Issue 17 2014

November 7 - December 4

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 The Reykjavk Grapevine The Reykjavk Grapevine
Issue 1 2011 2 Issue 17 2014

2
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Ekkert nema g
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Kri Tulinius
Lemrinn With its loud and gnarly thumping bass,
li Dri
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Paul Fontaine cording to the band, the songs lyrics are all
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while drunk. Vocalist Laufey Soffa rsdt-
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we were and what we are becoming; what were doing, issueI recommend going straight for page six). At
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SOUR GRAPES AND STUFF
Most Awesome
Letter of the Issue!
When I read the Reykjavk Grapevines
article Closed Doors, Empty Stomach,
Desperate Measures about a Jewish-
Iraqi refugee seeking asylum in Iceland
after having hard time in Slovakia, a rath-
er ambivalent feeling captured my mind.
Well, I am from Slovakia, and at first, I
felt a bit pissed off and offended about the
way how my country of origin was por-
trayed. But then I thought it might actu-
ally be deserved.
I have a brief experience in working
with asylum seekers in Slovakia and...
It is not a country where you would like
to end up after having run for your life
from a place that once had been your
home. That's no one's choice, it's just the
first country beyond the border. Actu-
ally, Adam is a 'lucky' guy. Only about 10
people are given asylum status every year
here. The rest is sentenced to a choice of ei-
ther spending years in refugee residences
while there is very little you are allowed/
able to do, or returning to their land where
persecution and death awaits them. Well,
and if you are fortunate enough, you are
allowed to stay in this country where bu-
reaus do nothing for your integration and
people are even less open to accept you.
Let's face it. I had a chance to spend a
year, a beautiful year, in Iceland. And even
I, after having returned, realized how
much safer I felt on the island. Although
I loved Jeff Edwards hilarious piece "Acci-
dental Iceland" - do you have an email ad-
dress for him so I can tell him myself?
Thanks,
Laurie
Dear Laurie (if that IS your real name),
We cant really do that. What if youre,
like, an deranged stalker from his past
thats been spending years looking for
Jeff Edwards and with the intent of de-
nothing serious ever happened to me, I
see those looks and I hear those words on
the streets. Being a Jew from Middle East,
you certainly encounter a lot of hatred and
intolerance. No wonder Adam had to flee
again, and he chose well. Unfortunately,
I am skeptical when thinking about his
experience here as persecution. However
severe the situation was, it probably does
not meet all the criteria. But I am not an
expert, and I wish the authorities decide
otherwise and allow Adam to stay.
During my year in Iceland, I met
many people from all over the world and
very little was known about Slovakia. At
most, brief reference to Eurotrip or Hostel
is made, but that's it. And that's why I was
disappointed when I read those words,
when 'we' finally made it to the press.
Sure, the article of Benjamn Julian is very
tendentious and forcibly moving, and
portrayal of Slovakia somehow distort-
ed. But there certainly is something true
about it. It's true that 'we' should do more
for people who come to live here, who ask
for help, who need to be protected.
I quite like this country. There are
many things that are worth it. But there
also are many that are just appalling and
shameful. Adam's story represents one of
them. I want to apologize for all that neg-
ligence and harm, Adam. I just want you
to know that there also are good people
capitating him and FedExing the box to
Gwyneth Paltrow?
To ensure Jeff Edwards does not get
beheaded, yet gets to enjoy your compli-
ments, we have forwarded your letter
his way. Maybe hell get back to you?
LOL - I really didn't expect you to respond
respond to my requestthanks! I love the
Grapevine; so smart, funny, engaging and
it has a great energy. Although it's referred
to as a "tourist" publication, I imagine your
local readership is very high.
MOST AWESOME LETTER
FREE GRAPEVINE TEE HEE HEE!
There's prize for all your MOST AWESOME
LETTERS. And its a scorcher! Whoever
sends us THE MOST AWESOME LETTER
each issue will receive a cool new
REYKJAVK GRAPEVINE T-SHIRT,
featuring the majestic G that adorns our
cover. So you should make sure to keep
writing us fun and/or interesting letters .
This Grapevine tee surely is the SHIZNIT
(whatever that means)! It was designed by our
very own art director man, HRUR
here. Some. It's just that those wrong are
always much up front.
Filip Simonfy
Dear Filip,
thank you so much for your thought-
ful and moving letter.
we understand your grief at how Slo-
vakia is portrayed in the article (po-
tentially confused readers: the article
in question may be found onlineyou
should read it. It is also rather moving
and thoughtful). I am most certain
that the article's author was not look-
ing to disparage Slovakia in his writ-
ing - he was merely attempting to re-
lay Mr. Adam's story and experiences
as best he could. Every country has
its negative aspects that when scru-
tinized are indeed shameful for its
nationalsindeed, Iceland has a less
than stellar track record in its treat-
ment of asylum seekers.
Thank you for reading and for your
input.
Your Friends At The Grapevine
I'm traveling to Iceland next week for
the first time and [gratefully] have found
the tips I need to not come off as an Ugly
American in Reykjavik by reading the
Grapevine.
Thanks and best,
Laurie
Dear Laurie,
Oh, pshaw.
Love,
Your Friends At The Grapevine
KRISTBJRNSSON, and its good for posing
in front of a mirror, impressing folks with your
impeccable taste or picking up men or women
of all ages (no minors). DONT PANIC if your
letter wasnt picked AWESOME LETTER. You
can still get a tee for a low, low price over our
website, WWW.GRAPEVINE.IS
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of letter. Give us your worst: LETTERS@
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 The Reykjavk
The Reykjavk
Grapevine
Grapevine
6 Issue 1Issue
2011
17 2014
6
Iceland | Up in arms
Who's
Afraid Of
November 9?
Words by Haukur Mr Helgason
Collage by Hrefna Sigurardttir
After DV revealed that the police had just acquired some
150 submachine guns from Norway, Chief Superinten-
dent Jn Bjartmarzwho refused to answer any of the
newspapers questionsexplained on RVs Kastljs
that they have possessed machine guns ever since after
the Gtt-fight.
The Gtt-fight was a violent clash Thirty, wielded by Osama Bin Ladens
between police and workers, who were
protesting announced wage reduc-
tions, back in 1932.
The reference is as significant as
they get. An Icelandic State Police
authority, as opposed to a municipal
one, was established in the aftermath
of that fight, to ensure that authorities
would henceforth have the upper hand
against demonstrators. This process
was initiated and led by the Indepen-
dence Party. During the sequence of
protests in 2008-2009, it is known that
Jn Bjartmarz did press for greater
use of force against the public.
The point that Jn wanted to make
was that, since the police have been
equipped with lethal weapons for such
a long time, nothing is really changing.
The point that many people heard in-
stead was: these things are intended to
keep us down.
330 machine guns at the
top of the peace index
For years, a debate has surfaced from
time to time, about whether or not tas-
ers should be part of Icelandic polices
standard equipment. It seemed that
several governments in a row sided
with those who opposed such weap-
onry. Meanwhile, someone, some-
where, silently had his or her way with
a much more efficient plan. Tasers
are, of course, only occasionally le-
thal. Meanwhile, no one argues with
a Heckler & Koch MP5, which can be
seen in action in films like Zero Dark
As Grapevine's FB friend, photographer Stuart Richardson, noted: "Only living
here allows one to appreciate the sweet sweet irony that even other government
offices are lying to customs about their shipments being gifts."
REPORT
Renewal of equipment, police just decided to buy a four-wheel father figures do not. Last Saturday,
henchmen, and in The Dark Knight nothing else drive instead of a rear-wheel drive. an editorial by Dav Oddsson clari-
Rises, employed by Gothams SWAT The officer-cum-MP then took to the fied any possible ambiguity left by Jn
teams. In reality, armies use them, as The Prime Minister's assistant, podium in Alingi to scold the media Bjartmarzs somewhat ambiguous ut-
well as special forces. Until recently, Jhannes r Sklason, was the first for reporting about the guns at all. Lit- terances. In case youre new here, that
you would not have seen such weapons government affiliate to comment on erally: I want to tell some of the me- is Dav Oddsson the former Indepen-
in the hands of regular police officers. the story when it broke, mocking DV's dia and members of Alingi that they dence Party Chair, Mayor, Prime Min-
Two years ago, however, the Ferguson, journalists on Facebook: We didn't buy should be ashamed for their conduct. ister and Central Bank Manager, not
Missouri, police department report- these guns, he said, Norway gave them They talk of things they do not have to mention psalm poet, and now chief
edly bought four pieces. to us! As a present. His boss Sigmun- 100% knowledge about... editor of daily newspaper Morgun-
And now they are here. A shipload. dur Dav also quipped on Facebook: Another Independence Party MP blai. Defending the weaponization,
The shipment, still locked up in a Some people should stop shooting noted that, contrary to what the Left he wrote:
warehouse, report- first and asking ques- thinks, We dont live in Disneyland. Only six years ago, a rioting mob
edly consists of 250 Another Independence tions later, especially When the government and its herd attacked Icelands house of parliament
MP5s, of which 150 Party MP noted that, when it comes to ma- were done deriding journalists for and other public buildings... What
are to be disseminat- chine guns. not having their facts straight, we would those frantic hordes have done
ed to police depart-
contrary to what the The Interior learned that the facts they reported if they had reached their goal and bro-
ments around Ice- Left thinks, We dont Minister and Foreign had, indeed, been straight: The Nor- ken into Alingi? Perhaps most would
land. Icelands SWAT live in Disneyland. Minister both seem to wegian army confirmed DVs original rather not think that through. He
teams have had ac- agree that any public report; Iceland had purchased those concluded the passage with the words,
cess to such weapons discussion is unnec- weapons, for money. Iceland denied, given a whole paragraph for emphasis:
before, but these will essary and have re- Norway insisted, and so back and forth "The Nation was then in grave danger."
be distributed to ev- mained mostly mute. until Norway provided the invoice as The will to protest was demon-
ery precinct. Each The Interior Minister evidence. As if to provide comic relief, strated most recently last Monday,
precinct is free to remarked, This is Icelandic toll authorities subsequently when police confirm that 4,500 pro-
estimate how many a renewal of equip- sealed the warehouse where the guns testers gathered in front of Alingi,
they need, and to de- ment, nothing else. are kept, until the Coast Guard either which, according to unofficial pro-
cide if they will keep Meanwhile, mi- pays the applicable import fees, or, al- tocol, means that the actual numbers
the guns in patrol cars nor figures have spo- ternately, proves that the guns were, in were rather higher.
or at the station. Since the news broke ken up on behalf of the guns. While the fact, a present. The only recent incident of protest-
out, it has been revealed that the Coast Coast Guard still pretended that the ers taking up arms against authorities
Guard has actually been stockpiling guns were a gift, former police offi- The frantic, rioting mob was when stones were thrown at of-
weapons, since at least 2013. They cer Vilhjlmur rnasoncurrently an ficers in riot gear in January of 2009.
have disclosed nothing of their own Independence Party MPwent on the For what its worth, Iceland has resid- The police were exhausted and had
volition, but according to their less se- radio to explain why the chief of police ed at the very top of the Global Peace depleted their pepper spray supplies.
cretive business partners abroad, they had accepted those presents: Because Index for seven years in a row. Why Thus left defenceless, they had, de
acquired 50 unspecified machine guns he has Glock handguns all over the would police officers in such a country facto, been conquered.
from Norway last year, and 30 MG3s place. And its harder to take aim, per- feel a need to carry weapons worthy The question that, according to
from Norway and Denmark. That's haps you are going to a school where of an Iron Man sequel through their
330 machine guns in two years. there is an attack, and then you want daily routine? While authorities re- Continues on P.31
to hit the right man. [] So its just, the main either mute or nonsensical, their
 The Reykjavk Grapevine
8 wh t
Issue 17 2014
Iceland | For Dummies
So What's This
Lack Of Army I Keep
Hearing About?
Words by Kri Tulinius @Kattullus
Illustration by La Hjlmtsdttir
I
celand has no army. It does
operate a Coast Guard,
which does have four ships,
three of which are combat-
ready vessels. The Coast
Guard has a wide variety of
guns at its disposal, from cannons to
handguns. But it is not really a navy in
any kind of traditional sense. The Na-
tional Police Commissioner also has a
Special Unit of 50 police officers, nick-
named The Viking Squad, which has
several units specialized in various as-
pects of armed conflict.
Viking Squad? Should monks in
Britain and France start lock-
ing their doors at night and pray
for safety from the wrath of the
Northmen?
Just about the only thing the Vi-
king Squad has in common with their
namesakes, Actual Vikings, is that
neither wear helmets with horns.
That is about it as far as anything that
could be called a militarized force
in Iceland. With the best will in the
world, it includes about 250 people
that includes those who answer the
phones when you call the Coast Guard
office. This is not a recent develop-
ment. Unlike military-free countries
such as Costa Rica or Haiti, Iceland
never had an army to disband.
No army? So all these Vikings that
settled Iceland gave up their blood-
letting ways?
First of all, the actual Vikings who
settled Iceland were only a small pro-
portion of the original settlers. Sec-
ond, no they certainly did not give up
their bloodletting ways. In the first
few centuries of its existence, Ice-
landic government had no executive
branch. People had to enforce laws
and court judgements on their own,
which often meant doing so by force,
which could lead to death and disfig-
urement. And if someone harmed you
or your family, you had to retaliate in
ats
?
so
turn. It made for an unstable society,
which was good material for saga-
writing, but bad for getting through
life with all your limbs attached.
I also sometimes do stupid things
to get a good story, like when I
stuck a baby eel up my nose.
After Iceland became part of
Norway, and then of Denmark when
Norway became subject to the Dan-
ish king, there was little or no effort
made to create an army in Iceland.
There was not much gained for the
Danish state in having an army in a
generally quite peaceful country, es-
pecially since transporting the troops
to where they would be needed in
mainland Europe would take months.
This lack of army sometimes caused
problems, such as in the sixteenth
century, when English and Ger-
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man merchants fought for control of
harbours in Iceland, with dozens of
deaths. And, then, there was a mini-
religious war between Catholics and
Lutherans.
You see, the baby eel wriggled
about for a while and then fell out.
Maybe that's not such a good story.
With Icelands lack of army, the
occasional pirate ship could have free
reign in the country, as could Danish
adventurer Jrgen Jrgensen, who
took control of Iceland for a couple of
months along with a few British mer-
chant buddies of his. However, mostly
no one wanted Iceland badly enough
to take it away from the Kingdom of
Denmark, so an army was not need-
ed. Though there was one instance
of Danish authorities raising troops.
Andreas August von Kohl, a captain
O P E N 7-21
turvllur, Reykjavks hip spot for pro-
in the Copenhagen University stu-
dents' militia, was appointed sheriff
in the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago
in 1853. Seemingly out of a mixture of
boredom and belief in the moral ben-
efits of military training, he founded
a battalion in Vestmannaeyjar.
Boredom is the most dangerous
weapon. Genghis Khan got bored
one day and decided to invade the
shit out of everyone.
He sure did. Though I think bore-
dom was not the reason. The Vest-
mannaeyjar battalion got a small
grant from the Danish state as well
as private funding, and at its height
numbered about 100 people. But it
did not last long after the death of its
founder. Denmark had no interest in
maintaining a military in Iceland, and
on the rare occasion that it felt the
need, it sent a ship over with some sol-
diers. There was an army of Iceland, it
was the Danish military.
Ah, so a military culture never de-
veloped in Iceland?
Yes. Also, when Iceland declared
independence from Denmark in
1944 it was under occupation by the
US. The Icelandic army was the US
military. After World War II ended,
the US army left only to return in
1951 to set up a base, staying until
2006. Meanwhile, Icelandic authori-
ties were happy to not have to spend
money on a military, though the right-
wing Independence Party long strove
to found an official citizens' militia to
beat up left-wingers and poor people.
Sorry, I mean the militia was sup-
posed to assist the police in sensitive
matters.
NEWS
IN
BRIEF
BY PAUL FONTAINE
Icelanders have once again grown
fed up with their elected repre-
sentatives, staging a massive protest
demonstration in front of Alingi last
Monday. Thousands stood at Aus-
test meetings, to denounce a veritable
cornucopia of bad policy decisions
(police estimated 4,500 attendees at
the protest, while some attendees es-
timated that they were in fact closer
to 7,000). This particular time around,
the political party actually leading the
countryin this case, the Progressives
have most recently polled at just under
9%. Remember, folks: the last time a
ruling coalition stepped down, it was
because one party didnt want to give
the steering wheel to the other. Just
something to bear in mind.
In happier political news, former
Reykjavk mayor Jn Gnarr is
considering a presidential run in
2016. This is a change from the last
time he was asked on the matter, when
he said he hadnt ruled it out, and the
time before that, when he said that he
would absolutely not run for president.
By all accounts Gnarr isnt playing
some coy long-game here; it probably
genuinely takes a long time to con-
vince some people to run for president,
as crazy as that sounds. Watch this
space for when he officially throws his
hat in the ring.
The saga of the guns from Nor-
way just keeps getting weirder, or
more hilarious, depending on how you
look at it. Despite repeated assurances
from the police and the Coast Guard
that the guns were a gift and the sign-
ing of an invoice was just some Nor-
wegian formality, it seems Norwegians
are insisting on getting paid for their
machine guns. For now, the machine
guns are being held by toll authorities
until all this is straightened out. Which
CONTINUES OVER
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 The Reykjavk Grapevine
10 Issue 17 2014

Law | Order NEWS

Arrest, REPORT IN
BRIEF
Injury, will hopefully make you feel a little bit
better about customs hanging onto

Aftermath
your iPhone 6 from abroad for a few
days before sending it to your home
wrapped in that space-age packing
tape.

How did Chaplas Menke's arrest

lead to serious injury? And why? Speaking of those guns, the
Bishop of Iceland has had
some thoughts to share about a num-
Words by Tmas Gabrel Benjamin ber of topics lately, the machine guns
amongst them. First, she managed to
Photos by Hrur Sveinsson actually point the finger at the gen-
eral public for not showing the police
Standing by the door of a two-storey building in the Hfi sufficient amounts of trust, because
apparently we should totally trust a
industrial district and not finding a doorbell, I call Chap- police force that tried to keep a mas-
las Menke, who says hell come down to let me in. My in- sive arming-up a secret from us (and
have been keeping records of the
terview subject made local headlines this September, after publics political beliefs, as were told).
being reportedly brutalised by the police. Since then, the Second, she hand-waved away the
rapidly growing number of people de-
story has gone quiet. registering from the national church as
a by-product of both emigration (con-
tending erroneously that people who
A short while later, he invites me to his to visit friends, and was surprised how
move away from Iceland are automati-
abode. He is of average height, dark- well he fit in, as well as how friendly the cally de-registered) and immigration.
skinned, with sunken eyes and a svelte locals were. Every time Im in Iceland, Which no doubt made Icelands immi-
frame. He has a thick accent and speaks Im very happy, he says. There are very grants feel really welcome here.
hesitatingly, picking his words carefully. few black people in Iceland, so no matter
I ask him how hes doing, and he where I go, everyone is friendly. According to a new poll, most
modestly says okay as we make our Unfortunately, his Italian refugee Icelanders do not want gam-
way up the stairs and to his room. He status doesnt afford him the same bling to be legalised here. This
hobbles slowly travelling rights as might be bad news for Progressive MP
along on a crutch On the table next to us European citizens, Willum r rsson, who has been the
sole champion of getting Iceland its
through the unlit are four different kinds as hes only allowed
first casino. By his accounts, Iceland is
hall of the eleven-
bedroom complex.
of prescription painkiller to stay in Iceland
for three months
practically crawling with illegal casinos
boxes, as well as packs of at a time. Without as it is. That there may be underground
Its dingy and a full
gambling parlours in Iceland would
seven kilometres instant ramen. The air is a working permit, sure explain the predominance of
from
Reykjavk.
downtown
stuffy, and I get the im- Chaplas resorted to
collecting cans and
guys wearing fedoras, carrying Tommy
guns, and ending their sentences with
Chaplass room pression he doesnt leave bottles downtown. see? when they shake down owners
is an eclectic mess, his room often. Hed earn 15 ISK per of speakeasies for protection money.
with a large un- item recycled, mak-
made bed in one corner next to an old ing around 5,000 ISK (25 / 40 USD) Once again, the idea of adopting
faux-leather sofa, and a pile of old TVs. on a good night out. Its not much, but daylight savings in Iceland is
Chaplas says he doesnt have a lot of be- he says he got by. where he was given a letter stating that manner when we speak, one of several being floated. Granted, setting the
longings, and that he lets his friends use said he had overstayed his visit by sev- inconsistencies in his story. According clock back an hour in the winter would
indeed make the sun rise earlier later
the unused space to store their things. The letter eral months. Another policeman asked to police, once they decided to remove
in the year here, which would make
He offers me a seat on the sofa. On the him a few questions, before telling him the alleged zip-tie, however, they did so
getting up to go to work slightly more
table next to us are four different kinds On one such venture in early Septem- he was under arrest. with a knife, in the process accidentally
pleasant than doing so in total dark-
of prescription painkillers, as well as ber, he was stopped by two police of- Chaplas insists that the policeman cutting Chaplass right leg four times. ness four months of the year. On the
packs of instant ramen. The air is stuffy, ficers. After asking his name, the pair didnt explain to him what crime he He shows me the scars, and two months other hand, having to set the clock
and I get the impression he doesnt called headquarters, and then told him was charged with, and that he was then after the fact, they still look gruesome. back again in the spring is awful.
leave his room often. they had to deliver him a letter from the refused his legal right to an attorney. Chaplas tells me he started bleed- Hopefully, well just keep setting the
The 35-year-old Chaplas is a refugee Directorate of Immigration. Chaplas He says he panicked and started resist- ing heavily, and was ambulanced to the clock back by one hour, every winter,
from Liberia, a country that has for long says he asked if he could come collect it ing as the police attempted to transfer emergency room. He says the doctors until the sun is rising at three in the
been plagued by civil war. Unlike so in the morning, as it was already close him to another room. The police say gave him thirteen stitches, and told morning in December. Sure, it serves
many asylum seekers in Iceland, Chap- to midnight. However, the officers as- he was subsequently restrained with him his calf muscle was torn, which no practical purpose, but it would
las has already been granted refugee sured him the errand would only take handcuffs and a zip-tie plastic strap make life a little more interesting, you
statusin Italy. He tells me he origi- fifteen minutes. around his feet, although Chaplas Continues on P.31 gotta admit.
nally visited Iceland as a tourist in 2009 He agreed to go to the station, oddly disputes being restrained in that

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 The Reykjavk Grapevine
12 Issue 17 2014

Opinion | Xenophobia

Being
The Other
Words by Paul Fontaine
Photo by GAS

I wont soon forget the day I was finally awarded Icelandic citizenship. Having moved to
Iceland eight years previous, I fulfilled all the necessary requirements for a non-Schengen
immigrantI had been living continuously in Iceland for at least the past seven years, I
had not even so much as a speeding ticket on my criminal record, and I had received no
social assistance in the past three years before applying. However, I soon realized that
this was about as far as I was going to go towards integration. Citizenship is the immigra-
tion ceiling. You are, in the legal sense anyway, an Icelander like any other. In every other
sense, you are still a foreigner. You will always be a foreigner. Even your Iceland-born chil-
dren are categorized differently.

