Grapevine Events: Icelandic Photography Festival, Last Chance To See Jónsi’s FLÓÐ & Much More

We’re planning a museum stroll this weekend and you can tag along! There are plenty of exhibition openings and finissages to check out. If you haven’t seen Jónsi’s FLÓÐ yet, Sunday is your last chance. Ragnar Kjartansson is unveiling The Brown Period, where he’ll be adding more brown paintings throughout the year — and we can’t wait to ask: why brown? Oyama is finally playing their new album release show, too.

Check out more events at events.grapevine.is. Got an event you want people to show up for? Add it to the calendar, or see what’s already happening around town.

The Icelandic Photography Festival

Friday January 17 to Saturday January 25 — Multiple venues — Free

If you ask any Icelandic photographer if Reykjavík is a good city for photography, anyone with an ounce of self-respect would say no. The Reykjavík Museum of Photography is cute but tiny, photography exhibitions are scarce, and iurie art galleries are the equivalent of puffin stores. Finally breaking away from the endless parade of “took a photo of Skógafoss, will start calling myself landscape photographer” types, the Icelandic Photography Festival brings actual artistry to the table. There will be exhibitions, portfolio reviews and lectures spread around town, with the opening exhibition Weathered at the Reykjavík Museum of Photography exploring the relationship between humans and the environment. IZ

Sitt hvoru megin við sama borð

Opens Saturday January 18 — Gallery Port — Free entry

Sitt hvoru megin við sama borð (Either side of the table) is an exhibition within the Icelandic Photo Festival, featuring a joint project by two photographers whose lives are intertwined with disability, although in different ways. Hrafn Hólmfríðarson suffered a brain stem hemorrhage, while Þórsteinn Svanhildarson’s daughter was born with a rare syndrome that causes intellectual and physical disabilities. Through their work, the photographers share their perspectives on living with disability and how it shapes their daily reality. IZ

Oyama Release Show

Friday January 17 — IÐNÓ, 20:30 — 3.500 ISK

After disappearing from the scene for a little while, shoegaze band Oyama re-emerged last October with their dreamy new album Everyone Left. Sure, we’ve caught them melting faces at Airwaves and various off-venue spots around town, but now they’re finally giving us a proper release show. Guitar legend Alison MacNeil graces both the album and stage, while the enigmatic K.óla joins as special guest. IZ

Photo by Atli Freyr Steinsson

Jónsi — FLÓÐ (Flood)

Closes on January 19 — Hafnarhús (Reykjavík Art Museum) — 2.430 ISK

Although it was a few issues ago that we spoke to Jónsi about his first European exhibition, FLÓÐ (“Flood”), we really cannot stress enough how much you should go see it before it disappears. With unique visual, sound, light and scent palates, FLÓÐ stirs deeply physical and emotional reactions that may leave you surprised, perplexed and a little bit dizzy. Take a whole afternoon and sink into the flood before it says goodbye to Hafnarhús on January 19. RX/IZ