So, you finally checked one off the bucket list and arrived in Iceland. Velkomin! But what now? Reykjavík is bustling with activities, from steamy swimming pools to world-renowned galleries to more historical sites than you can name. And the city’s diversity has only increased with the development of tourism—now you’ll find ambitious arthouse theatre in English and interactive tech museums dotting the streets. For those looking to get out of the capital, it’s surrounded by gorgeous hiking, plentiful picnic spots, and more. So what’s one to do to fully take advantage of the city? Presenting: the 2020 Grapevine Best Of Reykjavík Activities awards. Hey—when in Reykjavík, listen to the Reykjavíkingur.
Best Gallery
i8
Tryggvagata 16, 101 Reykjavík
There is no way around it: i8 is once again the best gallery in Iceland. Over the years, it’s given us works from internationally lauded art superstars like Ragnar Kjartansson, Elín Hansdóttir and Ólafur Elíasson, putting Icelandic art on the worldwide map and helping it stay there. Although it’s a commercial gallery, it’s not a hoity-toity stuffy spot—expect to see conceptual cutting-edge museum-sized displays, rather than conservative and conventionally appealing wall-based work. Best of all, there’s a sharp wit and a sense of fun running through the gallery’s roster, in sharp contrast to the often academic or po-faced offerings of the contemporary art scene.
Runner-Up:
Hverfisgallerí
Hverfisgata 4, 101 Reykjavík
Hverfisgallerí consistently impressed our panel in 2019 with a roster of brilliant exhibitions by young artists like Loji Höskuldsson and the incredible talented Davíð Örn Halldórsson, among others. This gallery is (and we cannot emphasise this enough) ambitious. Stop by for the best and brightest of the scene.
Runner-Up:
Berg Contemporary
Klapparstígur 16, 101 Reykjavík
For the past few years, Berg Contemporary has concretely established itself as the go-to spot for contemporary art in Reykjavík. Their large, beautifully renovated space is known for blurring the lines between the conceptual, the abstract, the art, and the functional with their installations and exhibitions. That may sound complicated, but what we’re trying to say is pretty simple: Stop by.
Previous Winners
2015-9: i8
2014: Kling & Bang
You can buy a copy of the full Best Of Reykjavík 2020 magazine—an essential guide to having fun in Reykjavík—here, posted worldwide.
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