The most obvious example of this can
be seen in our own immigration laws.
Here, we see an unapologetic ethnic
hierarchy at work in terms of which
foreigners will enjoy the most privilege
upon arrival in Iceland: the best im-
migrants come from Scandinavia, fol-
lowed by other Schengen-area immi-
grants (that is, mostly western Europe),
followed by everyone else. At the same
time, according to Vihorf slendinga
til innflytjenda slandi (Icelanders try in many ways. The danger comes
attitudes towards immigrants in Ice-
land), a report from 2009 done for Bi-
frst University, the further away from
Iceland an immigrant hails, the more
likely Icelanders are to view them in a
negative light.
This is not to contend that immi-
gration law necessarily creates this
outlook, but it does arguably legitimize
heightened suspicion of non-European
immigrants in Iceland. So long as the
law itself divides immigrants into eth-
nic categories of being More Like Us
and Less Like Us, there can be no hope
of undoing that mentality in the general
public.
This More Like Us v. Less Like Us
hierarchy is unfortunately used quite
often by some of this countrys louder
voices of intolerance. Turn on radio
station tvarp Saga, for example, and
you will very often hear this kind of
rhetoric: poor little Iceland just cannot
defend itself, culturally or linguisti-
cally, against a massive influx of non-
Scandinavian foreigners. Immigration
is new to Iceland, they say, and our very
national existence is in danger.
This mentality is insulting to Ice-
landers. It tells them that they are some
kind of time travellers from the Viking
Age who have not socially evolved in
centuries; that they are a superstitious
and fragile island people who just can-
not handle new cultures, languages or
religions, and rather than upsetting
their narrow world view, foreigners
must learn to be more like them.
To be sure, Iceland is a special coun-
iour. And no Icelander
from believing this specialness gives
us a pass to discriminate. But the key to
undoing this lies in taking a more mod-
ern, and more accurate, look at what it
means to be an Icelander.
In poll after poll over the years, the
vast majority of foreigners report expe-
riencing some form of prejudice from
Icelanders on a daily or almost daily ba-
sis. I can attest that every time Grape-
vine has reported on this very basic and
demonstrable fact, there will always
be locals who respond with disbelief.
Surely this is a misunderstanding of
what prejudice means, they argue.
Maybe its a misunderstanding based
on language barriers. Maybe they just
dont get the Icelandic way of being.
Here I want to point out the concept
of death by a thousand cuts. Maybe
none of these things, by themselves, are
necessarily a big deal. But imagine
you experienced these little things on
a more or less daily basis. The accumu-
lative effect wears a person down and
grates on the nerves to the point where,
each time one of these little things
happen, the hurt you carry from all the
previous little things hurts just a little
bit more.
This is something I would like ev-
eryone to have in mind the next time
you hear an immigrant say they have
been discriminated against, or are hurt
by what they see as racism or xenopho-
bia. It is not their job to learn to either
accept it or laugh it off;
it is our job to listen If we want foreigners
and change our behav-
to integrate better
should accept the no- into Icelandic society,
tion that they belong we need to actively
to a fragile and medi-
eval culture that can-
engage in not just
not adapt to change. changing the law but
If we want for- changing how we
eigners to integrate
better into Icelandic
approach those who
society, we need to voluntarily move here
actively engage in not to start a new life for
just changing the law
but changing how we themselves.
approach those who
voluntarily move here to start a new life
for themselves. We need to accept that
we are a part of the rest of the world;
not separate from it. If we truly consid-
er the future of this country something
of paramount importance, we need to
make integration something that we do
for immigrants; not something immi-
grants need to do on their own.

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O
R
 The Reykjavk Grapevine The Reykjavk Grapevine What do you think? Is there good reason to make some noise? Or are folks just
14 Issue 16 2014 14 Issue 17 2014 honouring a newfangled tradition by now? Drop us a line: letters@grapevine.is

EYMUNDSSON
BOOKSTORES
Politics | Reykjavk News | Politics

BESTSELLERS
REPORT

Independent People Sagas Of The Icelanders

1 Halldr Laxness 2 msir hfundar

A New
Die schnsten
3 Njals Saga - Wordsworth
Translated by Lee M. Hollander 4 islndischen Sagas
Rolf Heller

Wave Of
Icelanders are once again making
5 6 their dissent heard, loud and clear
Jar City Under The Glacier
Arnaldur Indriason Halldr Laxness

Protests
Words by Tmas Gabrel Benjamin Protest organizer Svavar Kntur,
as it all went down
Photos by Spessi

7 I Remember You
Yrsa Sigurardttir
Die schnsten
8 Erzhlungen Islands
Soffa Birgisdttir Tension has been rising in Iceland of late. An estimated 4,500 people attended a general
protest against the government on November 4, almost completely filling Austurvllur
by Alingi. This marks it as one of the biggest demonstrations this year. The event was
initially inspired by a Facebook rant from singer-songwriter Svavar Kntur, wherein he
bemoaned the current coalition governments favouritism of the rich and powerful.

Instigator Svavar Kntur began the
demonstration by addressing the crowd.
In his speechwhich has been widely
shared across social media since the
eventhe likened the rally to the first of
three warnings his father used to give
troublemakers at the dinner table before
forcing them to leave. He went on to de-
Ashes to Dust Day is Dark mand that elected officials do their job
9 Yrsa Sigurardttir 10 Yrsa Sigurardttir with integrity, modesty and a modicum
of respect for the general public, while
condemning their actions of late; which
he said included refusing to take any
THE LIST REPRESENTS SALES FROM ALL EYMUNDSSON BOOKSTORES form of criticism seriouslyat best re-
sponding with condescensionleaking
misleading personal information about
asylum seekers, and covertly weaponiz-
ing their police force.
Svavar added that this protest meet-
ing was but the first of many to come.
All kinds of people
Judging by the numerous signs and ban-
ners present, those present were there
for a variety of reasons. Some signs in-
sisted that the government was corrupt
and pandered to the wealthy and power-
ful, while others displayed socialist slo-
gans or urged for new elections.
Teacher lf Hnfjr Samelsdt- owners. He went on to say that apparent
tir, 53, told me she was felt compelled
to protest due to on-going strikes in the
educational and health sectors. She de-
scribed the situation as hopeless, and
said didnt even know where to begin
listing what the government was doing
wrong. lf was joined at the protest by
four family members.
In conversation at the protest, Agent
Fresco singer Arnr Dan Arnarson was
less charitable, noting that there was a
great disparity between what the gov-
ernment said and how it acted. It doesnt
make sense to say theres no money to
resuscitate our crumbling healthcare
system, while at the same time lower-
ing taxes on wealthy fisheries and quota
moves to privatization and police mili-
tarization were signs of Iceland moving
further away from the Nordic welfare
state ideal, and closer to the US model.
This government is out of touch with
 The Reykjavk Grapevine
15

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The November 4 protests began at With his legendary concentration and 45 years of experience our Master
17:00, and had mostly wrapped up Watchmaker ensures that we take our waterproofing rather seriously.
Gilbert O. Gudjonsson, our Master Watchmaker and renowned craftsman,
two hours later. The protests were
inspects every single timepiece before it leaves our workshop.
realityits demolish- peaceful, with no arrests made by had dwindled down
ing our societys pil- the police. to a few hundred.
lars. The only way to Around twenty police
stop it is by making This government is out officers were pres-
some major fucking ent throughout, at no
changes and getting a of touch with reality point interfering with
new government. its demolishing our so- the proceedings. One
Meanwhile, inside cietys pillars. The only officer remarked that
Alingi, Prime Minis- they felt the crowds
ter Sigmundur Dav way to stop it is by mak- anger wasnt directed
Gunnlaugsson evaded ing some major fucking at them, but at the
questions from a RV changes and getting a politicians.
reporter who asked While disman-
why people might be new government. tling the makeshift
fed up with his gov- stage, Svavar Kntur
ernment, stating instead that they were said he was thrilled with the attendance.
upset about a great many things, such "I'm not sure when the next protest will
as the on-going music teachers strike, happen, we didn't really plan ahead. It
and the fact that their own parties were won't be tomorrow, but maybe a few
not in power. This demonstration was days from now."
simply, in his opinion, a part of Icelands
newly established tradition of protest-
ing. He went on to claim that he agreed
with some of the opinions expressed
outside, and disagreed with others.
The protest meeting lost steam once
the sun set, and by seven oclock, two
hours after it formally began, the protest
 The Reykjavk Grapevine DID YOU KNOW: Each Icelander will publish at least eight novels during his or
16 Issue 17 2014 her lifetime. They will also release at least two albums of original music, enjoy
great success at the Venice Biennale and come second in the NY Marathon!

OMG!
Literature| Too much

Bookflood
Is Coming
Tis the season to buy one of
800 new Icelandic books for
your friends and family
Words by John Rogers
Photos by Hrur Sveinsson

Icelandic winter really, really sucks. Its dark almost all the
time, and the streets are icy and beset by freezing winds
and snow. The mood of Reykjavks denizens noticeably
changes at this time of year, with many people suffering
sleep disorders or SAD, and generally withdrawing back
into domestic life. Its a time of lining the home nest, cook-
ing hot stews and soups, turning up the heating, perhaps
shying away from more social events than usual, and gen-
erally strapping in for the long, dark months ahead.
With indoor activities the order of the author top-tens and literary gift ideas. quarter, he says. Its getting crazy culture in the centuries that followed via really competing with just a couple of
day, its a perfect time to engage with But here in Iceland, the flood has some now. There are so many books coming kvldvaka, a time of the evening when major titles, say, the ones in the crime-
things that have long hovered on the interesting numbers attached to it, and inin this store, we got eight titles yes- members of the household would gather fiction genre. They get engaged in a kind
backburnercreative practices and the feel of a more defined cultural tradi- terday alone, some by really big authors, around the fire to carry out domestic of hyped-up chart race, and all the press
amusements, perhaps, such as painting, tion that makes it stand out from what so many releases just blend in with each tasks like knitting and sewing, inventing is about just those few books."
writing or knittingor just curling up goes on elsewhere. otherpeople have to be really clever to and reciting poems and stories as they And with popular genres dominating
with a mug of coffee and a pile of books. For a start, theres the sheer number rise to the top." worked. the media coverage, it can be tough for
Handy, then, that Iceland is home to of new titles that come out. In 2013, over By the 20th century, literature had books that lie outside of more commer-
a seasonal book bonanza known as the 800 new books hit the shelves during the Tell me a story became a source of national pride, cial concerns to get the attention they
jlabkafl, which translates literally jlabkafl, accounting for a whopping with the countrys overall literacy rat- deserve. We have many very promising
as the "Christmas book flood. Litera- 80% of countrys entire annual literary But, first things firsthow did all this ing amongst the best in the world. But young authors, says Kristjn, and Ive
ture becomes a hot topic of conversation output. This number places Iceland at come about? Well, settle down, chil- as well as these cultural precursors of seen their new works drown in the book
leading into Christmas, with people the top of a whole drenthe theories on jlabkafl, theres an economic story flood. Great titles come out from some
treating the gifts they select as a point bunch of inter- "Great titles come out jlabkafls origins to be told. Around the time of World War of Iceland's best up and coming authors,
of pride. Indeed, the bookstores of Reyk- national charts, are many, and tap II, most imports to Iceland were heavily but they just vanish. Theyre probably in
javk see an annual torrent of new titles including the one
from some of Iceland's into various strands taxedwith paper being a rare excep- the back of the warehousebehind all
hitting the shelves almost simultaneous- about new books best up and coming of culture and history tion. This convergence of a strong liter- the shelves of new books, theres a sec-
ly, with shopkeepers bracing themselves released per-capi- authors, but they just that reach back to the ary culture and financial practicality tion they call the black hole, with all the
for masses of customers aiming to snap tain fact, its more countrys very begin- clicked together neatly into the seasonal forgotten books.
up the most talked-about titles. than double that
vanish. Theyre prob- nings. As far back tradition we still see today. And once the new book! novelty
of Icelands Nordic ably in the back of the as the 12th century, has worn off, theres currently not much
Old Icelandic proverb: neighbours, with warehousebehind Iceland was already a Not waving, but chance for worthy contenders to reach
around five titles Nordic literary leader their audience. The lifetime of each title
books make good gifts published for every all the shelves of new via the sagasthat is, drowning in the market is definitely getting short-
1000 Icelanders. books, theres a section those famous historic Back in present, jlabkafl isn't all er, says Kristjan. People often work on
Of course, a Christmas book-rush is not Kristjn Freyr they call the black epics about revenge, fireside tales and bedtime stories. This books for years, and then the release date
unique to Iceland. Books are a classic Halldrsson is violence, intrigue, im- unusual congestion of new books means comes, but within two months theres a
present, ranking with an HBO box set the manager of hole, with all the for- probable adventures that, inevitably, some titles are left by the yellow tag on the cover, and the price is
for a sibling or a bottle of whisky for dad Laugarvegur book- gotten books. and ill-fated affairs, wayside or buried beneath the weight of reduced from 6,000 to 2,000 ISK. Its
in imagination. The phenomenon of the shop Ml og men- boasting a body count the competition. But the way that main like a conveyor beltit happens so fast,
Christmas book rush is consistent across ning. He sits on the front lines as the that makes Vin Diesel look like the Dalai publishers carry out their marketing is a and before you know it, youre falling off
Europe, with many national newspapers jlabkafl approaches each year. I Lama. problem too. the end.
in England and France, for example, would say 60-70% of all the books we This love of tall tales and storytelling The worst thing about the jlabkaf-
publishing an entire section featuring stock each year come out in the last was woven further into early Icelandic l, says Kristjn, is that publishers are

Sirra Sigrn Sigurardttir, Panopticon, 2014. Err, Two Faces, 1985.

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 The Reykjavk Grapevine
18 Issue 17 2014

Future
Perfect
Words by Rebecca Scott Lord
Photos by Hrur Sveinsson &
provided by Megngulj.

On "The Story Island," a fresh young crop

of writers is busy carving out a space,
making way, creating a culture all of their
own, in defiance of what came before.
Much like their predecessors, and their
predecessors' predecessors.

I.
shells of buildings
illuminated ashore
lay their lustre against the sky

we hold hands
on the seawall
Icelanders rich literary history is an enduring point of that Reykjavk was
marvel the disappearance of a planet
Birth lished this year has balanced out to about
all of a sudden dis- an equal number of men and women,
pride for the nation, greatly contributing to the national tinctly and lamen- Megng ulj's reflective of the number of writers really
(everyone leaves here in the end)
identity, even providing the basis for their claims to in- tably lacking a lit- first book came in out there. "Our mission early on became
erary scene. They the spring of 2012, to find these voices that weren't getting
dependence in the 19th and 20th centuries. Long before shadows swallow reflections
found that read- a collaborative heard or weren't getting their stuff out
and we can no longer make out
the onslaught of the ongoing nation branding campaigns ings and events for who is swimming toward us work written by elsewhere," Vala says.
based on the reputation of revered musicians like Bjrk writers to come Vala and Kri and
and Sigur Rs, Icelanders liked to present themselves as together had be- we are forgotten in waves published as a sub- Breathe
come alarmingly vanish by the seabed sidiary of the small
a literary nationThe Story Islandon the world stage, rare, while poetry press Stella, owned Megngulj started out finding their
frequently boasting of their high literacy rates and fabled books were pro- absently we lay by their friend and authors mainly through word of mouth.
hibitively expen- the foundation of a footprint co-founder Svein- Kri and Vala would attend readings,
storytelling tradition. sive, the average bjrg Bjarnadttir. and when they witnessed someone they
price hovering at Bjrk orgrmsdttir In the beginning, found interesting they tracked him or
Indeed, before Bjrk, there was Snorri of fiction, and some of those will eventu- around 5,000 ISK (Megngulj 2014) Megng u lj her down, and offer to work with them.
Sturluson. Stretching from the Sagas of ally become revered literary figures. for a hardcover. published a large And what Megngulj provides, its
the Icelanders written in the 13th and It all starts somewhere. "That price made it number of women real value, goes far beyond just printing
14th centuries, all the way to the diverse Which leads one to ask: whats brew- sort of precious somehow," Vala says. "It authors, leading some to conclude that and distribution. They assign an editor
literary scenes of the 20th and 21st cen- ing in Iceland at the moment? What are wasn't a part of the everyday. You weren't they were only publishing women. They to work with each poet, taking between
turies, the tradition of the written word our youngest writers up to, and where picking it up and carrying it around say they weren't necessarily implement- six to nine months to revise and craft the
is almost forcefully ingrained into Ice- are they headed? with you and chatting with your friends ing a quota, however, it was just that a lot manuscript. In the beginning, the editing
landic culture. A widely disseminated about it. We basically wanted to make the of interesting women attracted their at- was solely in the hands of Vala and Kri,
myth states that one in ten Icelanders Pregnancy whole experience more casual, to make it tention. "I don't know what it is exactly," who took turns doing every other manu-
will publish a book in their lifetime, and so that you could go to a caf and pick up Vala says, "but it's a fact that fewer wom- script. By now, they've gotten established
while that is mostly bullshit, the sparse A quick survey of the local lit scene re- the newest poet." en get published than men in Iceland, writers on board as editors, fostering a
populace still manages to produce an im- veals that a group of young poets oper- To begin with, Vala and Kri drew on and it's worse, statistically, in poetry than connection between the younger and
pressive amount of literature. ating under the name Megngulj the low-cost model of zines and indepen- in other literary fields." Vala says she older generations of writers.
So, lets say you decide to devote your (translated literally as pregnancy po- dent publishingwhich they had grown was particularly troubled by a report by Vala is gung-ho about the collab-
life to writing literature in a language of ems) has been the most prominent and familiar with in the USto make a series newspaper Frttablai around Christ- orative aspect of the editing process. In
only 330,000 native speakers. How do active in carving out space for themselves of chapbooks: small handmade books mas 2013, which said that only 37% of working with an editor, she says that ev-
you get started? How can you make your of late, making their presence widely featuring a selection of works by a par- the short stories and novels published ery single manuscript is improved in all
voice heard? As literary scholar Jn Yn- known and slowly infiltrating the dis- ticular poet, often their first published that year were authored by women. Even sorts of ways. "There's some sort of magic
gvi Jhannsson details in a sidebar to this course. Founded by Valgerur rodds- work. The two of them casually refer to more striking were the statistics from in the collaboration," she says. "I think it's
article, a common route for young would- dttir and Kri Tulinius, Megngulj the first project of Megngulj as the the field of poetry, where a mere fifth of invaluable just getting real feedback. The
be authors since the advent of modernity was conceived as an independent pub- "coffee series," as the idea became to sell poetry books published in 2013 were by idea isn't to put a leash on the writing.
has seen them grouping together under a lisher of poetry that would provide young each book for around the price of a cup of women authors. It's about creating a dialogue." She goes
banner, fleshing out and promoting mu- poets an opportunity to release their coffee, or between 4-500 ISK. Their goal of trying to represent with on to emphasize that getting out of your
tual mythologies and shared aesthetics work through a professional yet highly "The idea came in the wintertime of equality the gender breakdown of the own headspace is critical, and that the
(that are often in opposition to their pre- DIY process, providing vital support, re- 2010 and 2011," Kri says, "when the re- real literary scene thus came naturally. notion that writers are solitary creatures
decessors) as they claim space for them- sources and encouragement. cession was still biting very hard and the Vala says that with regard to who is actu- who produce masterpieces in a vacuum
selves and their contemporariesusually Vala and Kri conceived the idea and post-pots and pans revolution excitement ally out there writing, the ratio is closer is largely a myth. To her, a sense of com-
emphasizing poetry over prose. Eventu- M.O. of Megngulj after having each was sort of starting to wane." to 50/50, which can be affirmed by sur- munity is important, and that's exactly
ally, some of those authors will branch just come back to Iceland from stints in veying the Writers Union records. The what she and Kri are aiming to do with
out into publishing more popular forms the US. Upon returning, both noticed gender ratio that Megngulj pub- Megngulj.
 The Reykjavk Grapevine
Issue 17 2014 19

Snfellsjkull seen
from a motionless bus
A damp entanglement of paper clings
to the sky
I swipe Snfells glacier from the win-
dow
and make a note of the things
I should have said to you:

"They're all in their own world, writ- movement publisher. "Frankly, in some ing written and 1) under a flat, glassy surface ous than an hon-
Scream ing and reading their own stuff. I think ways it's because movements are in- pursued. Haukur there are stones which are stones est poetat their
it's important to come to these meeting ternally sort of volatile. We like to keep Mr says that the 2) snow softens; best, they can be a
While Megngulj might be the most points where authors meet authors and things as drama free as possible. We're conscious reasons I am a mountain that is a mountain culture's most dev-
prominent group of the moment, it is far poets meet poets. Then you're not alone poets, not playwrights." to create poetry astating social and
from the only game in town, with several and you're not just putting your poems "have to do with Snfellsjkull will be tossed in a bin political critics."
will decompose among banana peals, T h i s
other collectives and publishing groups in a drawer." She says that there's always What's poetry got to do ideas about poetry
paper cups, pop cans, candy wrappers
keeping the literary scene alive, each something that comes from these gather- being a good crite- critical potential
with their mission statements and defin- ings and can be used in her own poetry or with it? rion for one's capa-
refuse which is refuse
rears its head in a
ing characteristics. just her life. Almost all writers affiliated with the Ice- bilities, while also different way for
poems document landscape;
Started in 2013 by Slveig Matthil- "Theres a nice atmosphere among landic literary scene, past and present, lo- being an important every generation
feelings rot
dur Kristjnsdttir, Fryrkjan is a punk the young writers, and I do feel they cal and abroad, seem to have started their place for practice: of poets. Who can
poetry group of sorts. Slveig herself is are generally supportive of each other," careers with poetry. As long as there's to actually focus Kri Tulinius say exactly what
young, 19 years old, and many of the early says Arngunnur rnadttir, another been a prose tradition in Iceland, there's on your writing, (Megngulj 2013) this generation
members were around that age, though Megngulj poet. "The group of peo- also been an equally strong current of po- word by word, find is reacting to and
now the membership has expanded to ple surrounding Megngulj is fantas- etry running alongside. This traditional your own desires criticising? Opin-
those in their mid-to-late twenties. The tic and its been inspiring to get to know fare is the stuff of the Sagas, with rigid and tendencies in ions vary, and it's
group hosts monthly readings, currently them." rules for composition, mandatory end its employment, in the way you bend it or difficult to know because there hasn't
at Brav, where Slveig works as a bar- When asked if she thinks they've rhymes and a strong emphasis on alliter- squeeze it or explode it. I think these are yet been an opportunity for hindsight.
tender. The scene at Fryrkjans readings been successful in fostering a communi- ation. The Atom Poets broke free of this not just rationalizations, but quite valid Haukur Mr, who is from the generation
is Bacchanalian, fueled by beer and a raw ty, Vala says she can't really answer that, in the post WWII period, forming the reasons for at least some writers." above the poets just coming up, notices
edge. And in contrast to Megngulj, as she's far too close to the action to have first modern poetic movement in Iceland There's something about poetry an almost bitter sense. "If they have any-
the groups poets claim they arent at all an objective opinion. Kri feels similarly, with their free verse, and subsequent that appeals to an Icelandic sensibility, thing in common, as far as I see, it would
interested in editing and refining their describing Megngulj as a generation movements have continued the theme of though it's not necessarily just by virtue be a sense of disillusion, giving birth to
poetry, focusing on just writing it and rather than a movement, in the sense that breaking from the past, including Nhil, of being an Icelander that writers here various different responses, from the fin-
performing on stage. They published the poets they've published so far were the most recent movement, whose most start with it. Many, if not all writers con- est cynicism to calls for arms. It might go
their first compilation of 21 poems in Au- all born in the 80s. He says, "There are active years were between 2004 and tinue on through their careers thinking somewhat hand in hand with a hopeless
gust of 2012, and their second one in De- certain things in common with aesthet- 2009. of themselves as poets first, and novel- political situation, an enduring crisis of
cember of this year. Meanwhile, Slveig ics, but we haven't sat down and worked Haukur Ingvarsson is an author, ists, screenwriters, or whatever else sec- identity, of the economy, and of exis-
herself is currently working on a book out a manifesto. And I don't think we literary scholar and poet who debuted ond. Says Kri, "I think it's common all tence."
that Megngulj will publish come would ever do that, for various reasons. during Nhils heyday. He describes over the world, the idea that poetry is the
next year. We're not neces- their approach to language as being very expression of the soul. I think that idea How to make a living in
Emil Hjrvar sarily speaking as different from a lot of what's happening has very strong currency in Iceland. For
Petersen, another some sort of con- now. He says they were very focused on instance, though I am primarily in many three easy steps
poet published by
Me g n g u lj ,
January 3rd sensus, and in that
sense, we're not a
language and political aspects of it, but at
the same time playing a lot with its sound
ways a novelist, I believe in poetry in a
way that I don't believe in novels, in a sort If it's not particularly financially viable to
is a part of a self- Mitten-clad hands opened beer bot- movement." and utilising both high- and lowbrow sty- of almost religious sense." make a living off writing, and especially
publishing ven- tles with a key and we sipped from K r i listics. It's almost a given that a writer in Ice- poetry, then how are there so many Ice-
ture called Nykur, them while trampling the snow in goes on to say, "I One of Nhil's founders, Haukur land is also a poet, no matter what genre landic poets and writers alive and well?
originally started dress shoes. We walked single-file do think that all Mr Helgason, posits that while poetry or literary scene he or she eventually The majority of writers have two or three
in 1995 by Andri through the graveyard, holding on of the poets that might be a natural driving force behind gravitates towards. Sverrir Norland, au- other jobs, like Slveig of Fryrkjan who
Snr Magnason as to each other so no one lost their way we've published, at the urge to write for some, it's not finan- thor of Kvasnillingarnir, a novel pub- bartends at Brav and Hrra, or sta
a means to facili- among the gravestones. Beyond the least in the shorter cially viable to dedicate one's writing life lished this past September by Iceland's Fanney who gets to eats whenever she
graveyard followed a sharp, steep hill, works, the little largest publisher, says he started writing sells a drawing. But surely this can't be
tate authors who to poetry, since Iceland is too small of a
which we didnt realize until we had
wished to publish books, are react- country to foster a literary market that poetry as a child. His first two published the only way, because romantic as it is to
half-rolled, half-ran down it. Still we
their own works. ing to what hap- could support that. Writers who are pri- works were poetry books, and then he be a starving artist, it's not exactly a sus-
landed on our feet and stood in the
sta Fanney backyard of a house. Made a racket un- pened in Iceland marily novelists but started out as just moved on to prose, his current focus. "I'm tainable career goal.
Sig u ra rdt t i r, der the bedroom window and smoked and the chaotic poets might have been able to continue a poetry guy, even though I don't really Haukur Mr states it frankly, "Icelan-
a poet who has a bunch of cigarettes. We sprinted over period thats been on with poetry, had they been born in write much poetry anymore. But I read dic writers can make a career of writing
published with Tjrnins sheet of ice, letting ourselves ongoing since the countries with larger language zones and itit's my main source of energy." because the state funds them. Period.
Me g n g u lj , glide across, fell and hurt ourselves end of 2008." As therefore space to support the subculture Vala asserts that not only is poetry Over 90% of published literature does
says that groups more than we expected. Kept going life-changing as that is poetry. Nhil co-founder Eirkur a natural thing for a writer, it's also the not sell sufficiently to keep the author
such as Megn- and kept falling. There were stars in the financial cri- rn similarly says, "Iceland is too small bravest kind of writing. "In some ways, alive along with the publisher and the
gulj are critical the sky but we didnt see them for the sis was, especially to have a substantial subcultureevery- it's easier to criticise, easier to mock, be- rest of the industry. About half probably
to foster a system street lights. Anyway, we didnt want for people of his thing has to exist within the mainstream cause its disarmingly simple. In that way manages to cover printing costs by sales
of encouragement. to see anything in this ice cold gale. generation, just to be able to subsist. Literature is more I think poetry is a bit like being naked. only. But the deciding factor is this one
"I think that poets coming of age, he and more a cultural sidenote and poetry Like making love, or being made love to, fund, founded by the state in 1969, where
Arngunnur rnadttir
are really some- reiterates that he is a cultural side note within literature." it requires a very concentrated surren- artists, including writers, can apply for
(Megngulj 2013)
times like lone doesn't have any Despite the fact that it's not finan- der. And when its good, its terrifyingly a salary. It is a stipend, but received on
wolves," sta says. interest in being a cially viable, poetry is still actively be- honest. There's nothing more danger- a monthly basis, for three, six, nine or
 The Reykjavk Grapevine
20 Issue 17 2014

