Three Composers On Top 25 NYT List For Best Classical Tracks
Iceland has no less than three artists on the New York Times 25 best classical tracks of the year. The…
Jodie Foster Goes To War
Well, not literally, but she is going to remake the Icelandic film ‘Kona fer í stríð’ (‘A Woman Goes To…
Fifteenth Time Lucky: Björk’s Incredible Grammy Awards Journey
The news came out yesterday that Björk has been nominated for the Grammys for her new album, ‘Utopia,’ in the…
#IcelandSmites: Heimir “The Scarred Eye Of Óðinn” Hallgrímsson Sails To Qatar
by Valur Grettisson and John Rogers
Former manager of the Icelandic national football team, Heimir “the scarred eye of Óðinn” Hallgrímsson, The Darth Dentist, The Westman…
Crowd Funding Cultural Magazine In The West
The Westfjords of Iceland are buzzing these days. We regularly hear news about creative projects, and newest thing happening in…
Well, You Asked: Sautéed Crotch Area
Stuck in a sticky situation? Don’t worry, Grapevine’s advice column is here to help you. The colder months have started…
War Of The Nurses: Nurse “Women” Goes Bananas
Well, perhaps not bananas—and not only women—but they were pretty irritated because of how they were depicted in the newest…
Editorial: What We Do In The Shadows
Icelandic society has been shocked and outraged because of an unprecedented leak wherein five MP’s were recorded talking trash about,…
Reykjavik Pond’s “Little Sea-Hotdog” Sculpture Stolen, Found Discarded
The controversial phallic art piece, Litla Hafpulsan (literally “the little sea-hotdog”, referring to the famous Little Mermaid in Copenhagen) has…
Jónsi Nominated For Golden Globe
Jón Þór Birgisson, or Jónsi from Sigur Rós, has been nominated for a prestigious Golden Globe award, for his song…
The Architect For The Barbershop-Conference Openly Misogynist
The former Foreign Minister of Iceland, Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson, and former Prime Minister, Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, have been entangled into…
Grapevine Playlist: Wood/Work, Commander, Svartidauði, Sólveig Matthildur, Hugar & More!
by John Rogers, Hannah Jane Cohen and Valur Grettisson
Very much like a torrent of aurora glimpsed through the clouds, rippling the surface of our planet’s atmosphere like a…
The Absurd Case Of The Punk Mayor And Banksy
When Jón Gnarr, former mayor of Reykjavík and a renowned artist, published a picture of him with his dog going…
Food of Iceland: Prince Póló
The rule in Iceland before 1990 was basically this: If it’s good, it’s probably banned. For example, beer was banned…
Word of the Issue: Skíthæll
So you really don’t like that insanely expensive bagel that you bought at the tourist stop near Geysir and can’t…
Word Of The Issue: Utangátta
‘Utangátta’ has suddenly become a mystical word in Hollywood, thanks to Cary Fukunaga’s hit Netflix series ‘Maniac.’ In episode nine,…
Great Moments In Icelandic Cuisine: Bjúga
Tired of overpriced tattered hot dogs? Well, why not try out some long, thick bjúga? While Europe was getting all…
A Nordic Requiem For Junkies: Film Review
Iceland is no exception when it comes to the opioid crisis gripping the Nordic countries, and of course, the U.S.,…
Making Of An Artist: Badass Women And Political Art With Brynhildur Karlsdóttir
Brynhildur Karlsdóttir has made some serious waves in the punk universe as the incredible singer of the punk band Hórmónar—’whores,…
The War Of The Bureaucrats: Some Jokes Are All About Timing And The Right Audience
When Líf Magneudóttir, a Left Green city councilperson, stuck her tongue out during a city board meeting, she probably thought…
Word Of The Issue: Skítseiði
Icelanders, like the rest of the world, have been following the news about former TV villain turned former White House…
Word of the Issue: Bongóblíða
One of the most-used words in Icelandic to describe really good weather is ‘Bongóblíða.’ The origin of the word is…
Grapevine Playlist: ASTVALDUR, Omotrack, Kristín Anna, Andi, Mosi & More
by John Rogers, Hannah Jane Cohen and Valur Grettisson
Like eight glorious sea eagles swooping majestically into your living room, we present to you the essential Icelandic tracks of…
Making Of An Artist: Achromatopsia & The Man On The Moon With Árni Vilhjálmsson
Árni Vilhjálmsson is an established artist, musician and actor in Iceland. He was a member of the legendary electro party-band…
The Wonderful Icelandic Festival Frenzy: Think Fyre Was Disastrous?
Summer in Iceland is like a fixed roulette game that you always somehow lose. Icelanders, though, never get tired of…