Cover Feature
Most read
Latest
-
Iceland Has Its Sights Set On Mars
In September, Iceland took one giant leap closer to becoming an active partner in future Moon and Mars landings — so why is nobody talking about it? A cold wind sweeps across the plain, gently teasing fine grains of volcanic sand and…
-
From Iceland To Hollywood: INNI Music Scores Big
Iceland‘s handful of global music superstars are the exception rather than the norm. When asked to picture a successful Icelandic musician, people might think of Björk carefully conceptualising her next project, or Laufey performing on the world’s most popular talk shows —…
-
Breaking Point: Fatal Ice Cave Accident Raises Big Questions For Tourism Safety
Ever since the dawn of Iceland’s tourism boom, there have been countless examples of visitors to the island making decisions that are misinformed, foolish, or downright dangerous. From people picnicking on floating icebergs to the woman who joined a search party to…
-
A Scene Under Siege: The Never-ending, Always Painful Loss Of Reykjavík’s Live Venues
A debate has long been raging in Reykjavík about the diminishing number of small and medium sized concert venues. With rising real estate prices and a booming tourism industry hungry for space, it is becoming harder to maintain the city’s vibrant music…
-
Fighting For The Freedom To Breathe: LGBTQIA+ Asylum Seekers In Iceland
It’s no secret that Iceland is broadly regarded as a safe and accepting place for the LGBTQIA+ community. Laws criminalising same-sex sexual activity were repealed in 1940, same-sex couples have been legally permitted to register their partnership since 1996, marriage was made…
-
Let The Games Begin: Inside Iceland’s Rising Video Game Development Scene
It isn’t often that an entirely new cultural medium is born. But over the last few decades, video games have taken over the world. With over three billion active players, games have emerged as both a new art form and a vastly…
-
LungA Comes Full Circle
Art festival in Seyðisfjörður completes a quarter-century of artistic legacy “There’s something about driving into town, coming from the mountain and seeing the fjord after you’ve been driving for eight hours from Reykjavík,” says Helena Aðalsteinsdóttir, one of the directors of the…
-
The Town That Nature Closed
Exploring the impact of ongoing volcanic activity on Grindavík and its displaced residents To live in Iceland is to be at the mercy of nature. Throughout the nation’s 1000 year history countless natural disasters have precipitated the loss of lives and homes.…
-
Art For Every Body: Listahátið í Reykjavík returns with an eye on accessibility and inclusivity
In the 54 years since its inception, Listahátið í Reykjavík (the Reykjavík Arts Festiva) has gone from being the gateway to the world for for Icelandic artists and culture to being among a set of highly acclaimed national events platforming every discipline…
-
It’s Time To Shake The World: Inside the Free Palestine Movement in Iceland
“The whole world knows we have been under occupation for more than 70 years — after a few days will be 76 years under occupation,” says Naji Asar, a Palestinian refugee living in Reykjavík. He’s referring to the anniversary of al Nakba…
-
Would The Next President Of Iceland Please Step Forward
Ten candidates lay out their presidential goals and motivations On the first day of 2024, President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson put on his best suit to deliver a New Year’s address. Though Guðni had planned this for months, few, aside from his…
-
A Measure Of Iceland’s Cultural Atomic Mass
The massive impact of the nation’s historic manuscripts “This feels strangely intimate,” Ryan Boudinot jokes as he removes stacks of paper first from a pair of reusable Bónus shopping bags and then from four cardboard boxes. There’s one box for each neatly…
-
The Hidden Scaffolding Of Ben Frost
Deconstructing the architecture of Scope Neglect “I feel like I’m living in a time where my attention is being pulled in several directions,” says Ben Frost, languidly slouching against the wall. It’s a horrid stormy night in the middle of January and…
-
OMG It’s The 2024 Reykjavík Grapevine Music Awards
Celebrating the best that the local music scene offered And just like that, 2023 has come and gone. It was a productive year for Icelandic and Iceland-based musicians, with new artists taking their first tentative steps onto the stage, while a barrage…
-
So, What Happens Now? Perspectives On The Future Of The Reykjanes Peninsula
The Earth rumbled again on the morning of January 3, strong enough to jostle my little home in 101 Reykjavík while I lazily poured water from my kettle over the coffee grounds in my French press. “Huh, another eruption?” I pondered aloud,…
-
Rán Flygenring Never Stops Playing
With a shiny new prize, a just-released book and many projects in the works, Rán Flygenring’s creative journey is just getting started “This is not my problem,” says Rán Flygenring, sitting in her studio on Ásvallagata on a crisp Tuesday afternoon. “Maybe…
-
Making Waves: Meet The Four Most Exciting Airwaves Debuts
It’s time once again for Iceland Airwaves – the country’s biggest and most ambitious music festival. Also known as “the busiest week to be a musician” or “the musician’s holiday,” the festival has been an essential part of Icelandic music ever since…
-
Under Laufey’s Spell
The world’s most popular jazz artist hasn’t finished her story For decades, Iceland has boasted about its remarkable creative output – per capita, of course. A common theme in the world’s perception of Iceland is the recognition of artistic talent coming from…
-
The Indefensible Defence Of An Obsolete Industry
Examining the past, present and still uncertain future of whaling in Iceland “It’s been a crazy day,” Valgerður Árnadóttir says, a clear tone of concern in her voice as she looks out the large picture windows of Röst café toward the long…
-
Bound By All Things Kinky
Exploring BDSM in Iceland and how it fits into the larger queer community What is BDSM? Typically considered sexual preferences and practices that include elements of control, submission or pain, it stands for bondage, dominance, sadism and masochism. It’s kink, it’s control,…
-
What A Long Strange Trip
Down the rabbit hole of traditional and new age spirituality in Iceland The earth recently cracked open again and a new volcano is erupting near Fagradalsfjall for the third year in a row. The noxious volcanic gasses that have wafted and settled…
-
Where There’s Smoke
The Reykjanes peninsula’s period of volcanic activity continues There’s something melancholic about approaching for landing at Keflavík International Airport. Perhaps that’s the pessimistic reading. The glass half empty individual sees a seemingly endless expanse of nothingness out the aeroplane window, where their…
-
20 Years Of Grit, 20 Years Of The Grapevine
Former editors look back on their time at The Reykjavík Grapevine From A Pagan Chief To Bobby Fischer It seems like a long time ago that a picture of a black woman in the Icelandic national costume would cause a furore. A…