Youth Groups In Icelandic

Literature, A Brief History Of
From Fjlnir to Medsa to Nhil to Megngulj...

Words by Jn Yngvi Jhannsson

Some accounts claim that modern Ice- many people attended a poetry read- The spectre of Nhil
landic literature began in 1835, when ing in Iceland. The reading was the
four young students started their own culmination of the groups success, The 1980s and 90s saw other groups
literary journal in Copenhagen. Their but they went on to host other read- of poets and artists; some were short-
influences and impulses came from Eu- ings around the country. The group lived and loosely affiliated, others have
rope; an amalgam of reigning Enlight- and other writers around it has been had a lasting impact. Besti vinur lj-
enment ideals of progress and a desire dubbed the funny generation, as sins (The poems best friend) hosted
to disseminate bright new ideas and ro- their writing showed a humour and a series of poetry readings from 1986-
mantic aesthetics that they had picked irony that was sometimes absent from 91, bringing together poets and writers
up in their exile. The name of their jour- both contemporary modernists and from Medsa, Listaskldin vondu and
nal, Fjlnir, came from the writings of more overtly political writers. various younger poets.
the medieval historian Snorri Sturlu- Members of the funny genera- The most influential group of young
son. Fjlnir was a mythical king of the tion are still active in Icelandic litera- poets and intellectuals in recent years
Swedes, who sadly drowned in a large ture, and since the late 70s, grassroots has been Nhil, founded in 2004. The
twelve months a year, depending on the come as a surprise. One feature, however, vessel of mead, which he fell into while groups have regularly emerged on the name of the group is a pun on nihil(ism),
artist's recognition and the quality of his/ that I think may be important, is emanci- dead drunk. scene: young poets, novelists and art- n meaning new in Icelandic. The
her application." pation from the fetishisation of language. From then on, we can tell the same ists that have later found their way into wordplay, the mixture of Icelandic and
It would be almost impossible for a As in: this particular language, Icelandic. story over and over again: young and mainstream Icelandic literature and foreign languages and the connotations
writer to make a living if they had to rely The adoration of linguistic texture has at aspiring poets form a group, and pub- beyond. The fairly recent suburb of of the neologism capture Nhils spirit.
only on the sales of their books, according times been somewhat been given prefer- lish journals or even books on their Breiholt, Icelanders first attempt at The group was very active until 2010,
to Haukur Ingvarsson. The grant system ence over thought or any other content." own until they are gradually accepted creating a concrete jungle, gave birth publishing poetry and nonfiction, host-
is necessary for the health of the literary He says this focus can make it easy to de- into the mainstreamthat is, if they to the most influential of these: the sur- ing international poetry festivals and
scene, too, he says: "The existence of dif- velop tunnel vision for Iceland and only avoid falling into large vessels of mead realist group Medsa, founded by six readings. Nhils aesthetics were avant-
ferent kinds of literature is vital for the Iceland, ignoring the existence of the rest or other beverages. adolescents in 1979. In the following garde and experimental, its politics left
scene to function." Poetry is what fuels of the world and, therefore, the context in Fifty years later, four Icelandic years, the group studied and practiced wing and radical. The groups interna-
the writers of other genres like fiction, which Iceland sits. students again form a literary journal, surrealism in various forms inspired tional character and individual mem-
like Sverrir Norland said. Emil is optimistic about the current this time aiming to import naturalism by its ideological founders, and in close bers networking with foreign artists
It's a fairly cut variety in the lit- and new political trends from Den- cooperation with similar groups that are among its strongest characteristics.
and dried process erature he sees mark. Again, the name was borrowed were still active in other parts of Eu- And once again, literary history
to apply for a sti- coming out of Ice- from Snorri. This time, it was Veran- rope. Medsa organised happenings, repeats itself: from the grassroots and
pend: you need to Urban Surf land. "With a new di, one of three witches that spin the held poetry readings at punk rock con- experimental environment of Nhil
submit a detailed generation, the threads of destiny in Old Norse-Ice- certs, published volumes of poetry, and writers have slowly but surely emerged
proposal, and Nauseous from hunger genres come out landic mythology. in the true spirit of the avant-garde, into the mainstream, broadening it at
we stretch out in the gutter
sometimes a CV. of hiding, writers Another fifty years later, The As- wrote manifestos describing the group the same time. Eirkur rn Nordahl,
and touch
However, the vast will experiment sociation of Revolutionary Writers and its goals. According to the group, Steinar Bragi and Kristn Eirksdttir
like teenagers
majority of people in other ways, and appeared on the scene; abandoning itself, Medsa was made from 7 kilos now form the vanguard of Icelandic lit-
receiving such a bird in the eaves above 'the Icelandic nov- the custom of choosing medieval flour, 23 grams surrealism, 13 grams erature, even making noise abroad.
grants are over the blushes el' will change." names for their journal, they named dada, a teaspoon of punk, a kilometre of Nhil was boisterous and loud. In
age of 30, and have melts He says he worries it, rather appropriately, The Red Pens. Yasmin tea and 666 litres magic. comparison, the latest groups of poets
already published and sinks to the ground about the govern- Modernism and the post-war avant- The most prominent figure of to emerge may seem rather tame. The
a book before. So ments proposed garde also had their journal, the in- Medsa was Sjn, who published his lo-fi output of Megngulj (Partus
the means to sup- deep down (inside me) raise in VAT on fluential Birtngur (Candide) pub- first volume of poetry at the age of 16 Poetry) is a recent example, as are the
port oneself until are streets books, along with lished in the 1950s and 60s. and has since become an internation- more elaborate books of Tunglbkur
those almost es- delineated in water its much maligned ally acclaimed novelist. He received the (Moonbooks) a small publishing
a shimmering wet cuts to arts and
sential criteria Get vile! Nordic Council Literary Prize in 2005, house operated by artists and writers
are reached are culture funding, and has already been translated into 25 which only publishes books on a full
there I stow the salt
slapdash and hap- positing that they Many, if not most of the literary groups languages. moon. But, if things may seem peace-
and the zippers
hazard: side jobs, a have the potential which have been formed since the first Members of Medsa later joined ful at the moment we can find hope and
generous family, or to negatively affect edition of Fjlnir rolled off the printing other groups combining literature, vi- comfort in the words of Sjn: There is
Valgerur roddsdttir
student loans. (Megngulj 2013) the literary scene. press in Copenhagen have, in one way sual arts and music, most notably Sme- this tendency in European art that once
"And I think, His hope is that or another, identified with the found- kkleysa (Bad Taste Ltd.), founded in things seem to have reached some sort
aside from any ar- the work of small ing fathers, the Fjlnismenn (The Men 1986 by the members of Medsa and of an equilibrium, some bullies come
tistic merit, a col- publishers like of Fjlnir). This was also the case in their friends, many of whom went on along and hurl themselves on the see-
lective can be tremendously important in Megngulj, who he says has created 1976 when Listaskldin vondu (The to found The Sugarcubes. Among them saw; sending the old into the air from
those formative years," says Haukur Mr, a new poetry scene in no time, contin- vile poets) appeared on the scene. The were writers like Fririk Erlingsson where it may never return.
"at least as a mental and social support ues because despite the larger publishers name is a parody of a nickname given and Bragi lafsson (the Sugarcubes
system. When your extended family and putting out great books, "in the long run to most revered of the Fjlnismen, J- bass player), who, like so many Icelan- Jn Yngvi Jhannsson is an adjunct lecturer
your acquaintances from school, even it's not healthy for literature to have such nas Hallgrmsson, Listaskldi ga dic authors, started out as a poet but has at the University of Iceland where he teaches
close friends, don't understand why you monotony. The more variety, the better (The fine poet). The scene they first since become one of Icelandic litera- modern Icelandic literature, Scandinavian
botherhaving a group of people who for literature." appeared on, very literally, was at the tures finest and most unconventional literature and literary theory. He has writ-
share the manic obsession can be tre- Vala herself agrees that the cyclical University Cinema, where 1,300 pay- novelists. ten on Icelandic literary history and Danish-
mendously helpful." pattern will continue. She specifically ing guests were crammed in, some of Icelandic literary history. His latest book is a
The pattern that's repeated every gen- hopes for the poets of Megngulj to them sitting in folded chairs or in the biography on Gunnar Gunnarsson, a major
eration is a fading away of the previous flourish and keep at it. She believes the aisles. Never before, or since, have so Danish-Icelandic author.
literary scene, the forming of a new com- poets in Megngulj have the poten-
munity with a new sense of purpose, and tial to be the great voices of tomorrow.
then their subsequent fade. That's not to To Vala, diversity is critical, both with
say that the members of each generation the voices in poetry and literature, and
just go away when the collective goes. culture and society at large, and her de- TVEIR HRAFNAR
Certainly members of groups like sire is for the powers that be to recognize JN SKAR lisths, Art Gallery
Nhil and its predecessors, like surrealist and appreciate this. The politicians who NOVEMBER 8TH - offers a range of artwork by
collective Medsa (more on page 20), are are in charge of funding arts and culture NOVEMBER 29TH contemporary Icelandic artists
still extremely active, their publications have a great responsibility to nourish it. represented by the gallery,
regularly topping critics lists and even "I cling to the belief that if we keep en- selected works by acclaimed
artists and past Icelandic
sales charts. couraging a diverse range of voices we're
masters.
Haukur Ingvarson thinks this gen- bound to end up with a revolution. James
Hallgrmur Helgason
erational cycle will continue. He says that Baldwin once wrote, 'Where the poet Hbert Ni Jhannesson
each generation "not only invents itself, can sing, the people can live. When a ci- Jn skar
but also picks up older authors from pre- vilisation treats its poets with the disdain li G. Jhannsson
Ragnar risson
vious scenes that were perhaps not paid with which we treat ours, it cannot be far
Steinunn rarinsdttir
much attention and it reevaluates their from disaster.' I want to give poets the
Also works by:
work and literary history." Literature is chance to sing. Poets can be great critics. Gubjrg Lind Jnsdttir
like Ouroboros, with no discernible be- They can spark things. You give them the Hulda Hkon
ginning or end, at least not within any- chance and they will, as Baldwin says, Sara Oskarsson
Kristjn Davsson
one's living memory. Things, authors, empty oceans with a home-made spoon
Nna Tryggvadttir
stories, forms are constantly recycled and and tear down mountains with their among others
woven into the new narrative. hands."
As to where it's going, Haukur Mr TVEIR HRAFNAR lisths, Art Gallery
can't say. "I wouldn't dare to propose any Baldursgata 12 101 Reykjavk (at the corner of Baldursgata and Nnnugata, facing rr Frakkar Restaurant)
Phone: +354 552 8822 +354 863 6860 +354 863 6885 art@tveirhrafnar.is www.tveirhrafnar.is
direction. Anything worth anything will Opening hours: Thu-Fri 12pm - 5pm, Sat 1pm - 4pm and by appointment +354 863 6860
 5*$,&54
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 The Reykjavk Grapevine
ART
MUSIC 22 Issue 17 2014

STRAUMUR

Welcome
To The
New Year
Straumur Straumur radio show airs
Mondays on X977 at 23:00
www.straum.is

Words
li Dri & Dav Roach

By the time this issue hits the streets, we will be halfway through the fourteenth edition of
the Iceland Arwaves festival. At the day of publication, Friday November 7, Straumur will
be hosting an off-venue show at the independent cinema B Parads, where Vorhees, Sin
Fang and Unknown Mortal Orchestra will perform (in that order!) from 16:15-19:00. Later
that same day, we will also be hosting an official Airwaves show at Gaukurinn (starting
at 20:00) where, among others, Oyama, Strigaskr Nr. 42, Black Bananas and Fufanu will
grace the stage. The off-venue in B Parads continues throughout the weekend during
the daytime, so be sure to drop by.

Iceland Airwaves always sort of feels like
it marks the beginning of a new year on
the musical calendar, with many musi-
cians timing their releases around the
festival. For your benefit, weve sifted
through a lot of quality music in the past
month, checking out all that new stuff.
Here are some of the highlights!
KiasmosKiasmos Singapore Sling is the leatherclad,
The debut LP from the duo of lafur
Arnalds and Bloodgroups Janus is full
of beautifully rendered tracks that draw
from techno, ambient and neo-classical.
Merging the organic, analogue and digi-
tal, the album deftly navigates extended
grooves and subtle melodic swifts with
great assurance. The best songs remind
us quite a bit of Jon Hopkinss excellent
Immunitynot a small compliment.
Singapore Sling
The Tower Of Foronicity
shades-wearing dark horse of the Reyk-
javk rock scene, staring with apathy into
the ether to the soundtrack of their blar-
ing feedback-laden drones. This album
is one of their most lo-fi yet, and mixes
surging guitars with swaggering rocka-
billy and a cool so effortless and full of
hateful contempt that it permeates every
inch of the album.
OyamaCoolboy
Place, whose title song features Jfrur
kadttir (Samaris, Pascal Pinon) on
vocals, sounding like the faded whis-
perings of a young Bjrk. The EP sports
two excellent remixes from Ruxpin and
M-Band, and a couple more instrumen-
tal songs in the vein of the experimental
electronica from the Brainfeeder label.
GrsalappalsaStrax dag
Postpunk pranksters Grsalappalsa just
released a cover of Strax dag, by one
of Icelands most beloved pop groups:
Stumenn. Their treatment is true to the
spirit of the original, although a lot rough-
er around the edges.

Oyama just released their debut long

SykurStrange Loop player last week, its called Coolboy and
its a masterpiece of dreamy pop, pedal
laden rock freakouts and impeccable
songcraft.

Straumur has been active since the sum-

MutedSpecial Place EP mer of 2012, with writers li Dri and
The latest single from Reykjavk techno-
popsters Sykur is a bouncy upbeat elec- Dav Roach documenting the local mu-
tro romp that slows down the tempo sic scene and helping people discover
midway in the chorus, which strangely new music at straum.is. It is associated
makes it all the more infectious. with the radio show Straumur on X977,
which li Dri hosts every Monday eve-
ning at 23:00.
The left field-leaning producer Muted
is releasing the excellent EP Special
 The Reykjavk Grapevine
Issue 17 2014 23 MUSIC

Album
Reviews Amazing
6 course menu

A unique Icelandic Feast

Starts with a shot of the Icelandic

national spirit Brennivn
Arctic char
Sley - 'Krmantk' with cucumber andcoriander
Morr Music (2014) Smoked puffin
with yuzu mayo
www.facebook.com/soleysoleysoley
Minke whale
Sley blows the dust off some with celeriac pure
haunting piano pieces Reindeer burger
with portobello mushroom
Icelandic free range lamb fillet
with cinnamon potato

And to end on a high note ....

Sleys latest outing, 'Kr-
mantk', surprises. The EP
departs from her usual pop-
tinged songwriting, instead delivering
a very short collection of ghostly piano
sense of Sleys working process. Skyr panna cotta with white chocolate
While the distant, sometimes out- and raspberry sorbet
of-tune piano is evocative, it loses its
mysterious charm rather quickly with-
out additional visuals to accompany.
6.990 kr.

ta
ga
Hv

ar
music written for several art projects. It These curious and clever piano min- erf

kj
isg

L
ata
is in essence a multi-soundtrack album, iatures are done a disservice when Lkjar-
torg

La
and its title is an appropriate portman- masked by reverb; Stofuvals is one of ug
av
eg
i ur
teau that sandwiches together chro- the least shadowy works, and one can
t

ti
ti

r
str

r
la

sst
Sk
matic and romantic. notice the interesting harmonies and
sst

la
lf
Sk

olt

Ing

v
gh

All of the tracks on this sixteen- winding lines. It would be interesting to Am

ru
Our kitchen is open tm
in

an

minute EP revolve around an old pi-
ano, seemingly left to go out of tune
and gather dust. Each piece channels
composers known for their piano mu-
sic, especially the late Romanticists of
the 19th century, like Rachmaninoff,
st.
ns
hear the pieces alternatively recorded
st
g sushisamba
17.0023.00 sun.thu.
ur
ingholtsstrti 5 101 Reykjavk
on a clear, crisp piano, which would 17.0024.00 fri.sat. Tel 568 6600 sushisamba.is
bring out Sleys unique compositional
voice while still referencing their 19th
century classical role models.
'Krmantik' is a good collection

Shostakovich, and Prokofiev. Stiklur
is winding and chromatic; Kasmsik
and Efterteiti are macabre dances,
not out of place in a Tim Burton film.
An absolute
piece for those who may know of S-
leys music, and evokes images of mu-
sic halls past. But for those looking
for a more substantial work, we await

must-try!
The titular song Krmantk is a bit the next LP. For Sley, whose previous
more familiar to contemporary ears, works lay in a colorful area between
and it builds wordless vocals in lay- genres, these tracks feel ghostly and
ers. For those who read music, the pale.
sheet music images that appear in the
liner notes will be a bonus, giving you a - NATHAN HALL Saegreifinn restaurant (Sea Baron) is like none other
in Iceland; a world famous lobster soup and a diverse
fish selection. Open 11:30 -22:00
Worm Is Green - To Them We Are Only Shadows
ATA:DIGITAL (2014)
www.wormisgreen.com

Electronic musics solid

foundation
saegreifinn.is

<Z^gh\ViV- 101 Reykjavk  Tel. 553 1500 seabaron8@gmail.com

To Them We Are Only Shad- ity to conform to a gloomy status quo,

ows is the latest album from
veteran Icelandic musicians
Worm Is Green, a band celebrating its
fourteenth year of operation. The group
uses electronics and samples along with
vocals, drum pads, and bass to create
a blend of austere textures, often with
trip-hop influences. On Shadows, we
hear a wide range of shifting moods,
sometimes even abruptly within indi-
vidual tracks. Nearly unaccompanied
vocals might pause for a moment before
choruses of synths enter; some glitchy
beats might follow, only to conclude with
a bass line and backup harmonies.
...Shadows also offers a surprising
dryness; there are no lengthy echoes
or delays to the synths or vocals. Singer
Gurur Ringste provides the vocals posted if Brarbunga, Ebola, ISIS, etc.
on the album, sometimes in unison with
a male voice and other times breaking
away into harmony. Along with the dry-
ness comes darkness, both in brooding
instrumentation and through lyrics. One
gets the feeling that Worm Is Green seek
to highlight humanitys uncanny abil-
as shown in declarative text like, move
along/form a single line/your soul is
mine and stand your ground/dont let
them change you.
If the variety of sparingly produced
electronic music and slower tempos is
refreshing, it does come with a price, as
some sections lack momentum. Many
songs are quite sing-able but can also
seem a bit heavy on trip-hop nostalgia.
Overall, the album presents itself like a
live performance, and one wonders if
Worm Is Green might give audiences
denser textures or more dramatic tem-
pos when performed on stage. It is
time/it is now or never/we need noth-
ing short of forever, as they sing for
the last show on Earth. Well keep you
might make that final show a reality.
- NATHAN HALL
 The Reykjavk Grapevine The Reykjavk Grapevine
Issue 1 2011 LITERATURE 24 Issue 17 2014

24

Breakfast Two Days Of

Criminal Activity
Iceland Noir: its happening again!

Brunch

Lunch Iceland Noir The Nordic House November 21-22 icelandnoir.com

Words
Quentin Bates

Photos
Marks Mr Efram

People thought we were nuts at the time, when in reality we were suffering from good
old Icelandic gung-ho enthusiasm. This year, we ought to know better. Three of usYrsa
Sigurardttir, Ragnar Jnasson and Igot together last year to organise a small crime
fiction festival in Reykjavk. After all, how hard could it be? We had all been to a few of
Happy Hour these, and it didnt look like it could be all that much of a headache.

It had seemed odd to us that Iceland didnt
have its own crime fiction festival. After all,
there are plenty of them elsewhere. Den-
mark has a big one, as does Norway. There
are a couple held every year in Britain,
several in Germany and there are a great
many in France, as well as no shortage of
them in the States. But not Iceland. Like
Sweden, Iceland has plenty of literary stuff
going on, but not crime fiction. We felt it
was time to put Reykjavk on the crime
map, in a fictional sense, of course.
one, email the trusty lfhildur (ulfhildur.
dagsdottir@reykjavik.is) for details.
Intense criminal activity
There are a few more changes this year.
To begin with, we invited Lilja Sigurardt-
tir to join our informal board of organis-
ers and her input has been a huge help.
Iceland Noir is also two days this year in-
stead of just one, as we figured that with
so many people coming from abroad, we
the Hverfisgata police station and finish-
ing up by the library, but this year a whole
new programme for the crime walk has as-
sembled, starting at the Nordic House and
taking in locations that feature in crime
novels by a bunch of Icelandic and visiting
authorswith some of the writers on hand
to read excepts from their work at those
very locations.
Hot laptops!

Dinner Iceland-style
needed to offer them more than just one
day of intense criminal activity. We had
Although weve made Iceland Noir bigger
and, we hope, even better this year, it hasnt
strayed from the original brief, which was
been concerned that we might not be able
In fact, we organised last years one-day to fill up a two-day schedule; it turns out to have a good time with a bunch of like-
Iceland Noir in record time, a matter of we could probably have filled three. minded people. It has to be said that those
months, and it worked out pretty well. people who sit in a dark room dreaming up
We have a fine lineup of local and visit-
It didnt do any harm that we had some ing crime writers, from the big names of intrigue and foul murder over a hot laptop
great names who agreed to take part; Ann Peter James, David Hewson, Vidar Sund- tend to be a bundle of fun when theyre re-
Cleeves can take the credit for getting us leased into the daylight. Crime writers like
stl and Johan Theorin
off the ground, as with- to have a good time and things are never
to first-time authors

K-Bar is a gastro pub with a Korean, Japa-
nese, Icelandic inspired kitchen and quirky
cocktails. We have eight icelandic craft
beers on tap and over 100 types in bottles.
Open all day from breakfast to late night
snacks. K-Bar is located at Laugavegur 74.
Ask your reception how to find us or find us
on facebook.com/kbarreykjavik
INFO
out her instant and un- dull when they congregate. They buzz with
with some interesting
equivocal yes when curiosity, imagination and bonhomie, and
we enquired whether
and challenging new
appear to have an innate sense of direc-
ideas, ranging from
shed go to Iceland in those writing tradition-
tion for the nearest convivial bar.
Reykjavk is fortunate to have a very di-
the middle of winter for
Iceland Noir, November 21-22 at the
al whodunits, to some
verse crowd of visitors who will be here for
a new crime festival, we
might not have been so Nordic House, Reykjavk.
of the hardest-boiled
a few days in November, starting with the
crime writers about,
quick off the mark. to those with a super-
Icelandic Crime Syndicates annual read-
Then there was Ar- ing night at Slon on the 20th (doors open
naldur Indriason, the Details at www.icelandnoir.com,
natural tone to their
at 8pm), with a scattering of visiting writ-
work. Crime fiction is
king of Icelandic crime or you can find them on Face- a remarkably broad ers among the Syndicates members.
book. For further info, contact My personal list of what to look for-
fiction. The lineup was
Tickets
church, with plenty to
already looking good icelandnoir@gmail.com. choose from.
ward to? Norwegian writer Hans Olav
with the crime writers are available from lfhildur (ulfhil- Lahlum, Guinness world record holder
As well as the Ice-
we had press-ganged dur.dagsdottir@reykjavik.is) at the landic crime writers for the longest interview (30 hours, one
into making the trip to Reykjavk City Library. minute and 44 seconds) is on two panels.
taking part in two days
Iceland, but there was Louise Millar, Craig Robertson and James
of panels and discus-
a sudden flurry of ad- Oswald are coming from Scotland, each
sion, theres a very var-
ditional interest when we were able to an- ied crowd visiting for Iceland Noir, mainly with their own outlook on crime fiction,
nounce that hed be taking part last year. and Craigs latest book is set in the Faroe
from Britain, but also from Norway, Swe-
Now, the second Iceland Noir is about den and Finland, one from Greenland, one Islandsprobably the first time an outsider
to take place at Reykjavks Nordic House, from Romania, a few from the US, and a has set a crime story there. Then theres
on the 21st and 22nd of November. At the writing partnership from South Africa. the new blood, a panel of debut authors,
moment there are a few seats left. Being They all bring their own unique take on each of them with an exciting new story
able to use Nordic House has made it all things, and a perspective on their home to tell. Well undoubtedly be hearing more
possible, but it is limited in size. As we countries, or those countries they write from AK Benedict, David Swatling, Sverrir
darent bust the max capacity, and as we aboutthe two arent always the same. Berg and Sarah Ward in the future, but you
need to cover the cost of the coffee and saw them first at Iceland Noir.
lfhildur Dagsdttir and the Reykjavk
the programme, this year weve also had to City Library are taking part with a crime
charge a festival fee. Tickets are available walk through the city streets. Last year
at the Reykjavk City Libraryif youd like was the Erlendur crime walk, starting at
 NOW WITH SUBTITLES! Special Airwaves hangover screening
at noon, Saturday November 8. WOW: the first two who bring a 25 FILM
copy of this article to B Parads get in for free (+1!)

INTER
VIEW

The Attack Of
Comic Realism
And the counter-attack
of ignorant authorities
Hafsteinn Gunnarsson, director of Pars
Norursins, interviewed
Words
Haukur Mr Helgason @burgerjoint
Photos
Hrur Sveinsson

Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigursson's second feature film, Pars

Reykjavk
Norursins, or Paris of the North, revolves around a 37-year- Kbenhavn
old man, disoriented, as it seems, after a breakup, and his Selfoss
relations to various people, not least of all his chaos-factory
of a father. While the son fled his hardships into a small town
on the countryside, the father seems to have fled all over the
placelast stop: Thailand.

The father comes for a visit just at the Untold stories

start of the son's summer vacation,
boozes, and flirts with a woman the son
had intermittently been involved with.
The male animal
The film touches on various themes. It
is a comedy of sorts, but a quiet, subtle
one. I asked the director about its re-
lations to earlier Icelandic comedies,
many of which have focused on disori-
ented male figures. Hafsteinn replied:
"You mention r and Danni from
the Lf-series. That's not out of the
blue in relation to Either Way [his first
feature, 2011]. That one happens in the
80s, of course, and is in many ways an
ode to that period's filmmaking, the
films I grew up with. Paris of the North
continues examining manhood and re-
lations between men, but in a different
and perhaps a bit more dramatic mode
than Either Way. Paris of the North
focuses on the relation between father
and son and various sides of father-
hood. Certainly these characters are
confused and flawed, which may be
archetypal for how unsettled the male
animal seems to be after the changes
gender roles have undergone in previ-
ous decades. Hopefully my films are a
bit more realist than some of the com-
edies you mentioned."
The film is to some extent a com-
ing-of-age story. It also seems to
have symbolic side to it, such as
the near-literal castration of the
father. Do you think of it as a par-
able?
"No, I don't. It certainly is a story
of growth of both father and son, who
to some extent reject maturity. But to-
wards the end you can glimpse some
hope that they might advance a bit."
Your films seem to belong among a
few other recent works, in advanc-
ing a new realism. Baldvin Z, even
Benedikt Erlingsson, come to mind,
although the subtle sense of humor
you share with Benedikt makes it
tempting to speak of realist comedies
rather than realism pure and simple.
Do you see yourself as member of a
generation of filmmakers meeting
new challenges? Or is your journey
purely one man's affair?
"I absolutely sense a new generation of
filmmakers, male and female, entering the
scene. Perhaps the works of these people
strike a more realist note than what came
before. It will be exciting to observe what
happens in Icelandic filmmaking in the
years ahead. So many stories remain un-
told, so many formal experiments are yet to
be made. A certain wave has started. Cur-
rently, local cinemas are screening seven
Icelandic films, which is a record. This can
be related to the last government's deci-
sion to support the creative field and boost
the Icelandic Film Fund. The current gov-
ernment has cancelled those investment
plans and cut the Film Fund's budget se-
verely. The effects are already felt. To ad-
vance further still, Icelandic cinema needs
investment. In that sense my generation is,
sadly, fighting similar challenges as earlier
ones: ignorant authorities."
Hafsteinn mentions that the first all-
Icelandic feature film was made in 1977
and the Film Fund was only established
the following year. "It's so young. And per-
haps only now, this field is finding out what
it is and where it wants to go. Now, a lot
of knowledge and skill has been amassed,
both technical and in terms of ideas, and
the field is realizing its potential. It would
be disastrous if the only thing lacking
turns out to be the political decision to se-
riously invest in the field."
 The Reykjavk Grapevine
DANCE 26 Issue 17 2014

Make
its Eld sure
ing! INTER
VIEW

Call us on +354 519 5000

or visit www.elding.is

WHALES
& DOLPHINS
from Reykjavik all year round
The Legs Show
Elding Whale Watching schedule
EL-01 / EL-02 / EL-03
Dancer and choreographer
Jan-Feb Mar
9:00
Apr
9:00
May
9:00
Jun
9:00
10:00
Jul
9:00
10:00
Aug Sep Oct Nov-Dec
9:00 9:00 9:00
10:00
Brian Gerke on Emotional
13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00
14:00 14:00 14:00

DANCE
17:00* 17:00 17:00 17:00 17:00*
20:30** 20:30
* From 15 May to 15 September PREVIEW
** From 15 June to 31 July

Words
Grayson Del Faro

www.elding.is Photo
GOLLI

Brian Gerke joined the Iceland Dance Company in 2012, having been teaching at List-
dansskli slands since 2007. Just two years later, his first solo piece of choreography has

NORTHERN premiered as one half of a show called Emotional. It is a double-feature show comprised
of Brians performance, Meadow, accompanied by EMO1994, a piece by Norwegian cho-

LIGHTS CRUISE
reographer Ole Martin Meland. Sitting in the small cafeteria behind the scenes at Borgar-
leikhsi, Brian walked me along the long road he took in choreographing Meadow and
dancing in EMO1994.

and Ive asked them to shaveI was going

Dancers: assemble! Finding the meadow for androgynous.
So was Ole. Brian describes his dance
Generally, I just love dance, he begins. I So he started small. I wanted to make
solo in EMO1994: To use Oles word,
mean dancey dance, like kicking, turning, an abstract dance for these amazing per-
theres something queer about my solo
spinning, physical, sweaty, virtuosic dance. formers. If it was all about the movement,
at the end. Im hooded in this puffy thing
So I wanted to make a piece that I would I didnt want to do tricks or rely on cool-
that deforms my body but so are the girls.
want to be in and that showed what these ness. I wanted to do something simple,
Im wearing red lipstick and my midriff is
dancers could do. maybe a bit nave.
Make bare, but the movement isnt feminine. He
its Eld sure
But it wasnt easy at first. When I He was visiting his hometown of Mis-
pauses here, adding, At least it doesnt
joined the company, I had an identity cri- soula, Montana when the work really
ing! sis because everyone else was so talented became Meadow. Walking through a
read that way because its also quite vio-
lent.
and originalI saw ev- super dense forest, you
erything they could do Find all the Iceland can turn and suddenly
that I couldnt, he says. come upon a lake or a The legs show
It took a full year of me Dance Company meadow. I know its such
breaking down and try- info you needin- a hippie-dippy word, but Its not just the costumes that work with
Daily departures from 15 September
ing to quit before I real- that sensation is just androgyny, but the choreography as well.
Call us on +354 519 5000 ized: I too am unique. I cluding showtimes magical, like a freaking He feels that traditional gender roles,
or visit www.elding.is shouldnt try to be them, I at www.id.is Disney film. Like Alice in even in contemporary narrative dance,
should let them be them Wonderland and all the are a waste of talent. Female dancers
and let me be me. weird animals that live have too much skill to be treated only like
Which is where there. small, delicate beings to be flung about,
I came up with this: So he had stum- while male dancers simply lift and ges-
were like X-Men, he bled into a setting, but ture, lift and gesture. We were not doing
exclaims. Here, we both who he found there was that. The only lifts in the entire show are
lean in excitedly, Ameri- still a mystery. I was a woman lifting a woman, he points out.
cans geeking out a little working with Imperfect We often joked that this was The
about comics. We have Instrument and Mead- Legs Show because both pieces have lots
Storm and Wolverine and Nightcrawler ow , he says. I wasnt sure yet if they of legs, he admits with a laugh. Even the
and Shadowcat and all of that. But no one were X-Men, or mythological creatures concept of legs, like gams, is feminized.
has all the powers. Each is different. So I that dont exist, or what. But I had the in- But there is power in them also, with
thought its so strange to practice ballet spiration for the movement: the creature, women, and the men move just as subtly.
every day, trying to be the same, when re- the animal, the superhero. From there, it Not all things are just one thing, or even
ally, the majestic part of ourselves is our started to roll. two things. This concept runs palpably
uniqueness. through the entirety of Emotional.
Something queer I would love to continue working in
This was the birth of the piece's work-
ing title: Imperfect Instrument. None of that way, he says, concluding, I think its
That explains the intended subject, but he
us are perfect and we are instruments just much more interesting to see that.
discovered another along the way. Both
when were tools for choreography, he
dances challenge, as he says, one topic
explains, adding that he doesnt believe
of heteronormative dance. That is, gen-
imperfection to have a negative connota-
der. And in the most obvious ways, he
tion. It just means unique.
explains. The men are wearing makeup
 The Reykjavk Grapevine
Issue 17 2014 27 DANCE

Dancing To The
Heartbeat
Hlynur Pll Plsson discusses
the Reykjavk Dance Festival
DANCE
PREVIEW

All you need

in one place

H`aVkg
jhi\jg&.
 iZa#/ (*)**'&-.%
ONLY GVY^hhdc7aj!=iZaH6<6
SWEATER  iZa#/ (*)*+'),--
SELECTION,
NO KNITING AVj\VkZ\jg*(W
MATERIAL  iZa#/ (*)*+'&-.%
INTER www.handknit.is
VIEW
Words
Grayson Del Faro

Photo
GOLLI

The Reykjavk Dance Festival has changed nearly as much as the art of dance itself in its
twelve years of existence. But a change of directors and board members this spring has
brought on much more drastic changes to its scope and concept for coming years. In con-
versation with the Grapevine, managing director Hlynur Pll Plsson explained how.

Grsalappalsa. Choreographers Alexander

Creating a pulse Queering the popular Roberts and srn Magnsdttir have
studied the musicians live performances
When the concept began, there was not Each incarnation has a different concept. and choreographed dances for them to
a dance program at Iceland Academy of Augusts focused entirely on works by perform based on their own stage pres- Since opening in 1965
Arts, or many independent dance com- Icelanders. Queering the popular is the ences. Hlynur elaborates: What they do
panies. Hlynur says that RDFs beginnings concept Novembers performances will onstage with the bands is a dance. But
The Gallery Restaurant
were basically a grassroots thing: people tackle. now its being focused into a solo with no in Hotel Holt has been
making a festival for themselves to show Pop culture is continually citing itself, bandjust them, moving.
their works in Iceland. It took off from creating itself, and redesigning its iden- t h e p r e m i e r d e s t i n at i o n
there. Its been growing tity, Hlynur says. Thats You dont have to
in the past twelve years, Thats what art is: what art is: challenging for fine dining in Iceland
almost exponentially. normality. Were fans of be drunk to dance
Both in audience num- challenging nor- taking normal things and
ber and in the amount of mality. Were fans twisting them around Where does dance end and the other
arts begin? he asks me. Were continu-
works shown.
Hlynur is no stranger of taking normal
to get people to rethink
them and reshape them- ally trying to figure out what this thing that The restaurant offers Icelandic
to performance. Work-
things and twisting selves. Using the Ice- we enjoy watching and doing really is.
Because RDF is not only about watching
Christmas lunch and dinner
ing for years as a stage landic word snertifl-
and production manager them around to get tur, or touch point, he dance, its also about getting people to
dance. In August, one event took place
from the 21st of November
at Borgarleikhsi, he explains that each piece
stepped into his direc- people to rethink in the homes of dancer srn and her
torship at RDF in April, them and reshape
either explicitly or subtly
touches on the nebulous neighbours. In the middle of the day, each 3 course lunch menu
played their favourite music and opened
alongside new creative
directors Alexander Rob- themselves.
topic of pop culture.
In addition to chal- their doors to strangers to come and 5500 ISK
erts and sgerur G. lenging concepts of pop dance with them.
Gunnarsdttir. We felt the August festival culture in the upcoming festival, RDF has People are realizing that you dont 5 course dinner menu
had become as big as it could get, he said, always been pushing the limits of the art have to be drunk to dance, Hlynur says.
we wanted to expand into four festivals form of dance. The new schedule reflects Because Reykjavk Dance Festival is not 9500 ISK
instead. this. Theres danceoke, where music necessarily about the brain. Alongside the
Rather than one ten-day festival in videos with iconic dances are played and heartbeat of four festivals per year, this is
August, they planned two larger festivals people attempt to dance along. Theres a why the brochures for their August festival
centred on the design of a human heart. Tuesday - Saturday
in May and August, with shorter festivals heated debate where both dancers and
Youre not trying to understand stuff, he open 12 - 2pm and 6 - 10:30pm
in November and February to keep dance audiences are invited to swim together
in the citys consciousness more regularly. and discuss dance in the hot tubs at Sund- says. Youre just taking it in, the emotions closed Sundays and Mondays
Before, everyone came together only hll Reykjavkur. There are also events that or the beauty or the ugliness or whatever
you see. Gallery Restaurant - Htel Holt
once a year, he explains. We wanted bring dance to radio and film.
to create a pulse, like a heartbeat of the One event features particularly unique Of course it can get you thinking, he Bergstaastrti 37, 101 Reykjavk
dance scene. performances by the lead singers of three adds, but to us, its also about the heart. Tel: +354 552 5700
iconic Icelandic bands: Unnsteinn of Retro www.holt.is - gallery holt.is
Stefson, Kata of Mammt, and Gunnar of
 Accommodation provided by Htel safjrur, book Car provided by Hertz car rental,
The Reykjavk Grapevine Flights to safjrur provided by Air Iceland, book
TRAVEL 28 Issue 17 2014 flight at www.airiceland.is or call +354-5703000.
accommodation at www.hotelisafjordur.is or call book car at www.hertz.is
+354-4564111

How to get there: If you're driving, take road 1 North, turn onto road 60, and then again onto road 61 until you
Westfjords get to safjrur (use a map, follow directions, watch out for weather conditions). You can also fly directly from
Reykjavk via Air Iceland: book your tickets online at www.flugfelag.is.

Words Melissa Coci

Photos Anna Domnick

When I set off on a Westfjords adventure in early November, I

Winter
never expected it to be such an educational experience. But,
it was. What I learned was the utter futility of trying to defy
the elements, how one must sometimes just surrender to the
environment. City slickers heading to the Westfjords in win-
Westfjords And
tertime, heed this warning: you are not in control. The forces
of nature are. And thats fine.
The Art Of Zen
Learning to lose control on
the outskirts of Iceland...

When it comes to tourism, November is
definitely the off-season for the north-
ern Westfjords, just a few skips from
Greenland. Some might say this is for
good reason. Up there, the weather gods
rule. And boy do they love winter. Luck-
ily, the idea of not having to worry about
crowds or being cajoled into some kind
of adventure hike by a well-meaning
friend appeals to me greatly. It was with
this attitude that I eagerly made a list of
must-dos in the region and packed my
warmest of jackets for a relaxed, fun-
filled three-day trip, free from touristic
trappings.
After showing my planned itinerary
to a friend who grew up in safjrur, the
regions capital, he filled me in on what
would become the theme of the trip: in
the Westfjords, you have to be flexible,
you have to go with the flow. Without
much warning, the weather can ground
flights, close roads, cut off electricity and
render any plan or schedule useless. And
there is simply no point in getting worked
up over this. You need to take it as it
comes, and try to enjoy the ride.
Condoms, guitar amps, ice cream
The nature of the beast became appar-
ent before Grapevine photographer Anna
and I even made it up there. A scheduled
Friday morning flight to safjrur was
cancelled due to snowfall and wild winds.
There would be no flights that day. By Sat-
urday morning, wed grudgingly accepted
that the trip wasnt going to happen, re-
signing ourselves to yet another day of
coffee and pools in Reykjavk. At midday,
however, the airline announced that our
flight would depart in an hour. The un-
predictability of the area had already hit
meand I was hooked.
The first view of the fjords as our plane
made its descent had me quite literally
gasping. As the clouds parted, we were
greeted with pristine waters, black sands,
snowy mountains, and even a rainbow.
The kindness of every local we encoun-
tered once in town would prove just as
shockingly pleasant. The stage was set as
soon as we landed, when an airport em-
ployee moonlighting as a car rental agent
(in true Icelandic fashion) offered to drive
to his house to lend me his phone char-
ger. This sort of behaviour would repeat
itself throughout the weekend, the locals
constantly going out of their way to be as
helpful as possible.
As we approached the town of
safjrur proper, we were struck by the
natural beauty in which it sitsinlets,
mountains and an almost ominous num-
ber of ravens. After an extended period of
time just standing around and gawking at
Mother Natures majesty, hunger eventu-
ally got us moving, so we headed to Ham-
raborg, widely regarded as Icelands best
kiosk.

EXPLORING ICELAND,
THE FAROE ISLANDS OR GREENLAND
ITS EASY WITH AIR ICELAND GRMSEY

RSHFN
SAFJRUR
VOPNAFJRUR
AKUREYRI
GREENLAND
ITTOQQORTOORMIIT
EGILSSTAIR

ILULISSAT
ICELAND
NUUK

KULUSUK
REYKJAVK
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FAROE ISLANDS
TRSHAVN
 The Reykjavk Grapevine
Issue 17 2014 29 TRAVEL

Distance from Reykjavk

Around 450 km

from safjrur. Opt- cepted our fate, opting to go along with ability it demands of its denizens).

safjrur ing to explore more

safjrur instead of
whatever the day might bring.
In the end, our trusty pals at www. Ill be back
facts: risking a drive, we
wandered through
vegagerdin.is made our decision easy. The
only roads safe to drive (particularly for The highlights of our Westfjords trip oc-
town as the sun went outsiders who are not at all used to local curred right at the end of it. After pass-
Population: down. conditions) were the ones to the neigh- ing a small pod of wild seals en route, we
2,540 Perhaps we took bouring towns of Flateyri and Savk. arrived at Heydalur valley, nestled in the
Distance from Reykjavik: that whole going- While this wiped out half of our planned fjord of Mjifjrur. The valley is home to
450 KM with-the-flow idea itinerary, having but a few simple destina- an adorable, family-run guesthouse and
Average temperature in No- too far that night tion options to choose from was kind of restaurant that both come highly recom-
vember : 2.6C to -1.3C when we accepted nice for a change. mended by those in the know. Resisting
Average temperature in De- an invitation from The drive to Savk, while a little slip- the urge to book a night at the guesthouse
cember : 1.2 C to -3.1C safjrur Mayor Gs- pery, was absolutely stunning. This is no and explore the area properly (our flight
li Halldr Halldrs- hyperbole: the fjords came off as majestic to Reykjavk was regrettably only a couple
son to attend the lo- beings transported from Antarctica, leav- of hours away), we opted for lunch at the
...the only road cal Kiwanis charters ing us in awe of the power of nature. While restaurant. And what a delight that was!
deemed to be in will annual svi feast Savks main attraction, the Arctic Fox After slurping down some hearty (and
(svi are seared Centre, was closed (surprise, surprise), we affordable!) soup made by the friendly
not lead to your slip- sheep heads). The got our fix of the local fauna from the de- Stella, I was sorely tempted to order one
pery doom conditions event was a quint- lightful sheep we encountered while there. of everything on the menu. And vegetar-
was the one that lead essential example of They serenely dug through the snow to ians rejoice, one of Heydalurs employees,
Icelandic hospitality. eat the grass below, unfazed by the frigid Else, is a vegetarian, ensuring plenty of
to the neighbouring The hosts, particu- conditions and the crashing waves of the veg- friendly menu options. She is also
hamlet of Bolungarvk, larly club president ocean beside them. It served to underline happy to answer any questions you may

a full thirteen-minute Gunnlaugur Gunn-

Entering the shop-cum-restaurant
was an assault on the senses. On that
rainy Saturday afternoon, it felt like half
the town had gathered in there under the
watchful yet friendly gaze of proprietor
lfur r lfarsson. Hamraborg is truly to explore the town and its surroundings.
stuffed with stuff, offering most everything
one could ever want or need in a town like
safjrur: from Fender guitar amps and
flavoured condoms, to milk, beer and
various electronics. While the fast food we
enjoyed there was firmly up to the greasy
standards of its category, the ice cream
was truly next level. You should try some,
laugsson, went out
drive from safjrur. of their way to make
us feel welcome. I
was gifted an ex-
pensive bottle of red
wine, simply for be-
ing a visiting Brit-
ish journalist (close
enough). Even the
puffin hunter guy we
sat next to seemed kind enough, despite
constantly boasting of how many puffins
hed killed throughout his career.
Goaded on by our hosts warmth and
jovial nature, we had no choice but to
if you ever have the chance. partake in the heaping platters of seared
sheep heads on offer, getting a first taste
Feasting on face of this local delicacy. The verdict: quite
good, if you can look past the fact that
Hyped up on sugar, we were determined youre basically eating a face.
lftafjrur, Seyisfjrur, Sktufjrur,
Of course, the weather had the final say. Winter wonderland
A quick visit to the Icelandic Road and
Coastal Administrations absolutely crucial The next day, I woke up to find safjrur ings we traversed, mouths often agape
website, www.vegagerdin.is, revealed that had turned into a twinkling winter won-
the only road deemed to be in will not lead derland. Instead of getting worked up over
to your slippery doom conditions was the the fact that our plan to explore the fur-
one that lead to the neighbouring hamlet thest ranges of the region (via our trusty
of Bolungarvk, a full thirteen-minute drive rental car) was doomed, we serenely ac-
natures way of adapting to challenges,
rather than fighting them, which is some-
have about the resident cockatoo, dog
and rehabilitated arctic foxes they regu-
thing many humans might take to heart. larly host at Heydalur. Leaving the resort
Bearing that in mind, I managed to not behind to catch our flight proved incred-
throw a tantrum when we learned that the ibly difficultwith two pools, friendly pets
road to Flateyri had become too treacher- and a plethora of wintertime activities to
ous to travel just as we were making our get up to, Heydalur is clearly a great stop-
way there. over in the Westfjords.
Even though it nearly gave my time-
On the road conscious friend a heart attack, I couldnt
resist a quick dip at Hrgshlarlaug, one
On our third and last day, the blankets of of the many natural pools the Westfjords
snow had melted away. The universe had has to offer. While enjoying a soothing
rewarded our patience with a pink sun- bathe, and gazing out at the snow flecked
rise (Thanks Holuhraun!) over beautiful mountains and calm fjord, I firmly decided
mountains, with a smattering of clouds that I would be back. Sooner than later.
rendering the fjord's inlet a deep blue. The Considering it was the regions off-
roads finally clear and safe, we immedi- season, there was still so much to see,
ately drove off. even if most of it was covered in snow.
As we made our way through the fjords Unlike most of Iceland, the winter season
that make up the safjarardjp fjord here has yet to be invaded by hordes of
tourists, and it likely never will be. But for
Hestfjrur and Mjifjrurwe became the adventurous, for those willing to be
increasingly exhilarated by the surround- flexible and give up the human folly of
needing to feel in control at all times, the
for minutes at a time. Further adding to Westfjords in winter is an excellent get-
our sense of wonder was how quickly the away.
weather and road conditions had turned
around, the stark contrast highlighting the
adaptability of the region (and the adapt-

Check it
out!

FOR THE BEST PRICE BOOK ONLINE AT:

AIRICELAND.IS
 The Reykjavk Grapevine
TRAVEL 30 Issue 17 2014

How to get there: Adrenalngarurinn is 40 km out of Reykjavk,

Distance from Reykjavk
The Adrenaline Park and is open all year round. You can book tickets at www.adrenalin.is,
Around 40 km
or by calling (+354) 414-2910.

Wrestling
With Your
Own Fear At the Adrenaline Park,
we overcome

Words Tmas Gabrel Benjamin And then, when I leave the safety of
the platform and take the second step,
Photos Matthew Eisman the fear recedes. I feel the bridge sway,
but its not as distressing. With each step
the fear lessens, and when I reach the
I can feel the sun shining gently on my skin, hear a stream next platform, I feel an endorphin rush. I
of warm water flowing from the nearby Nesjavallavirkjun had conquered the first trial, and perhaps
more importantly, a part of myself that I
geothermal power station, and see the big and majestic
hadnt known existed.
lake ingvallavatn spread before me. I think to myself: I And then I see the next obstacles, a
would really appreciate this scenery, were I not elevated ten series of small wooden blocks suspended
through the middle. How can they support
metres from the ground. my weight? Are my legs long enough to
reach from one pad to the next? What if
Adrenalngarurinn (The Adrenaline I fall? What if this line isnt strong enough
Park) is an amusement park for adults: Paralysis of analysis and I plummet to my death? What if
an obstacle course that offers 45 ob-
stacles on three levels for those willing to Our instructor, Slvi r Jnasson, had Clip in and keep moving
step outside of their comfort zone. I chose carefully led us through all the parks
to go straight up to the top floor, because safety precautions and shown us how Each obstacle invites the same thought
I wanted the authentic to clip our harnesses process: fear as I overanalyse the prob-
experience. Of course,
I was kicking myself
over my decision as
INFO correctly, so that if
we were to fall, we
wouldnt plummet to
lem, then relief when I just get on with
it. I venture through a bridge made out
of rope hoops and suspended wooden
I hesitantly began Adrenalngarurinn features a our death. beams, cross a tightrope with steady
crossing the first ob- variety of obstacles, including Testing the system rings every few steps, and traverse over a
stacle, a rope bridge numerous kinds of rope bridges a half metre from the slippery-looking wooden log, facing each
with two out of every of varying difficulties, a swing ground, it all seemed challenge with more confidence, until
three steps missing. that starts twelve metres from the easy and safe, even they just become playful tests of agility.
I told myself I was ground, a climbing wall, a zip line, though Id heard of For the most part, Slvi sits back on
waiting for our pho- and a slackline. The course takes people in the past get- the ground level, sipping his hot choco-
tographer, Matt, to get an estimated three hours to com- ting injured. I came late, watching our group calmly, as a par-
into a good position for plete. Tickets go for 6,900 ISK. mentally prepared to ent would its children at the playground.
a shot. In reality, I was leap, run and climb At the end of it, he tells us they get a lot
mostly just second- through the course, of company outings, school trips, and stag
guessing whether I had but standing on the and hen dos, but that hes only ever had
clipped in my safety platform I found the to climb up and save one person that got
line properly. real obstacle was my stuck. Its not any more complicated than
When Matt finally own fear. moving forward and pulling yourself up
makes it up, I curse Having run out of when you fall, he says.
under my breath and excuses, I take the first My fearful past-self wished he had
think that the parks step and feel the whole told us that before we started.
name is a misnomer, as the only thing bridge move terrifyingly from side to side
Im feeling is an overwhelming sense of as I put my weight on it. I clutch onto the
dread. What if I fall and my harness works, railing, and experience something akin to
but I end up snapping my neck? What if? vertigo as I look down below.

LAKE MVATN WINTER TOUR

DISCOVER THE NORTH

FOR ONLINE BOOKINGS - WWW.SBA.IS

Continues from P.06
the psalm poet, "most would rather
not think through" was then in fact an-
swered in action: When police officers
found themselves in this frightening
position, protesters themselves formed
a human shield around them, to pro-
tect them from any rocks that might be
thrown. That frantic mob.
That is not to say that, back in 2009,
no one meant to frighten authorities.
The clear intention of the whole move-
ment was to demonstrate that the people
would not tolerate a government accept-
ing no responsibility for lies, corruption,
failed plans, a failed ideology, and pre-
dictably dire consequences. We are all
still living out the consequences of the
economic crash. We will for a while.
That winter, however, for weeks
upon weeks, every single can of skyr and
raw egg hurled at the house of Alingi
was a logical demonstration of the
peaceful means employed to demand
change: I am not a stone, every commod-
ity shouted as it flew. I could be a stone, I
am angry enough to be a stone, and I am
right enough to be a stone, and still I am
not. This has been called a revolution. It
was not, but it was an effective uprising.
The skyr really scared them.
There is, however, more than one
side to fear. Our current dilemma mir-
rors the third stage in the familiar se-
quence of responses to fear: First au-
thorities froze, then they fled. Now they
want to fight.
Continues from P.10
could take up to twelve months to heal.
After being treated for his immediate
wounds, Chaplas says he was made to
wait in a holding cell until morning, be-
fore being released without charge.
Getting a helping hand
His long-term friend, Lill Mikaela
Hreinsdttir Mifjr, came over to
pick him up and describes over the
phone how she had never seen Chaplas
in such a broken-down state. He was
just sitting there, wearing nothing but
his boxers and a t-shirt, covered in his
own blood, she says.
Lill says she noted a radical change
in Chaplass behaviour over the follow-
ing weeksan easy-going person by
nature, he was noticeably afraid of be-
ing around strangers according to her.
Indeed, he initially refused to meet me
for the interview without having Lill
present.
The physical injuries have made it
difficult for Chaplas to go anywhere
by himself. I drive him to the doctors,
his lawyer, and anywhere else he has to
go, she says. Hes now completely de-
pendent on the goodwill of others.
Rendered unable to earn a living
through collecting recyclables, Chap-
las now gets his food from the Fjls-
kylduhjlp (Family Aid) food bank.
Lill says she tries to help him with
other financial needs, but admits that
as a mother of four, theres not much
she can do.
Admitting fault
Two weeks after my meeting with
Chaplas, Hrur Jhannesson from the
office of the National Commissioner of
the Icelandic Police agrees to answer
my questions over email. He says that
an internal investigation determined
that Chaplass injuries were the result
of a communication failure; that the
police assume full responsibility for
Chaplass injuries and are currently
working on an out-of-court settlement
with his lawyer.
Hrur says that the accidental
stabbing was a result of two officers
The Reykjavk Grapevine
Issue 17 2014
November 9
A conservatives mojo lies in eas-
ily equalling their own preservation
with the preservation of civilization
as such: the preservation of actual and
innocent people leading their honest,
peaceful and prosperous lives, against
a nameless, unholy and frantic mob,
ready to harm those creatures of de-
light at any opportunity. The Left.
Morgunblai provides this world-
view. In spades. It is too coherent and
too self-assured to ignore. The editor
speaks on behalf of those in power,
only a little more freely than they do,
now that he doesnt share their re-
sponsibilities.
If Iceland had not already accepted
a chronic state of cognitive dissonance
as its predicament, Dav Oddsson and
his opinions would have no currency
today. When the countrys wealthi-
est woman bought Morgunblai at a
post-crash discount from a national-
izedthat is, publicly ownedbank,
and handed the reigns to Dav, not
every reader cancelled their subscrip-
tion. Hardcore Independence Party
members remain. Morgunblai is
their mouthpiece.
Obviously, Morgunblais edito-
rial is factually wrong. It is also politi-
cally wrong, and not in the traditional
sense.
Dav Oddsson used to consider
himself liberal. He now expresses a
desire for the state to be invincible.
Only failed states harbour such de-
sires. Such states have come and gone.
not conveying their intentions clearly
enough, as one went to fetch prongs
to cut the plastic straps, while another
proceeded to use a knife, to the afore-
mentioned effect. Following this, an in-
ternal memo has been passed to every
officer, asserting that correct protocol
for removing plastic straps bars the use
of a knife.
Hrur tells me that the investiga-
tion revealed that Chaplas had indeed
asked to speak with a lawyer when he
was detained. The officers failure to incredibly racist society.
abide his wishes was the result of mis-
understanding or mistake, says Hrur,
further hypothesising that after the in-
jury occurred, normal procedure went
out the window.
Hrur asserts that Chaplas was in-
formed that he was being arrested for
staying illegally in the country, and that
police had been searching for him since
July. Chaplass heated reactions then
set in motion the chain of events that
followed.
However, the officers involved have
not been punished for the incident.
Weve gone over the matter with the
staff in question, he says, and as far as
I know they wont face any further con-
sequences. He added that the police
will answer for what happened, but not
through the media, as the case is still
on-going.
Over email, lawyer rsteinn Gun-
narsson, a division manager at the Ice-
landic Directorate of Immigration, said
he couldnt comment on individual cas-
es, but noted that the directorate only
asked police to deliver a notice to indi-
viduals that have overstayed their stay,
not to arrest them. Those notified gen-
erally have 5-30 days to leave the coun-
try before being deported, although ex-
tenuating circumstances may warrant
an extension.
Currently, Chaplas and his lawyer,
Hreiar Eirksson, are in the process of
negotiating with the police. If a settle-
ment cant be reached, well have to
take the matter to the courts, Hreiar
tells me over the phone.
Hreiar adds that the police has yet
to provide him with a reason for Chap-
lass arrest, and brings into question
whether restraining him was neces-
sary to hand him a simple letter. He was
unwilling to comment on whether he
31 LEFTOVERS
There was one in Germany a while
back. It had more in common with
Iceland than data collection and po-
lice surveillance of peoples political
views. This coming Sunday, the West
will celebrate November 9 as the 25th
anniversary of a rebellion against the
authority of concrete slabs known as
the Berlin Wall. That wall was sup-
posed to defend the States integrity
and good intentions against dissi-
dents.
Incidentally, November 9 is also
the day of the above-mentioned Gtt-
fight. This coming Sunday marks its
82nd anniversary. That day, the work-
ers won. Then, they went home. No one
was killed. Subsequently, the workers
demands were met. Wages were not
reduced, as had been proposed. That
was good. As Jn Baldvinsson, social-
ist and member of Alingi in 1932,
noted after the fight, there is nothing
wrong about the police being defeated
every now and then.
It happened again January 21,
2009. That was not merely good, it was
necessary. A state by the people and O R I G I N A L LY
BITTER
for the people cannot be armed to the
teeth against the people. A state that
aims at invincibility against its own
population, and will tolerate protests
only as long as they are sure not to
achieve anything, is not, fundamen-
tally, a democratic state, but a fascist
one.
Return the guns.
thinks Chaplas may have been treated
differently because of his skin colour
and nationality. However, his friend
Lill was not so modest, claiming that
many foreigners are systematically dis-
criminated against in Iceland.
Chaplas has been met with a lot of
hostility, and I know of many other cas-
es where the police have arrested black
people without any justification, she
says. Even though many people would
like to believe otherwise, we live in an
An uncertain conclusion
Almost three weeks after initially
meeting Chaplas, I visit him again with
our photographer. Hes starting to be
able to walk short distances without a
crutch, and looks healthier, but conveys
to me that many still dont believe what
happened to him. People say that they
cant believe the police would cut and
hurt me, he confides, but I want ev-
eryone to understand what is going on.
While he waits to see if hell get his
day in court, the facts of the matter
the known knowns, to quote Rums-
feldtell a pretty compelling story: a
man is arrested, protocol is breached,
his human rights are not respected, and
in addition to his reputation being tar-
nished, he suffers physically and emo-
tionally at the hands of the police.
If we take the fiasco at face value,
as a series of unintentional accidents, it
goes to show that there are not enough
checks in place to protect citizens
rights, which is troubling news if the
police are indeed getting unprecedent-
ed access to firepower in the near fu-
ture (see more on that on page six).
This foul-up confirms that police
mistakes can have dire results, as is ap-
parent from Chaplass limp. Hopefully
some good can come from this unfor-
tunate series of events, if the police
indeed use the opportunity to revise
their procedures and learn from their
mistakes.
 The Reykjavk Grapevine
FOOD 32 Issue 17 2014 Read the full menu and learn more about JaJaJa at www.jajajamusic.com

Gothic Wolffish
Cheeks in
JaJaJaland
Emiliana Torrini and Chef
Antto Melasniemi (formerly
of HIM) made us dinner
Words
Ragnar Egilsson
Photos
Axel Sigurarson

A relentlessly cheerful Icelandic pop musician and a brood-

ing Finnish wunderkind of the Nordic food scene (and for-
mer keyboardist for goth rock band HIM) traverse Iceland to
source ingredients for an intimate banquet in a nondescript
apartment to promote a music festival in London.

The festival is called JaJaJa, a pan-Nordic
music festival featuring the best and the
brightest of the Nordic music scene, held
November 13-15 in Londons Mile End.
The festival will culminate in a Nordic food
feast sprung from the loins of chef Antto
Melasniemi and singer Emilana Torrini, a
feast conceived on an Icelandic road trip
and given a trial run in an apartment in
Grandi. For that trial run, we were there.
Dish 1: Fried Wolffish Cheeks
A Reykjavk photographer had graciously
leased his Grandi digs for this odd event:
a tastefully gothic apartment with an un-
believable view, looking a little like the
showroom of an upscale Scandi furniture
store. Antiques and curios lined blackened
walls and Norwegian kelp laced over the
dinner table like bubble wrap. Outside,
the grill was flaring up menacingly, trying
to look tough in the face of the gale rip-
ping through the balcony from the North
Atlantic.
Emilana Torrini greeted us with a
crowberry, lemon and prosecco apritif
from her arsenal of 64 Reykjavk Distillery
liqueurs. She is the daughter of an Italian
restaurateur operating out of Iceland and
is, herself, an enthusiastic epicure. As well,
she's an engaging storyteller and impos-
sibly warm, whether its on the topic of res-
taurant farting or tour bus mania. Oh yes,
and shes also a critically and commercially
successful songwriter who co-wrote a Ky-
lie Minogue hit and sang the main theme
for Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
Behind the counter, Chef Antto is fry-
ing up cod cheeks with chive hollandaise. nature. I like to leave it up to nature. Maybe I went to work in Paris, London, Am- Emilana seems to share this approach.
Antto is a large man, and he would have to also because Im a bit lazy. Its freeing, you sterdam. In London I worked at a place Theres so much demand on people now.
be, since he seems to be filled with every just go with the flow. Its almost like a reli- which was a hellhole. A huge place, with They want you be making food made
Finnish stereotype I could think of. Stern gion. mice and cockroaches running around from comet dust, or Kate Moss sweat ice
of face, sparing of words, hung of overs, and if you left your knife to go to the toi- cream. Antto: I would actually love to do
cholic of melans, and brandishing a sharp Dish 3: Langoustine with fennel let someone would steal it. Very old, very a dish from Kate Mosss sweat.
knife (the archetypical Finn is essentially and sauted rye bread cruel atmosphere. It was like a haunted
an Icelander with a knife). pirate ship. Dish 5: A liquorice crme brle
On the topic of his Hel Yes pop up Emilana chimes in, I cant stand kitch-
Dish 2: Lambface and pickled restaurant events, held in a church in ens like that. I was in a really fancy hotel in Antto is not obsessed with sourcing the
red cabbage in flapjacks Stockholm, Antto says: It was very per- Wales, really pregnant, and all I could hear rarest of rare ingredients or using his skills
formative, it was an experimental social was the chef going all: You fucking what!? to make them unrecognisable, but he is
As Anttos hangover receded, from behind gathering more than a restaurant. I know it This is my name on the door! I was wor- certainly inventive and enamoured with
the tummia pilvi emerged a wry charm sounds a bit iffy, but it was good. No mercy ried he would die of a heart attack. And the marriage of food and design.
and playful intellect. Unsurprisingly, as of just observing. all the posh people were trying to quietly I suggest to Antto there is an element
Antto has mastermind- The transience ignore it but because I was so pregnant I of synesthesia in his approach. For me,
ed some truly bizarre I liked the risk of not seems to appeal to let out a massive fart in the middle of the its very natural to think of taste as music. I
dining projects. Such knowing if I would be him and I wonder if it room. And then I launched into a crazy often think of sharp flavours as high notes
as the Solar Kitchen has something to do laughing fit. and middle notes as sweet. You can com-
project, a pop-up res-
able to serve hot food. I with his musical past. pose it like that in your mind.
taurant travelling from am a bit chaotic by na- I used to play with the Dish 4: Grilled lamb hearts with a In my case, I always blend images
green fields to car
ture. I like to leave it up band HIM and it was potato-and-sardines gratin with sound. When Im recording I have to
parks while relying en- fun for a while. It was record until it conforms to the image that
tirely on solar energy, to nature. Maybe also a way of avoiding re- Its understandable, being a chef is no easy Ive built in my mind, the music has to layer
and The Trojan Bar, because Im a bit lazy. sponsibility, and I think job, all fourteen-hour shifts in windowless over the image like a film, Emilana adds.
a wooden box which I was more interested rooms. A bit like being a musician, I sug- And with that we get to the final course.
folds out into a fully
Its freeing, you just go in the side-effect of be- gest to Emilana. Yes, but we get breaks One of the more pleasantly strange things
equipped, transport- with the flow. ing on stage. I wasnt in between. However, when you tour for a Ive tried this year. It is a taste-bud bewil-
able bar. interested enough in long time you create your own laws, your dering dulse cream pudding, not overly
With Solar Kitch- the musical side. Then own world. You are like a country onto sweet or flavourful, just this lingering,
en, Antto tells me, I got to cooking school, yourself. And everyone goes mad at some savoury, oceany, ashy dulse flavour in the
the idea was to build a which was good be- point. You end up completely dysfunc- creamy depths.
restaurant completely cause there I could tional and disconnected, even if you are With a few deft touches, Antto and
controlled by nature. continue partying and wearing a smile on your face. Emilana have put a clever twist on all the
Usually it's chefs trying having fun. But once I Antto feels similarly disconnected with regional mainstays they had gathered
to control all the ele- got out and started to the new Nordic movement in most ways. and you too can be a part of that if you join
ments and playing God. make money cooking, Antto seems to aim for something less the JaJaJa festivities in London.
I liked the risk of not knowing if I would be I found Im actually quite interested in all pretentious and decidedly less transfor-
able to serve hot food. I am a bit chaotic by this stuff. mative of ingredients.

THREE TIMES A CHARM

AT HARPA CONCERT HALL

antipasti
Prosciutto di parma on toasted bread
with goat cheese sauce and rucola
secondi
Kolabrautin is on Linguini and langoustine in chili and garlic
the 4th floor Harpa dolci
Reservations Tiramisu
+354 519 9700
info@kolabrautin.is
www.kolabrautin.is 6900 kr.
 10. Monday night jazz 20:00 free entry
November at Hrra 11. Arnljtur & Fu Kaisha 20:00 1.000 ISK DJ Ravenator
12. VAR 20:00 1.000 ISK DJ Einar Sonic
13. Oyama album release show 21:00 DJ Sunna Ben
14. Ptur Ben & Snorri Helgason 22:00 1.500 ISK DJ KGB
15. DJ li Dri
16. Lowercase Night 21:00 free entry

17. Monday night jazz 20:00 free entry

18. Dance-ioki 20:00 free entry DJ Styrmir Dansson
19. Kippi Kaninus 20:00 1.000 ISK DJ Station Helgi
20. Trevor Gordon Hall og Tyler Ludwick 20:00 1.000 ISK DJ Ernir
21. Mammt 22:00 1.500 ISK DJ Simon FKNHNDSM
22. H Hrra: Stand-up comedy night 21:00 1.500 ISK
DJ B-Ruff og Logi Pedro
23. Doomriders & Kontinuum 21:00 2.500 ISK

24. Monday night jazz 20:00 free entry

25. Ndnsk 21:00 DJ sar Logi
26. Mr. Silla & Cryptochrome 21:00 1.500 ISK DJ Robot Disco
27. DJ var Ptur
28. Pink Street Boys 22:00 DJ Styrmir Dansson
29. Jnas Sig & Ritvlar Framtarinnar
DJ Gullfoss og Geysir
30. Lowercase Night 21:00 free entry
 The Reykjavk Grapevine Lemrinn is an Icelandic web magazine (Icelandic for the native primate of Mad-
LEMRINN 34 Issue 17 2014 agascar). A winner of the 2012 Web Awards, Lemrinn.is covers all things strange
and interesting. Go check it out at www.lemurinn.is

A Spaceship
In Iceland!
Words
Lemrinn

Photos
US National Archives and Records Administration

A specially prepared Boeing 747 NASA aircraft landed at

Keflavk Airport in May of 1983. This would probably not
have made any headlines, had the plane not been carried
the NASA space shuttle Enterprise on its back.

This strange flying object passed over
Reykjavk before landing at Keflavk,
which at the time was, of course, still
the US Navy base NASKEF. The air-
craft and its cargo were in Iceland for
a fuel stop on their way to Paris, to
attend an air show. The 'Enterprise'
was the first ever space shuttle and
was used for test flights in the atmo-
sphere, aided by this modified 747 jet.
The following is from an article
published in the newspaper DV at
the time.
Tens of thousands of people watched
the American Space Shuttle Enter-
prise on top of a Boeing 747 jet as it
flew only 50 metres over Reykjavk air-
port around 20:30 last night. The pe-
culiar conjoint pair, this gigantic colos-
sus, was the biggest flying object most
people had ever seen.
The Icelandic astronomy blog
Stjrnufrivefurinn offers these
musings about the event:
Just imagine seeing Enterprise in the
Reykjavk sky! At the time, the Ice-
landic public had hardly ever seen a
computer and every household used a
rotary phone. The white space shuttle
must have looked like something from
the Star Wars Trilogy (the third one,
Return of the Jedi, was released in
theaters around this time). Back then
people knew how to dream and had
every reason for having those dreams.
In 1983 people thought that Mars
would be visited by humans after one
or two decades.
The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Mu-
seum in New York City now showcas-
es this first ever space shuttle.
Enjoy the photos of this spectacu-
lar event, which were all found at
NARA (US National Archives and
Records Administration), www.
nara.gov.

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.24

YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE

TO LIFE, TRAVEL AND car rental
ENTERTAINMENT IN ICELAND Get your offer at SADcars.com
Keflavk airport and Skgarhl 10, 105 Reykjavk
STUFFED WITH STUFF Issue 17 YOUR FREE COPY 4ELsINFO SADCARSCOM

P.12

Go Home y
with a storng!
A state by the people and for the people cannot be
armed to the teeth against the people. A state that aims
worth telli
at invincibility against its own population, and will
tolerate protests only as long as they are sure not to
achieve anything, is not, fundamentally, a democratic
state, but a fascist one.

We are worried about the submachine guns, and

what they might mean.

P.16
Northern Lights Tour

The worst thing about the jlabkafl is that

publishers are really competing with just a couple of
major titles, say, the ones in the crime-fiction genre.
They get engaged in a kind of hyped-up chart race, and
all the press is about just those few books."

Bookseller Kristjn Freyr, on the annual

Xmas publishing frenzy!

P.24

Snorkeling Tour In Silfra

It has to be said that those people who sit in a dark

room dreaming up intrigue and foul murder over a hot
Y
Open EVERYDA
laptop tend to be a bundle of fun when theyre released

8:00-22:00
into the daylight.

The second annual Reykjavk Noir Festival

will take place November 21-22. We dug up
some clues about what to expect this year.

P.32
Glacier Hiking Tour

And all the posh people were trying to quietly ignore it

but because I was so pregnant I let out a massive fart
in the middle of the room. And then I launched into a
crazy laughing fit.

Emiliana Torrini is just the best!

Spr ehf.

FIND YOUR INFORMATION AND BOOKING CENTRE

Bankastrti 2 - Downtown
ADVENTURE Tel: +354 522 4979
itm@itm.is - www.itm.is
WITH US
BOOK YOUR TOUR HERE
Ba
nk

Summer: 8 - 21
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 Music, Art, Films and Events Listings
Eating, Drinking and Shopping + Map

Issue 17 - 2014 www.grapevine.is

Your essential guide to life, travel and entertainment in Iceland

4-25
November

Look At The Light

A photo exhibition in KEX Hostel
celebrates past Airwaves festivals.

see inside for details

Photo by Matthew Eisman

 MUSIC
CONCERTS & NIGHTLIFE
Nov 7 - Dec 4
How to use the listings: Venues are
listed alphabetically by day. Events
listed are all live performances, with
28
November
troubadours and DJs specifically
highlighted. For complete listings and
detailed information on venues visit
listings.grapevine.is. Send us your
listings to: listings@grapevine.is.

Friday November 7
Caf Hati
21:30 Autonomous the trio
Caf Rosenberg
21:00 Marel Blues
English Pub
21:00 Troubadours Andri / Hjlmar &
Dagur
Langholtskirkja
20:00 Fstbrur Mens Choir: To The Strings And Voices
Light And Life
Lebowski Bar
Ylja Album Release Concert
22:00 DJ Rnar
Paloma Harpa
22:00 DJ Kri Austurbakka 2 (C4) | 20:30 | from 2,900 ISK
Priki
22:00 DJ Gervisykur / DELUXXE
Stdentakjallarinn Ylja are an alternative acoustic folk group fronted by honey-voiced
21:00 Strangely and Shay duet Ggja Skjaldardttir and Bjartey Sveinsdttir. Formed in 2008,
the band has expanded to a quintet, adding electronic guitarist
Saturday November 8
rn Eldjrn, bass player Ingibjrg Elsa Turchi and percussionist
Caf Rosenberg Maggi Magg to the mix. Since then they have gone on to perform
21:00 KK & Maggi
Frederiksen Ale House at four consecutive Airwaves festivals, the annual Brslan
15:00 DJ FreddiFriski festival in Borgarfjrur Eystri, and at numerous other places.
Lebowski Bar They combine vocal harmonies with soft acoustic riffs to create a
22:00 DJ Smutty Smiff
Harpa soothing ambient sound, equally at home playing tenderly on your
20:00 The Icelandic Opera: Don Carlo living room stereo, and on stage. TD
by Giuseppe Verdi
Hsklab
22:00 Nirvana Tribute
Priki
21:00 Sopfors / Chryptochrome /
Mlginn MC / Kocoon 21
November
Sunday November 9
Austurbjarb
20:00 Kpavogur Womens Choir: The
Love and Life Concert
English Pub
21:00 Troubadour Danni
Hannesarholt
16:00 French Saxophone Performers
Guido Bumer & Aladr Rcz
Langholtskirkja
20:00 Fstbrur Mens Choir: To The
Light And Life
22:00 Fstbrur Mens Choir: To The
Light And Life
Lebowski Bar
22:00 DJ Halli Einars
Salurinn
16:00 BassBar Mercurial Metallic Moshers
Monday November 10 Sinmara Album Release / Misyrming / Nara
Caf Rosenberg Gaukurinn
21:00 Sunna Bjrk Album Release
Concert Tryggvagata 22 (C3) | 22:00 | 1,500 ISK
English Pub
21:00 Troubadour Ingi Valur
Frederiksen Ale House Hotly tipped local black metal band Sinmara are releasing
21:00 DJ Milla their latest effort Aphotic Womb, and want you to join them
Hrra
20:00 Monday Night Jazz in celebrating. Sinmara have been a fixture on the scene for
KEX Hostel a good few years now and are well known for their hefty live
20:00 No Lights No Lycra performances. They contrast chaotic aggression with haunting
Lebowski Bar
22:00 DJ Anna Br melodies and dramatic build-ups to make a sepulchral growling
sound. They are joined by two other aptly named black metal
bands, Nara (Serpent) and Misyrming (Abuse). TD
Photo by Rakel Erna Skarphinsdttir
 MUSIC
CONCERTS & NIGHTLIFE

Tuesday November 11
Caf Rosenberg
21:00 Borgfjr
21
English Pub
November
21:00 Troubadour Tryggvi
Hrra
20:00 Arnljtur / Fu Kaisha / DJ
Ravenator
KEX Hostel
20:30 KEX Jazz The concept of the restaurant is "casual fun
Lebowski Bar
22:00 DJ Halli Einars dining" and we prepare what we would call a
simple honest, "feel good", comfort food,
Wednesday November 12
Mammoth Miasma where we take on the classics with
Dolly
21:00 DJ Gabriel / DJ AJ Mammt a modern twist.
English Pub
21:00 Troubadour Raggi
Frederiksen Ale House Hrra
21:00 Fnykur Funk Band
Harpa Tryggvagata 22 (D3) | 17:30 | 1,500 ISK
21:00 Mlinn Jazzclub: Andrs r
Quartet Mammt are an Icelandic art-rock band that have been making
Hrra
20:00 VAR / DJ Einar Sonic waves at home and abroad since like forever now. Having earned
Lebowski Bar eight nominations in the 2014 Icelandic Music Awards, winning
22:00 DJ Rnar the coveted "Best Song" and "Best Album" accolades, the band
Mengi
21:00 Eskmo have gone from strength to strength. Even if you don't understand
Priki Icelandic, you can easily surmise from their stage presence that
22:00 DJ Steindr Grtar
Salurinn they craft catchy and distorted lullabies with a subtly darker
12:15 Lunch Time Concert: The Years element running through their music. Expect to leave the show
In Paris touched. TD Photo by Hvalreki
Thursday November 13
Caf Rosenberg
21:00 Eva The Band
Dillon
21:00 Sun Kil Moon
Dolly
21:00 Mike Hunt / Shakespeare Sister
Theme
English Pub
21:00 Troubadours Hjlmar & Dagur

13
Frederiksen Ale House
21:00 DJ Sim Simma
Gaukurinn
21:00 Toneron November
SKLAVRUSTGUR 40 101 REYKJAVK TEL.+354 517 7474 KOLRESTAURANT.IS
Grafarvogskirkja
20:00 Fjrgyns Grand Concert
Hannesarholt
20:00 Jazz Improv: Kristjana
Stars In Our Eyes
Stefnsdttir and Kjartan Oyama Album Release Concert / Nolo
Valdemarsson
Hress
21:00 DJ Cyppie Hrra
Hrra
21:00 Oyama Album Release Show / Tryggvagata 22 (D3) | 22:00 | 2,000 ISK
Nolo / DJ Sunna Ben
Kaffibarrin
22:00 DJ Smon fknhndsm Oyama are releasing their much-anticipated debut album

Travel the
Lebowski Bar Coolboy like right about now! The five-piece band came together
22:30 DJ Smutty Smiff in 2012 and have made a big impression on the scene here in
Paloma
20:00 These Fists Reykjavk with their shoegazy noise rock furnished with lulling

world of music
Priki lyrics and dreamy shimmering guitar riffs. The evening is in equal
22:00 DJ Styrmir Dansson
parts the closing of one chapter in Oyamas career, and the
Friday November 14 beginning of another. DJ Sunna Ben then keeps the party going
until the wee early hours. Fun times! TD Photo by Sigga Ella
Austurbjarb Weekly concerts in Harpa Concert Hall.
20:00 The Magic of Tom Jones with
Matthas Matthasson, Fririk mar Hress KEX Hostel View our exciting 2014/15 season at
and Jgvan Hansen 21:00 Band Hgir and Lgir
Hrra
20:00 No Lights No Lycra
Lebowski Bar
sinfonia.is.
Caf Rosenberg
21:00 Kristjana Arngrms & Egill lafs 23:00 DJ li Dri 22:00 DJ Anna Br
Dolly Kaffibarrin
21:00 DJ Orang Volante / Gunni Ewok 22:00 DJ Margeir
Lebowski Bar
Tuesday November 18
Dillon
21:00 Church House Creepers / Klikk 22:00 DJ De La Rsa Caf Rosenberg
English Pub Mengi 21:00 Msakk
21:00 Troubadours Ingi Valur & Tryggvi 21:00 Ingi Garar English Pub
/ Biggi Paloma 21:00 Troubadour Ingi Valur
Hress 23:45 RVK Soundsystems Reggae Frederiksen Ale House
21:00 Band 7-9-13 Night 21:00 DJ Yoda
Hrra Priki Harpa
22:00 Ptur Ben / Snorri Helgason / 22:00 Emmsj Gauti 21:00 Mlinn-Jazzclub: Duo & Trio
DJ KGB Hrra
Kaffibarrin Sunday November 16 20:00 Dance-ioki / DJ Styrmir Dansson
22:00 DJ Alfons X KEX Hostel
Lebowski Bar English Pub 20:30 KEX Jazz
22:00 DJ Anna Br 21:00 Troubadour Danni Lebowski Bar
Paloma Frederiksen Ale House 22:00 DJ Raggi
20:00 DJs Daui/ Ravenator 21:00 DJ Holm
Priki Harpa
22:00 DJ Moonshine 16:00 Children's Opera: The Magic
Wednesday November 19
Stdentakjallarinn Flute English Pub
21:00 Karaoke Night Hress
21:00 Troubadour Arnar
21:00 Jazz Jam Session Frederiksen Ale House
Saturday November 15 Hrra
21:00 Lowercase Night
21:00 Fnykur Funk Band
Hrra
Austurbjarb Kaffibarrin
20:00 Kippi Kaninus / DJ Station Helgi
20:00 The Magic of Tom Jones with 22:00 DJ Kristinn Plsson Lebowski Bar
Matthas Matthasson, Fririk mar & Lebowski Bar
22:00 DJ Jess
Jgvan Hansen 22:00 DJ Halli Einarss Priki
Dillon 22:00 DJ Kar
21:00 Captain Syrup
Dolly
Monday November 17
21:00 DJ Kocoon & Benni B-Ruff Caf Rosenberg Thursday November 20
Frederiksen Ale House 21:00 Felix Bergsson & Hlynur Ben Caf Rosenberg
21:00 DJ HanSolo Harpa
Gaukurinn 21:00 Trevor Gordon Hall
21:00 Bombay Bicycle Club Dillon @icelandsymphony #sinfo14
21:00 Whitesnake Tribute Band Hrra
21:00 Fundraising gig with the Pink
20:00 Monday Night Jazz Street Boys Box office 528 5050 www.sinfonia.is www.harpa.is
 MUSIC
CONCERTS & NIGHTLIFE
Dolly
21:00 DJ JnBjrn / Housekell
English Pub
21:00 Troubadours Alexander &
28
November
Gumann
Frederiksen Ale House
21:00 DJ Milla
Gaukurinn
21:00 Electric Elephant / Lucy in Blue
Hress
21:00 Band Triple Trouble
Hrra
21:00 Trevor Gordon Hall & Tyler
Ludwig / DJ Ernir
Lebowski Bar
22:30 DJ De La Rsa
Mengi
21:00 Berglind Mara
Paloma Holy Shit It's Sun Kil Moon In Frkirkjan!
20:00 DJ Einar Sonic
Priki Sun Kil Moon
22:00 DJ GLM

Friday November 21 Frkirkjan

Bar 11
Laufsvegur 13 (F3) | 20:30 | 5,900 ISK
22:00 Saktmigur / Pungsig
Caf Rosenberg For some strange reason, veteran musician Mark Kozelek seems to
21:00 Svavar Kntur be making greater waves at this point in time than ever before. And
Dolly that's kind of weird, not because his latest output under the Sun Kil
21:00 DJ Steindor Jnsson / Solaris
SunGlaze Moon banner hasn't been consistently wonderful (it hascheck out
English Pub the latest 'Benji' for instance), but because everything he's done
21:00 Troubadours Steini & Eiki / Ellert basically since the early '90s, starting with the entire Red House
Frederiksen Ale House
Painters oeuvre, has been consistently great. Seriously. Every-
21:00 DJ Sim Simma
Gaukurinn fucking-thing. The man is a legend, goddamn. So, why is he getting
21:00 Sinmara Album Release Concert all this attention now? Is it accumulated? Probably. Does it have
/ Misyrming / Nara something to do with his internet-fuelled trolling of late? Perhaps.
Hress
21:00 Band Mr. Mookie It doesn't really matter. What matters is that folks are getting to
Hrra hear some goddamn Mark Kozelek. That's what fucking matters.
22:00 Mammt / DJ Simon Go fucking see him at Frkirkjan already. It's Mark fucking Kozelek.
FKNHNDSM
Kaffibarrin HSM
22:00 DJ Dillalude/Intro Beats
Lebowski Bar
22:00 DJ Raggi
Mengi
21:00 lafur Bjrn lafsson
Priki
22:00 DJ Sunna Ben / Logi Pedro
Platus

Saturday November 22

ALL IN ONE
Caf Rosenberg
21:00 VOR
Dolly
21:00 DJ Borg vs Hausar
English Pub

RESTAURANT
21:00 Troubadours Ellert / Magns &
var
Frederiksen Ale House
21:00 DJ Sim Simma Check Out The Moves
Frkirkjan
Reykjavk Dance Festival
Kitchen
17:00 Arne Hjorth, Helge Nysted &
Diverse menu, Gunnarsson

great value and

Gaukurinn B Parads (E5), Mengi (F5), Tjarnarb (E3)
Bar
21:00 Skurk
a wide selection Hrra Nov 26 - 29 | 2,000 ISK
23:00 DJ Benni B-Ruff / Logi Pedro
of cocktails, beers
Caf
Platus
Lebowski Bar For those who were upset at missing the epic dance moves of the
and wines. 22:00 DJ Anna Br Reykjavk Dance Festival in August, have no worry, the RDF is back
Mengi
21:00 Chris Sea for its fourth quarterly performance! Thats four days of talented
Paloma dancers and their spiced-up dance moves appearing all over
20:00 DJ Addi Exos / Natalie & Oculus Reykjavk. Expect to be impressed, fascinated, and inspired, as RDF
/ API PABBI
Priki offers guests to come together and speculate the fine details of
22:00 DJ Kocoon the choreography, to listen, watch and engage; do, make, say and
Tjarnarbi
20:00 Sigga Eyrn Album Release Party
think; care, feel, love and share. So head on down and be blown
away. SV
Sunday November 23
English Pub Lebowski Bar
21:00 Troubadour Danni Tuesday November 25 22:30 DJ Jess
Priki
Frederiksen Ale House
21:00 DJ Holm Austurbjarb 22:00 DJ Gunni Ewok
Harpa 20:00 stusjurs charity concert:
19:30 The Chamber Music Society #3: rstir / Byzantine Silhouette /Megas
Mozart & Bartk & Magga Stna / Ragga Grndal / Thursday November 27
Hress Svavar Kntur
Caf Rosenberg Caf Rosenberg
Laugav 21:00 Jazz Jam Session
egur
Hrra 21:00 Kanban 21:00 Rsa Gurn & friends
English Pub Dillon
Sk 21:00 Doomriders / Kontinuum
l 23:00 Ultra Orthodox
astr.

av
r Lebowski Bar 21:00 Troubadour Tryggvi
English Pub
Vegamt

u Frederiksen Ale House

Kla p p a rst.
sta

st 22:00 DJ Halli Einarss

g
ur 21:00 DJ Hlm 21:00 Troubadours Hjlmar & Dagur
Berg

Hrra Frederiksen Ale House

Grettis
gata
Monday November 24 21:00 Ndnsk / DJ sar Logi 21:00 Throwback Thursday: DJ
KEX Hostel Disaster
Caf Rosenberg Gaukurinn
21:00 Bjargriskvartettinn 20:30 KEX Jazz
Lebowski Bar 21:00 Grit Teeth
English Pub Harpa
21:00 Troubadour Ingi Valur 22:00 DJ Halli Einarss
19:30 Iceland Symphony Orchestra:
Frederiksen Ale House Concerto and Symphony
21:00 DJ Yoda Wednesday November 26 19:30 Brynds Halla Gylfadttir:
Hrra Concerto For Cello And A
20:00 Monday Night Jazz Frederiksen Ale House Symphony
KEX Hostel 21:00 Fnykur Funk Band 21:00 Mlinn Jazzclub: Krafla Quartet
20:00 No Lights No Lycra Hrra Hress
Lebowski Bar 21:00 Mr. Silla / Cryptochrome / DJ 21:00 Band Kong
22:00 DJ Anna Br Robot Disco Hrra
Kaffibarrin
Vegamtastg | 101 Reykjavk | tel. 511 3040 | www.vegamot.is 21:00 DJ var Ptur
22:00 DJ Kri
 MUSIC
CONCERTS & NIGHTLIFE
Kaffibarrin
22:00 DJ Logi Pedr Platus
Lebowski Bar
22:30 DJ Raggi
Paloma
20:00 DJ Creature Of The Night
Priki
22:00 DJ KGB

Friday November 28
Caf Rosenberg
21:00 Marus Sverrisson
Dolly
21:00 DJ PabbaHelgi / Gsli Galdur /
Benni B-Ruff
English Pub
GREAT
FOODGOOD
21:00 Troubadours Roland / Alexander &
Gumann
Frederiksen Ale House Do The Bat Dance!
21:00 DJ Yolo No Lights No Lycra
Frkirkjan
20:30 Sun Kil Moon
Harpa
KEX Hostel

NICE
DRINKS
20:30 Ylja Album Release Concert Sklagata 28 (E7) | Every Monday 20:00 | 500 ISK
Hrra
20:00 Pink Street Boys / Klan Mikla /
DJ Styrmir Dansson The No Lights No Lycra dance event is on (almost) every Monday
Lebowski Bar
at KEX Hostel, where participants can literally dance like no one is
22:00 DJ Anna Br & Ragg Backtoback /
De La Rsa watching. If you havent heard of the concept, it involves everyone

ATMO
Priki dancing in a pitch-black room to some groovy tunes, completely
22:00 DJ Orang Volante / Pedro Pilatus
sober. The event originated in Melbourne, Australia and has
Saturday November 29 gained popularity worldwide. KEX Hostel started the first ever
NLNL in Iceland in October, and it proved to be such a hit that it
Dolly
21:00 DJ IntroBeats
has now become a weekly fixture at the hostel. NLNL is a great
English Pub place for cutting loose, and meeting people when their inhibitions
21:00 Troubadours Magns & var / have been lowered by the power of DANCE. TD & MC
Alexander & Gumann
Frederiksen Ale House
21:00 DJ OK
HAPPY HOUR EVERY DAY 17-19
Hress
21:00 Band Geimflaugin
Hrra
20:00 Jnas Sig & Ritvlar
Framtarinnar / DJ Gullfoss og Geysir
Kaffibarrin
22:00 DJ Kohip (NO) / Terrordisco
Lebowski Bar
22:00 DJ Jsus
Paloma
20:00 DJ mar Borg & Housekell / Einar
Sonic
Priki
22:00 DJ Jay-O

Sunday November 30
English Pub
21:00 Troubadour Danni
Frederiksen Ale House
21:00 DJ Holm
Hress
21:00 Jazz Jam Session
Hrra
21:00 Lowercase Night
Lebowski Bar
22:00 DJ Halli Einarss
Bombay Cocktail
Monday December 1 Bombay Bicycle Club
English Pub
21:00 Troubadour Tryggvi Harpa
Frederiksen Ale House
21:00 DJ FreddiFriski Austurbakki 2 (C4) | Nov 17 | 20:00 | 8,990 ISK
Harpa
20:00 Christmas Prelude with Svanur English indie rocksters Bombay Bicycle Club are not to be missed.
Brass Band
Touring the world with their mercury award-nominated album So
Tuesday December 2 Long See You Tomorrow, theyre in Reykjavik for one night and
English Pub
one night only. The new sounds of the album are influenced by
21:00 Troubadour Ingi Valur lead singer Jack Steadman's recent travels to the Netherlands,
Frederiksen Ale House Turkey, and India. Fancy that, Netherlands-influenced music! TD
21:00 DJ OK
Frkirkjan
20:00 Woodwind Quintet

Wednesday December 3 The Nationa l

Frederiksen Ale House
21:00 Fnykur Funk Band Museum of
Harpa
21:00 Mlinn-Jazzclub: Tmas R & voices
Priki Icel a nd
22:00 Gsli Galdur Birthday Bash

Thursday December 4 Along with the permanent exhibition

that features Icelands history from
English Pub
21:00 Troubadours Alexander &
Gumann
settlement to present day the
museum offers a variety of exhibitions
KITCHEN IS OPEN
Frederiksen Ale House
21:00 DJ Holby during the year, e.g. on Icelandic Weekends 11.3024
Harpa silver and photography. Other days 11.3023
19:30 Iceland Symphony Orchestra:
Advent Concert
Kaffibarrin
22:00 Gsli Galdur
Mengi
21:00 Hacker Farm / FALK Label Night
Priki
UNO at Inglfstorg | Tel. 561 1313 | www.uno.is
22:00 DJ Agzilla
www.thjodminjasafn.is
Suurgata 41 / 101 Reykjavk

Lauren Greenfield
Stelpumenning / Girl Culture
13. 9. 2014 11. 1. 2015
A D MISSIO N F REE
GRFARHS 6th Floor
Tryggvagata 15, 101 Reykjavik
Opening Hours: MonThu 1219
Fridays 1218, Weekends 1317
www.photomuseum.is
ART
OPENINGS AND ONGOING
prints and inkjet prints from scanned film
negatives.
Opens November 15
Runs until November 29
i8
The two person show features works
by Icelandic painter Eggert Ptursson
and German photographer Friederike
Von Rauch. Their works share certain
similarities such as the reduction
in material content, stillness and
concentration.
Opens December 4
Runs until January 31
Kpavogur Art Museum
Gerarsafn
'Impressions' by Hlmfrur
rnadttir
Hlmfrur has a series of textile and paper
works from early parts of her career on
exhibition.
Opens November 15
Runs until January 4 2015
'p/Op' by Jn B. K. Ransu
Jn B. K. Ransu has an exhibit with
numerous artwork on display.
Opens November 15
Runs until January 4 2015
Kunstschlager
Phenomenal
A collection of performances and projects
will take place around the city for three
weeks. The works are different in size and
medium.
Opens November 8
Runs until November 29
The National Gallery
Old School baby! New Works by Jn skar
Iceland Film Photographer Association Exhibition Jn skar is one of Icelands well known
artists with numerous exhibitions in
Icelandic Printmakers Association museums and galleries around the
world and in Iceland. In his photographs,
Tryggvagata 17 (D3) | Nov 15 - 29 | 14 - 18 | Free! drawings, and prints, he explores the
conflict between the surface of the picture
Do you remember the days you would check the count on your
plane and the subjects he portrays,
film roll to see how many more photographs you could take? Do whether they are portraits, historical
you remember shaking a polaroid and waiting for the picture themes, or personal references.
to finally appear? The world may have turned digital, but there Opens November 7
Runs until February 8
are still a few analogue fans out there. A group of such people The Reykjavk City Library
just formed the Iceland Film Photographer Association, and they The Plant In The Hallway - Comics
are launching an exhibition featuring a vast variety of analogue Exhibition
photography techniques, such as polaroid, pinhole, tintype, gum Sisters Elsabet Rn and Eln Edda will
open a comics exhibition. On display
bichromate, and paper negatives. Its like a trip down memory lane, will be their first graphic novel, 'The Plant
all to show that film is not dead (yet). SV in the Hallway.' They have been working
Photo by Kristina Petroiut on the graphic novel for two years, and
its story is about the protagonist's life
changes when she puts a plant in her
Nov 7 - Dec 4 Alexander's experience of moving back
to Iceland, as well as the experiences
hallway.
Opens November 7
accumulated through art residencies in Runs until February 22
How to use the listings: Venues are
Spain, Italy, Ukraine, Germany, Holland Spark Design Space
listed alphabetically by day. For com-
plete listings and detailed information and Poland. Salon
on venues visit listings.grapevine.is. Opens November 21 Every year the Spark Design Space installs a
Send us your listings to: listings@ Runs until December 5 collection of projects they have exhibited
grapevine.is Gallery Fold in the past.
Abba's (Aalbjrg rardttir) is known Opens November 12
Opening for her oil paintings, of which she exhibits Runs until January 5 2015
four. Tveir Hrafnar Art Gallery
Arion Bank Headquarters Starts November 11 Jn skar stands out in the Icelandic art
'Spegla landslag' by Hrafnkell Runs until November 30 scene for his paintings of conflict and even
Sigursson Hsklab violencenot in representation, but rather
In this exhibition (which translates German Film Festival in their process of creation.
as "Flipped Landscape"), Hrafnkell To mark the 25th anniversary of the Fall of Opens November 8
Sigursson examines the relationship the Berlin Wall, the German Embassy Runs until November 29
between man and nature, showing Reykjavk in collaboration with the
man-made structures that resemble Goethe-Institut is presenting the
Mrmyndir - Murals- Mauerbilder
Ongoing
nature, and natural phenomena that look
humane. film days. The programme aims to shed rbr Open Air Museum
Opens November 8 light onto the many facets of the divided A guided tour in English through this
Runs until February 20 history on both sides of the wall as well as open air museum, which consists of
AS Art Gallery the reunification of 1989. twenty buildings happens daily at 13:00.
'REGLUVERK' by Hugsteypan Opens November 7 Admission 1,100 ISK.
Hugsteypan is a collaboration between Runs until November 9 On permanent view
Ingunn Fjla Ingrsdttir and rds Hverfisgallery Anarka
Jhannesdttir. For the past five years Hrafnhildur Arnardttir aka Shoplifter is Eye For An Eye
Ingunn and rds have been working an Icelandic artist living in New York. Kristinn Mr Plmason and Bjarni
on their collaborative projects in tandem Shoplifter makes sculptures, drawings Sigurbjrnsson's exhibition consists of new
with their own individual art projects. and installations with various materials paintings made with acrylic paint, pens
This show exhibits the results from their and found objects. Her works take on and airbrush on paper and canvas. Bjarni
inquiry into the rules and repetitions in themes relating to vanity, self-image, and Kristinn Mr have had numerous
art. fashion, beauty and popular myths, solo exhibitions and participated in group
Opens November 8 and often tackle notions that border on exhibitions, in Iceland and abroad.
Runs until November 30 obsession or fetishism. Runs until November 22
Better Weather Window Gallery Opens November 29 ART 67
The second site specific mixed media Runs until January 31 'Hver Me Snu Nefi' by ART11
installation will launch at this relatively Icelandic Printmakers The ART11 collective has a mixed medium
new exhibition window space on Association exhibit on show throughout the month.
Laugavegur by Freyja Eilf Logadttir. Iceland Film Photographer Runs until November 30
Opens December 1 Association Exhibition Arttek
Runs until December 29 The newly formed Iceland Film Figures and Forms
Gallery Bakar Photographer Association (Flag The artists are two ceramic artists: Auur
Lumine Maris Ubique by Alexander Filmuljsmyndara slandi) will hold Inga and Hafds Brands. They both studied
Zaklynsky its first members' exhibition. The fine art in the Glasgow School of Art.
Alexander Zaklynsy exhibits new works show will feature works in a variety Hafds specialises in ceramic sculptures
on paper, bronze, aluminium and wood. of analogue photography techniques, while Auur Inga paint along with the
The works developed for this exhibition such as polaroid, pinhole, tintype, gum ceramic.
are loosely inspired by Deiter Roth, bichromate and paper negatives, as Opens November 6
well as more conventional darkroom Runs until December 7
 CRAVING

IN YOUR
Download the FREE
Grapevine Craving APP!

What should you eat in

POCKET
Reykjavk? Shake your phone,
and we will recommend you
something.

WHAT'S
INSIDE Reykjavk Map Happy Hour Guide Places We Like Best Of Reykjavk Practical Info
Reykjavk November 7 - December 4 Keep it in your pocket

Four Weeks
The Grapevine picks the events, places and what to experience in the next four weeks

21-23 Art
22-9 Art
Nov Get Some Nuts! Sept Dec The Divine Comedy
SOUVENIR SHOP
SHOP OF THE YEAR 2012

The Nutcracker DEUS by rds Claessen

Harpa | Austurbakki 2, (C4) | from 5,990 ISK Coocoos Nest (B2) | 11-19 | Free!

One of the worlds most famous ballets, 'The
Nutcracker', is presented in all its glory with the
original score of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The
Christmas fairy tale is of course a family-friendly
show, and is being produced in collaboration
with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and St.
Petersburg Festival Ballet. So sit back and enjoy
the show of the little girl who gets a nutcracker for
Christmas and falls into a dream world unlike any
other. TD
Did you ever wonder whether a fusion of rock and
religion was possible without creating something
as degenerate as Creed or P.O.D.? Well, were
here to tell you it is! Visual artist rds Claessens
newest painting exhibit is an ode to music, in
which rock is literally taken to the divine level. The
paintings resemble icons and holy imagery, but the
religious aspect has been replaced by instruments,
pedals and other musical paraphernalia, for
maximum rock n rollitude. SV

Art
7-9 Teutonic Tapes
November 15 November

HE LOVES THESE HOES BUT IS A FEMINIST

The rapping wnderkind Emmsj Gauti is back on
the block in the hip hop den known as Priki. The
young rapper has taken the scene by storm, using
YouTube to connect to an online audience, bring-
ing Icelandic hip hop into the 21st century. Expect
Emmsj Gauti to bring slick rhymes, with perhaps
a feminist undertone.

November 28
ROCK AND PUNK ALL NIGHT LONG Oh lord,
our Track of Issue stars, the punk-poets of Klan
mikla who just released an EP, LP and cassette in
short succession, are teaming up with the garage
rock band Pink Street Boys who released the
critically acclaimed 'Trash From The Boys' a few
months back. If you haven't seen these bands play
before, they offer two sides of the same coin of
brillianceyou can expect them to tear Hrra's
roof down, or at the very least break a few glasses.
German Film Festival (Hskolab) The viking:info
Vesturbr | 18:00 - 22:30 | Admission: Varies Laugavegur 1 Reykjavk
Hafnarstrti 1 - 3 Reykjavk
Akureyri
To mark the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Hafnarstrti 104 Akureyri
Berlin Wall, the German Embassy in Reykjavk info@theviking.is Reykjavk
in collaboration with the Goethe-Institute will www.theviking.is
be presenting the Mrmyndir Murals Mau-
erbilder three day film festival. The programme
aims to enlighten people on the differences and TAX FREE
challenges faced by the communities living in the
two halves of the country that was divided for so
long. A variety of films will be screened. TD
 MAP
1 2 3 4 5

ISL

n di
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a
Gr AGARUR
FIS
Places We Like A
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Eating GR
Maritime
1 Tapas Barinn Museum
Vesturgata 3b Saga
For those with a bit of time on their hands, Museum
A
the evening is well spent at Tapas Barinn, S T
where you can indulge yourself feasting on AU
course after delicious course of miniature
AN B
dishes served in true Spanish style. There is M
R
also a lounge for those who want to hang out AR
GA
and sip a fine glass of red. N TA
LEN
A Viking museum that DU
UR GA
gives a compelling view ES VEG TA
2 Hfnin

UR
into Icelandic history A MN

G
Geirsgata 7c R 2

ST
NA VES GE

AR
GRANDAGARUR 2, 101 REYKJAVK RG A TUR IRS
Spoiler alert: Seafood comes from the sea. TA GA

RG
TEL.: 511 1517 B R TA GA 11
C UG 4 TA

BO
So if you want your seafood fresh, its to the

ATA
WWW.SAGAMUSEUM.IS ATA Harpa

A
sea youve got to go. With prime real estate Reykjavk

R
LD Concert

ISG

TI
carved out right next to the Reykjavk marina, UG Art Museum
13

ATA Hall

G
BR
A Hfnin (The Harbour) has a leg up in this

R
Main TR

AST
game. Enjoy the wide selection of expertly Tourist YGG
cooked shellfish as well as cod, salmon and 1Info 6 VA The
H GA Central S

G AR
other dishes. Landlubbers will also find four- VA TA LVH

I
Bank

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LL H G L
LV
13 AFNARSTR
legged fare to suit their tastes. AG SG
TNGATA The

S TR
AL
TI ATA
AT I
LA
A A Culture
E USTUR

AL
GA
D House
3 Sjvargrilli Austur D STR

A
TA

UR
TI National
GA

KIRK vllur HV

H.ST.

STG
Sklavrustgur 14 JUS ERF Theatre LIN
TA

BA
TR NK 8 B I S D

TA
TI AS GA
Icelandic TR TA

PPAR
P ST

GA
If youre looking for traditional Icelandic food S
LVA Parliament TI

AR

S S T TI
done right, Sjvargrilli is definitely a place VO
L

TI
LA NA

KJ

KL A
to go. Gstav Gunnlaugsson, Icelandic Chef GA RS

R
ATA

ING LTSSTR
L
TA TR Taxi
L AU

TI
of the year 2010, is the head chef at this T

TA
9

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I GA

RG
GA
establishment and he does not mess around. V
7 EGUR

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City

ST
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AR
HR

GHO
Whether youre a curious tourist or a native
Hall

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SU
IN

E 3

RN

A
Icelander, you wont be disappointed by any

LAUFS VEGUR
G
IM

IN
BR

TA
TJA
of the Icelandic dishes on this menu.
EL

JUVEGU
H

SK
AU

S
UR

RG

L
Fish Lamb Whale
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BE

TA

AV
Icelandic cuisine with a twist 4 Icelandic Fish & Chips UR

GA

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EL

FRKIRK
Icelandic music and nightlife M

INS

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Tryggvagata 11 5
Mix with the locals

ST

National
UR

Not your average fishnchips joint, this

GU
LO
. .and all the Icelandic beers in one awsome place! Gallery
EL

healthy restaurant uses only organic vegeta-

KA
R
M

UR

RS
bles and quality fish products to serve their SKOTH
RU

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A
EL

F SVEG AT

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FU

fancy take on a fast-food classic. The spiced

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SG
IM

TA
DU
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Skyronnaise sauce is a special treat, and

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BIR

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their clean, casual location by the harbour is National BA
library A
full of charm. TA AT
GA AR
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GA
SL BR
A A R
National NJ

FR
EYJ
5 Snaps

EY
museum
A RG

JU
instorg, rsgata 1

GA
ATA

FJ

TA
This recent addition to Reykjavk dining has

L
INGLFSSTRTI 1A 101 REYKJAVK
TA

BE

NI
quickly become a popular spot for folks with
GA

Hljmskli
WWW.ISLENSKIBARINN.IS TEL: 517 6767

SV
RG
a fine palate and a modest budget, offering Park
AR

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University

TA
HR
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a small menu of courses made from local

UR
A
of Iceland
IN

B produce with a carefully selected wine list. Its

MU

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LA
BR

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also a cool hangout for artists and musicians.
UF
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AU

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Make sure to get there early - they take
T

SV

reservations until 18:30 but after that it's a
free-for-all!
Drinking
6 Hrra
Tryggvagata 22
The walls may be dark and adorned with
gloomy paintings, and the lighting minimal,
but when the bands step onto the stage the
place really comes into its own. Armed with
a great sound system, the place delivers a
great experience for music fans throughout
Reykjavk. Oh, and they serve Einstk Pale
Ale and White Ale in beer mugs!
STU Nordic House
H Culture Center
RL
UA
G NS
7 Kaldi Bar
Laugavegur 20b
A small, stylish drinking hole popular with
the after-work business crowd, this is a great
place to feel a little classier and drink with
dignity. The beer selection is top-notch, and
the handcrafted interior tips the scales of
upscale rustic charm. You can be certain that
conversation will rule, not loud music.
VAT
8 Loft Hostel
Bankastrti 7
With a brilliant location right in the centre of
the action, the views from the upstairs bar
and rooftop patio at the Loft Hostel can't
be more entertaining. In addition to clean,
comfortable rooms for all types of travellers,
this new hostel is quickly becoming a hotspot
for live music and comfortable accommoda-
tion alike.
TI
EG
UR
M
9 ingholt Bar
Center Hotel, ingholtstrti 5
Located in Center Hotel ingholt, this bar is
tucked away just outside of the mayhem
that is Laugavegur on a weekend night.
For a quieter evening, check out their daily
happy hour between 1719, lounge in their
chic and modern environment with one of
the many beers and cocktails on offer.

Useful Numbers The Icelandic Travel Market, Bankastrti 2, Public Transport Shops: MonFri 10:0018:00, Sat 10:0016:00,
Emergency number: 112 tel: 522 4979 Sun closed. The shopping centres Kringlan and
The only public transport available in Reykjavk Smralind as well as most supermarkets and
Medical help: 1770 Trip, Laugavegur 54, tel: 433 8747
is the bus. Most buses run every 2030 minutes tourist shops have longer opening hours.
Dental emergency: 575 0505 Pharmacies
(the wait may be longer on weekends) and the
Swimming pools: Weekdays 06:3022:00 and
Information: 118 Lyf og heilsa, Egilsgata 3, tel: 563 1020 price per fare is 350 ISK for adults and children.
weekends 09:0017:00, although each pool
Taxi: Hreyfill-Bjarleiir: 588 5522 Lyfja, Laugavegur 16, tel: 552 4045 and Lg- Multiple day passes are available for purchase at
varies plus or minus a few hours.
BSR: 561 0000 mla 5, tel: 533 2300 select locations. Complete route map available
Banks in the centre are open Mon-Fri 09:00-
Coach Terminal at: www.bus.is. Tel: 540 2700. Buses run from
Tax-Free Refund 16:00.
07:0024:00 on weekdays and 10:0024:00 on
Iceland Refund, Aalstrti 2, tel: 564 6400 BS, Vatnsmrarvegur 10, Post Offices
weekends. Main terminals are: Hlemmur and
Tourist Information tel: 562 1011, www.bsi.is Lkjartorg. Post offices are located around the city. The
Domestic Airlines Opening Hours downtown post office is at Psthsstrti 35,
Arctic Adventures, Laugavegur 11,
Air Iceland, Reykjavkurflugvllur, open MonFri 09:0018:00. Stamps are also
tel: 562 7000 Bars and clubs: According to regulations,
sold at bookstores, gas stations, tourist shops
City Centre, Aalstrti 2, tel: 590 1550 tel: 570 3030, www.flugfelag.is bars can stay open until 01:00 on weekdays and
and some grocery stores.
Iceland Excursions Grayline Iceland, Eagle Air, Htel Loftleiir, tel: 562 4200 04:30 on weekends.
C
Hafnarstrti 20, tel: 540 1313

All the games and all the action!

Live music!
Save Water, Drink Beer
D
 6 7 8 9
New In Town Venue Finder
Music & Entertainment
Austur Gaukurinn
Austurstrti 7 | C3 Tryggvagata 22 | D3
B5 Hress
Bankastrti 5 | D4 Austurstrti 20 | D3
Bar 11 Hrra
Hverfisgtu 18 | E5 Tryggvagata 22 | C3
B Parads Kaffibarinn
Hverfisgata 54 | E5 Bergstaastrti 1 | E4
Bjarni Fel Kaldi Bar / Caf
Austurstrti 20 | E4 Laugavegur 20b | E5
Boston Kigali
Laugavegur 28b | E5 Inglfsstrti 8 | E4
13 Brooklyn Bar Brikk Kofinn
Hafnarstrti 18 | C4 Laugavegur 2 | E5
Austurstrti 3 Bunk Lavabarinn
Walking in to Brooklyn Bar, you are immediately struck Laugavegur 28 | E5 Lkjargata 6 | E4
with the nightclub cum pizza oven dcorits warm Caf Rsenberg Loft Hostel
and cozy, has loud hip hop playing downstairs even in Klapparstgur 25 | E5 Bankastrti 7 | E4
the early parts of the evening. The upstairs is a great Coocoo's Nest Paloma
venue for carousing with the lads or lasses, with its Grandagarur 23 | B2 Naustin 1-3 | D3
gigantic projector screen displaying the latest match. Den Danske Kro Priki
The grub is stalwart and hearty, but the real gen of the Inglfsstrti 3 | E4 Bankastrti 12 | E4
place is its lavatories: they are stylish, spacious and Dillon Reykjavk Roasters
ergonomically sound. Laugavegur 30 | E5 Krastgur 1 | F5
Dolly Stofan Caf
13 Hafnarstrti 4 | D3 Vesturgata 3 | D3
Dubliner Thorvaldsen
I Hafnarstrti 1-3 | D3 Austurstrti 8 | D3 H
English Pub lsmijan
Austurstrti 12 | D3 Lkjargata 10 | E4
SK S Frederiksen Ale House lstofan
L BR
AG Hafnarstrti 5 | D3 Vegamtastgur 4 | E5
AU
AT T
A
Museums & Galleries
DA ART67 Reykjavk Art Gallery
RG ATA Laugavegur 67 | F7 Sklagata 30 | F7
Mon-Fri 12-18 / Sat Tue-Sun 1418
12-16 www.artmuseum.is
T.
SS

sgrimur Jnsson Reykjavk Art

TN

Museum Museum -
GARTN
VA

Bergstaastrti 74 | G4 Hafnarhs
BOR Mon-Fri through Sept. 1 Tryggvagata 17 | D3
The Einar Jnsson Open 10-17
Museum Thursday 10-20
Kjarvalsstair
R

Eiriksgata | G6
GU

Flkagata 24
10 TueSun 1417
TN

Open 10-17
AST

www.skulptur.is
N

GR smundarsafn
HF A

ET T SK
AT
KK

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Hafnarborg
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ISG L AG Sigtn
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ATA ATA
FR A

Strandgata 34, Haf-

T G

Open 10-17
Hlemmur
T

narfjrur
SST

AU

www.listasafnreykja-
AS

Bus Terminal MI www.hafnarborg.is vikur.is

BR
VIT

F Taxi
T
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Hannesarholt Reykjavk City Library

12
BA R

NJ
L Grundarstgur 10 | F4
OR

SG Tryggvagata 15 | D3
ATA HT www.hannesarholt.is www.borgarbokasafn.is
N
SN

BER
G
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Hitt Hsi Reykjavk City

Hallgrms R
STGU

UG LA Gallery Tukt Museum -

kirkja ATA BRAUTARHOLT UG Psthsstrti 3-5 | E3
Church AV rbjarsafn
EGU www.hitthusid.is
AR R

Kistuhylur 4
R
Hverfisgaller Daily tours at 13
Hverfisgata 4 | D4 The Settlement Exhibi-
R AU

Sundhllin tion
UR www.hverfisgalleri.is
TG Swimming Aalstrti 17 | D3
SK

S i8 Gallery
NS Pool Open daily 1017
IPH

Tryggvagata 16 | D3
N

R
EIR

Reykjavk Maritime
BA
AT
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TueFri 1117 / Sat

EG

Museum
KS

SK
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1317 and by appoint-

G
ILS

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Grandagarur 8 | B2
N
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ment. www.i8.is
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Open daily 10-17

AU
BR
TA

The Icelandic Phal- Reykjavk Museum of

TA

RA

SBR

lological Museum Photography

OR

HT
AR

Laugavegur 116 | F8 Tryggvagata 15 | D3

EIGS
SN

www.phallus.is
NN

V EGU Mon-Thur 1219 / Fri 12-

UR

R 18 / SatSun 1317
GU

Kirsuberjatr
STG

Vesturgata 4 | C2 Viey Island

FL www.kirs.is Ferry from Skarfabakki
K AG
R R

ATA Harbour, Sat-Sun only

Kling & Bang www.videy.com
Shopping 11 Mrin 12 Lucky Records Hverfisgata 42 | E5
Saga Museum
ThursSun from 1418
Hafnarbir, Geirsgata 9 Rauarstgur 10 www.this.is/klingogbang Grandagarur 2 | B2
10 KronKron www.sagamuseum.is
Dealing in only the highest quality and Knitting Iceland
All freshly set up in their brand new, huge Sigurjn lafsson
Laugavegur 63b aesthetically modern of local Icelandic Laugavegur 25 | E5
location just next to Hlemmur, this is hands- www.knittingiceland.is Museum
If its cutting-edge, international big name design, this new branch of the Mrin story Laugarnestangi 70
down the finest record store in town. Crate-
in the Kringlan mall is a fine new addition to Kunstschlager www.lso.is
designers you are in the market for, then this diggers will marvel and fawn over their
downtown shopping. A perfect place to find Rauarrstgur 1 | G8
store will be to you like Willy Wonkas factory selection while the lay music listener can Mon-Sat from 15-18 SM
was to Charlie. Fully stocked in the choicest that one of a kind gift for your loved one, or Hafnarstrti 16 | D3
easily pop in to pick up the latest from their www.kunstschlager.com
young names in fashion and some one-of-a- yourself! Mon-Fri 10-16
favourites. Live music and DJs are regularly Living Art Museum
kind local designs toothe shoes are not to www.sim.is
scheduled for live entertainment. Sklagata 28 | E7
be missed! Tue-Sun 12-17 Spark Design Space
www.nylo.is Klapparstgur 33 | E5
The National and University Library, Public Toilets M-Fri 12-18, Sat 12-16
Public Phones Mengi
Arngrmsgata 3 www.sparkdesign-
There arent many public payphones in the Public toilets in the centre can be found insgata 2 | F5 space.com
Tourist Information Centre, Aalstrti 2 inside the green-poster covered tow- Mokka Kaffi
city centre. The tourist information centre Tveir Hrafnar
at Aalstrti 2, City Hall, Kolaporti, Icelandic Travel Market, Bankastrti 2 ers located, for example, at Hlemmur, Sklavrustgur 3A | F5 Baldursgata 12 | G4
Reykjavk Backpackers, Laugavegur 28 Inglfstortorg, by Hallgrmskirkja, by www.mokka.is Thu-Fri 12-17, Sat 13-16
entrance at Landsbankinn and in Lkjar-
gata. Prepaid international phone cards Swimming Pools Reykjavk Art Museum, Lkjargata and by The National Gallery www.tveirhrafnar.is
are recommended for intl callers. Eymundsson on Sklavrustgur. Toilets of Iceland Wind & Weather
There are several swimming pools in Frkirkjuvegur 7 | F3
Internet Access can also be found inside the Reykjavk Gallery
Reykjavk. The one in 101 Reykjavk, TueSun 1117 Hverfisgata 37 | E5
City Hall and the Reykjavk Library.
Most cafs offer free wireless internet Sundhll Reykjavkur, is an indoor one, www.listasafn.is www.windandweather.is
access. Computers with internet connec- located at Barnsstgur. It features a The National Museum OKA
tions are available to use at: nice sunbathing area and some outdoor Suurgata 41 | F2 Laugavegur 25 | E5
hot tubs. Opening hours: Mon-Thu from Open daily 1017 www.thoka.is
Rhskaffi City Hall, Tjarnargata 11
06:3022:00, Fri from 06:3020:00, www.natmus.is
Ground Zero, Frakkastgur 8, near
Sat from 08:0016:00 and Sun from The Nordic House
Laugavegur 45, Sturlugata 5
10:0018:00.
The Reykjavk City Library, Tryggvagata 15 TueSun 1217 F
www.nordice.is

E

230 kr.
290 kr.
Osushi is a unique
restaurant in Iceland.
The method of dining involves
315 kr. snatching small plates from
a conveyor belt. Pricing is
distinguished by the color
and pattern of the plate
most range between
350 kr. 230 - 440 ISK.
Everything off the conveyor
belt is tasty and if you dont
really fancy sushi, you can
instead choose for example
400 kr.
teriyaki chicken, noodle
salad, tempura and desserts.
The vibe in Osushi is friendly
and relaxed. The restaurant is
420 kr. located almost next door to
Althingi (the parliament) which
is in the heart of the city.
osushi.is
440 kr.
480 kr.
Psthsstrti 13 / Borgartni 29 / Reykjavkurvegur 60 HF.
Tel: 561 0562 / www.osushi.is
Best Of
Every year around the beginning of July, we make a BEST OF REYKJAVK ISSUE celebrating some
of what makes Reykjavk-life worthwhile, posting some good entries into a hopefully never-ending
discussion. The primary purpose of BEST OF REYKJAVK is celebration! Its about big-upping stuff,
giving mad props to it and patting it on the shoulder. The following are some nice tips we pulled
from BEST OF REYKJAVK 2014 which you can read in full at www.grapevine.is.
BEST BAKERY:
SANDHOLT
Laugavegur 36
Sandholt is another perennial Grapevine
favourite that continues to deliver. And
sure, its fresh croissants, pastries,
breads, sandwiches and baked goods
will set you back marginally more than
some of the citys other top-of-the-
line bakeries, but you wont regret
spending the extra krnur, particularly
if owner sgeir Sandholt has done
the days baking. A fourth-generation
baker, sgeir still uses the same oven
that his predecessors used when the
bakery opened in 1920, although he has
changed up nearly everything else about
the place, including the bread recipe
(a deceptively simple one which was
in use 100 years ago). The bakery also
expanded its seating area which makes
stopping here for coffee and cake quite
cosy, no matter the weather.
A GUIDE
THAT FUCKS
YOU UP
A list of every
Happy Hour in
101 Reykjavk
101 Htel
Every day from 16:00 to 18:00. Beer 600 ISK,
Wine 840 ISK, Cocktails 1,500 ISK.
Austur
Thursday to Saturday from 20:00 to 00:00.
Beer 800 ISK, Wine 800 ISK.
B5
Every day from 16:00 to 22:00. Beer 550 ISK,
Cider 700 ISK, Wine 700 ISK.
Bar 7
Every day from 16:00 to 20:00. Beer 350 ISK,
Shot 450 ISK
Bar 11
Thursday from 21:00 to 1:00. Beer 450 ISK
Friday to Saturday from 21:00 to 00:00. Beer
500 ISK
B Parads
Monday to Sunday from 17:00 to 19:30.
500 ISK all beers, 500 ISK selected wines.
Bjarni Fel
Monday to Friday from 21:00 to 23:00. 2 for 1
Beer 990 ISK, single with mixer 1,300 ISK.
Boston
Every day from 16:00 to 20:00.
Beer 600 ISK, Wine 650 ISK.
Brav
Every day from 17:00 to 21:00.
Beer 500 ISK, Wine 750 ISK.
Bunk Bar
Every day from 16:00 to 20:00.
Beer 500 ISK, Wine 750 ISK.
Cafe Haiti
Every day from 16:00 to 19:00. Beer 650 ISK,
Wine 800 ISK.
Den Danske Kro
Every day from 16:00 to 19:00. 2 for 1 Beer
1,000 ISK and 2 for 1 Wine 1,200 ISK.
Dillon
Every day from 16:00 to 20:00. Beer 550 ISK,
Wine for 700 ISK, Whiskey 550 ISK.
Dolly
Wednesday to Thursday from 20:00 to 22:00,
Friday to Saturday from 20:00 to 23:00. Beer
600 ISK, Wine 600 ISK.
Reykjavk
BEST GALLERY:
KLING OG BANG
Hverfisgata 42
At a recent exhibition including both
a jar of peas and a video installation
of a wiggling, polka-dotted ass, one
Grapeviner nodded conclusively: This
is art. And yes, our panellists agree
that Kling og Bang is the heart of
Reykjavks grassroots art scene, the
place where you see work by artists
who arent making money. But theres
a lot of high profile work shown there,
too. Recently, K&B hosted a five-part
multimedia performance series in
collaboration with New Yorks ESP TV,
and The Visitors by fellow Reykjavk
gallery i8s artist, Ragnar Kjartansson.
Download the FREE
Grapevine Appy
Hour app!
Every happy hour in
town in your pocket.
Available in the App
Store and on the
Android Market.
Dubliner
Every day from 16:00 until 22:00. Beer 600
ISK, 2 for 1 Wine 1,000 ISK.
Einar Ben Every day from 17:00 to 20:00.
Beer 500 ISK , Wine 800 ISK
Frederiksen Ale House
Every day from 16:00 to 19:00.
2 for 1 Beer 1,000 ISK and Wine 1,100 ISK
Gaukurinn
Every day from 20:00 to 22:00.
Beer 500 ISK, Wine 700 ISK.
Glaumbar
Thursday to Saturday from 20:00 to 00:00.
Beer 500 ISK, Shot 390 ISK.
Htel 1919
Every day from 16:00 to 19:00. Beer 600 ISK,
Wine 575 ISK, Cocktail 1,050 ISK
Monday to Sunday from 17:00 to 20:00.
Hrra
Every day from 18:00 to 22:00. Beer 500 ISK,
Wine 700 ISK.
BEST PLACE TO GET
A TRENDY HAIRCUT:
RAUHETTA OG LFURINN
Sklavrustgur 8
It turns out that restaurants and stores
in Reykjavk arent the only businesses
benefiting from Icelands tourism boom.
Apparently, weve heard, hairdressers
are getting a lot of drop-ins from tourists.
I want Icelandic hair, they say. Give me
Icelandic hair. While many (if not most)
people go to the same hairdresser, and
our hairdresser admitted that she would
never just drop in somewhere random
while vacationing in Rome, people
apparently have great faith in Icelanders
wielding scissors. Now, you dont have
to go somewhere completely random
though. Go to Rauhetta og lfurinn
(Little Red Riding Hood), a three-time
Grapevine winner that has stood the test
of time, consistently delivering new and
trendy haircuts.
Ia Zimsen
Coffee happy hour weekdays 8:00 to 10:00,
weekends 10:00-12:00 All coffee 300 ISK.
Every day from 19:00 to 22:00. Beer 445 ISK.
Kaldi Bar
Every day from 16:00 to 19:00.
Beer for 650 ISK, Wine for 650 ISK.
Kiki Queer Bar
Thursday from 21:00 to 01:00.
Beer 500 ISK, Shots 500 ISK.
Kolabrautin
Every day from 16:00 to 18:00. Beer 450 ISK,
Wine 500 ISK, Cocktails 1,000 ISK.
Lebowski Bar
Every day from 16:00 to 19:00.
2 for 1 Beer and Wine 1,100 ISK.
Loft Hostel Bar
Every day from 16:00 to 20:00.
Beer 600 ISK, Wine 700 ISK.
Micro Bar
Every day from 17:00 to 19:00. Beer 700 ISK.
Mmisbar
Every day from 16:00 to 19:00. Beer 500 ISK,
Wine 650 ISK, Cocktail of the day 1,100 ISK,
Shot + Beer 1,000 ISK.
Migarur Bistro bar
Every day from 17:00 to 19:00. Beer 500 ISK,
Wine 600 ISK, all drinks half price.
Nora Magasin
Every day from 16:00 to 19:00.
Beer 650 ISK, House Wine 600 ISK.
Park
Friday to Saturday from 22:00 to 04:30.
Beer 500 ISK, Shot 400 ISK.
Priki
Monday to Friday from 16:00 to 20:00.
Beer 500 ISK.
Rio Sport Bar
Monday to Sunday from 12:00 to 19:00. Beer
500 ISK, Wine 700 ISK.
Slippbarinn
Every day from 15:00 to 18:00. Beer 500 ISK,
Wine 500 ISK, selected Cocktails 1,000 ISK.
Solon Bistro
Weekdays from 15:00 to 18:00.
Beer 650 ISK, Wine 700 ISK.
Stofan
Every day from 17:00 to 20:00. Beer 750 ISK,
Wine 950 ISK
Thorvaldsen Bar
Monday to Saturday from 16:00 to 20:00. Beer
500 ISK, Wine 600 ISK.
Tu Dropar
Every day from 18:00 to 21:00. 2 for 1 Wine for
1,000 ISK and Beer 1,000 ISK.
Vnsmakkarinn
Beer 600 ISK, Wine 700 ISK.
 ART ONGOING
Route 40 takes you to

AS Art Gallery
Ladies, Beautiful Ladies
Birgir Birgisson follows up on the
Experience
questions at the heart of the politics of
representation, addressed through the
visual negotiations of blondes in our
cultural environment. This exhibition
Icelandic Art
and Design
presents a variety of works that reach
from painting on canvas to installation, to
works on paper and connects them to the
issue of how identities are made, shaped,
distributed and retold.
Runs until December 31
on your way to the Blue Lagoon
Better Weather Window Gallery
Framsknarmaurinn by Snorri
smundsson
The opening exhibition for this new window
gallery is by artist Snorri smundsson Route 40
who seeks to affect society with public
events. He enjoys observing peoples
response when accepted values are
turned upside down.
Runs until November 29
The Coocoos Nest p / Op Kpavogur Art Museum
/ Gerarsafn
'DEUS' by rds Claessen Icelandic Jewellery
Hamraborg 4, Kpavogur
Visual artist rds Claessen's newest and silverwork
Open 1117 / Closed on Mondays
painting exhibit is an ode to music, in Hughrif www.gerdarsafn.is
which rock 'n' roll is taken to the divine Hlmfrur rnadttir
level. The show consists of icons and
holy imagery, where the religious aspect
is replaced by instruments, pedals and PRI Hnnunarsafn slands
other musical paraphernalia. / Museum of Design
Icelandic Jewellery
and Applied Art
Runs until November 9 Impress and Depress and silverwork
Garatorg 1, Garabr
The Einar Jnsson Museum
The museum contains close to 300 'New Works' by Jn skar Are You Ready Open 1217 / Closed on Mondays
artworks including a beautiful garden Madam President? www.honnunarsafn.is
with 26 bronze casts of the artists The National Gallery
sculptures.
On permanent view Frkirkjuvegur 7 (F3) | Nov 7 - Feb 8 | 10-17 | 1,000 ISK LIP-STICKS Hafnarborg
Galler Fold Works by 7 contemporary / The Hafnarfjordur Centre
orsteinn Helgason, who is known for Jn skars artwork is at once a part of, and unique from Icelands artists of Culture and Fine Art
his oil and acrylic paintings, has a new Strandgata 34, Hafnarfjrur
chaotically diverse art scene. His works are often considered too Works from the Open 1217 / Thursdays 1221
exhibit up. Hes got quite a body of work
and exhibits them at Gallery Fold. large, too different, or too alien for Icelandic tasteshe frequently collection of Closed on Tuesdays
Runs until November 9 exposes his canvases to corrosive chemicals, hot wax, or other Hafnarborg www.hafnarborg.is
Jhann Smri exhibits two of his forms of damage, before then repairing them again, leaving his by Elas B. Halldorsson
photographs of Eyjafjallajkull, that
mountain that everyone was talking
finished paintings bearing the scars of ill treatment. By using a
about back in 2010. narrow spectrum of colour, his paintings are bound to impress and
Runs until November 30 depress. His works then explore the conflict between the surface
Galler Skilti of the picture plane and the subjects he portrays, whether they are
Pura Vida
British artist S. Mark Gubb went to
portraits, historical themes, or personal references. SV
Costa Rica, got inspired by the casual
Gerarsafn Horni (Gallery)
atmosphere and the concept of pura
AIM XV Take two by Jhann Vilhjlmsson
vida, the catchall phrase for positivity. So
Sculptor Helgi Hjaltaln Eyjlfsson and Artist Jhann Vilhjlmsson is a chef by
he brought it to Reykjavk with a sign that
visual artist Ptur rn Fririksson have a profession and has practiced singing,
points anyone in the right direction to find
show together focusing on goals. music and drawing from early age.
their own Pura Vida, or good life.
Runs until November 15 Jhann uses a collection of different
Runs until December 15
Hafnarborg pens, pastel colours and ink in his work.
Galler Tukt
Lip-Sticks His pictures are steeped in symbolism
"Please come. It is important for
This is an engaging exhibition of paintings and surrealism, with a fluid sense of
me..."
by leading young Icelandic artists form. The works include portraits, album
Ganna Shvarova is a Ukrainian artist
who dazzle the viewer with colourful covers, landscapes, animal and nature
studying in Iceland whose exhibition
narratives and blunt attitudes. The pictures, magic and witchcraft.
dives into the perception of womanhood
artists are Gabrela Fririksdttir, Runs until November 18
she explores the transformation of the
Gumundur Thoroddsen, Helgi i8
human soul, feelings and emotions.
rsson, Hulda Vilhjlmsdttir, Ragnar 'Along The Shore' by Lawrence
Runs until November 14
risson, orvaldur Jnsson and rds Weiner
What Does A Person Experience
Aalsteinsdttir. This is Lawrence third solo show at i8.
When They Step Into New
Runs until January 4 Lawrence is one of the founding figures
Surroundings?
Hverfisgallery of the conceptual arm of post minimalism,
A group of young Icelanders travelled to
Sigtryggur Bjarni Baldvinsson's paintings, and the exhibition features wall works,
the southern part of Ethiopia this August,
watercolours and photographic work. drawings and objects based on language,
to experience a foreign culture in a
Water-based leitmotifs such as running which is Lawrences primary medium.
country that has a drastically different
water and oceanic surfaces are woven Runs until November 29
infrastructure from Iceland. This group
into his work, reflecting the elements of The Icelandic Phallological
exhibit is a result of that journey.
light, air and earth and natures unique Museum
Runs until November 14
powers such as wind and gravity. The museum contains a collection of
Runs until November 22 more than 215 penises and penile parts

Quality - Experience - Dedication

Learn Icelandic Are you the
EAST CITY
CITY at Mmir CENTRE Tourist of the Year?
Hfabakki 9, 110 Reykjavk
Autumn Term ldugata 23, 101 Reykjavk The Reykjavk Grapevine and Inspired by Iceland
Bus line no. 6 from city centre and
bus line no. 12 from Breiholt
Spring Term are looking for THE TOURIST OF THE YEAR. Tell
us why you should be the Tourist of the Year for a
Summer Term chance to win a free trip to Iceland.
Hfabakki 9 Entrance to
Mmir-smenntun Level 15
Visit www.touristoftheyear.is to submit your entry!
Vesturlandsvegur

www.mimir.is - Tel: 580 1800


Home Sweet Home
'Lumine Maris Ubique' by Alexander Zaklynsy
Gallery Bakar
Sklavrustg 40 (F5) | Nov 21 Dec 5 |
Home Sweet Home acts as a homecoming exhibition of sorts for
artist Alexander Zaklynsy, who has been in a self-imposed exile for
the past three years (ie: partaking in artist residencies all over the
world). His new exhibit takes inspiration from the late Dieter Roth
and his changing physical environments. In this particular exhibit,
Alexander will be showing new works on paper and in bronze,
aluminum and wood. TD
by the sea
belonging to almost all the land and sea
mammals that can be found in Iceland.
There's also a penis sculpture honoring
and a delicious lobster the Icelandic men's handball team,
though confusingly it does not feature
their actual penises.
at Fjrubordid in Stokkseyri On permanent view
Kex Hostel
Look Into The Light
A photography exhibition celebrating
Reykjavks beloved annual music festival.
It featuring images from some of the
best local music photographers and
showcases a wide range of local and
international artists, including sgeir,
Emilana Torrini, Fucked Up, John Grant,
Omar Souleyman and Sigur Rs.
Runs until November 25
Kling & Bang
Bismuth
This is a solo exhibition by Danel Bjrnsson
examining the crystalline, colourful, brittle
At the seashore the giant lobster makes
Spr ehf.
appointments with mermaids and landlubbers.
He waves his large claws, attracting those desiring
to be in the company of starfish and lumpfish.
Organic bistro
EST 2006
Reykjavk
Stokkseyri
Eyrarbakki
- The Seashore restaurant
> Only 45 minutes drive from Reykjavk
Eyrarbraut 3, 825 Stokkseyri, Iceland Tel. +354 483 1550
Tryggvagata 11,Volcano house
Fax. +354 483 1545 info@fjorubordid.is www.fjorubordid.is Tel:511-1118
Summer opening hours: Mon - Sun 12:00 to 22:00 Mon-Sun 12:00-21:00
www.fishandchips.is
ART ONGOING
12 - 18 | Free!
post-transition metal element.
Runs until November 23
Kunstschlager
Phenomenal
This project is a collaborative one between
performance artists who use public
space as their canvas. The exhibition at
Kunstschlager then brings all the live
performances together under one roof,
recorded and documented in a variety
of ways.
Runs until November 22
Listamenn Galler
Oh no! Einar rn used his time to
draw
Einar rn is not widely known for his
drawings. He is though known for his
activity with The Sugarcubes and plays
this festival with his band Ghostigital.
Runs until November 22
Living Art Museum
Laboratory Aim Density FOREVER!
just ended
Rebecca Moran is launching her solo
exhibition in the museums new project
space in Vlvufell 13-21. The museum
is also opening its doors to the Living
Collection; the new collection and archive
space. Morans work often delves into the
subjective approach to the everyday.
Runs until November 13
Mokka Kaffi
Msik & Sport by Stephan
Stephensen
In this exhibition Stephen revisits an odd
little shop from his childhood, that he cites
as the starting point where he embarked
on the journey to become the man he
is today. The show offers a glimpse into
that journey. As a founding member of
electronic band Gusgus, the exhibition
also features a photographic chronicle of
his time with the group.
Runs until 6 December
Museum of Design and Applied
Art
Are you ready, Madam President?
The exhibition displays clothing and other
accessories from the wardrobe of former
Icelandic President Vigds Finnbogadttir.
The exhibition gives visitors a glimpse
into Vigds's preferences in choosing her
wardrobe and style, and also the personal
lives and habits of heads of state.
Runs until February 22
Pri
To celebrate 90 years of the Goldsmiths
Association of Iceland, 40 icelandic
goldsmiths will exhibit their works. Expect
a diverse variety of jewellery and other
pieces, with inspiration spanning from over
the century.
Runs until January 25
National Gallery
Video Screenings at the Caf
The Vasulkas have taken over the caf
video space, leaving visitors with material
spread over three floors where they can
experience many of Steina and Woody
Vasulka's greatest work.
Runs until November 7
Vasulka Chamber
For the 130th anniversary of the National
Gallery, the gallery will showcase the
Vasulka Chamber, a department of video
and media art.
On permanent view
The National Museum
Icelandic Silverwork
Visitors can see various silver pieces and
the methods of their making at this exhibit
commemorating the 150th anniversary of
the National Museum of Iceland.
Runs until December 31
Sodium Sun
Photographer Stuart Richardson exhibits
a series of photographs on Icelandic
streetlights, their locales and the weather.
Runs until December 31
The Making Of A Nation
This exhibition is intended to provide insight
into the history of the Icelandic nation,
from the country's settlement to the
present day.
On permanent view
Snapshots Of A Moment
orsteinn Jsepsson was a widely travelled
author and journalist. orsteinns
photography presents an intricate
panorama of Icelandic life and a rapidly
changing rural landscape. His collection
of photographs is one of the largest, most
important and most comprehensive private
collections from the 20th century.
Runs until December 31
Rammagerin
Closing Down Event
The folks at Rammagerin are moving shop
from Hafnarstrti 19, as the building
is being torn down. Designer Hugrn
varsdttir will talk customers through
her designs, and on Saturday and Sunday
there will be free customly cut laufabrau
on offer.
Runs until November 10
Reykjavk Art Museum -
smundarsafn
A posteriori: House, Sculpture
A posteriori, or from what comes after,
is a selection of artworks with original
references to buildings or houses. The
artists involved in the exhibition have
used existing or fabricated architecture to
create new works.
Runs until February 1
Reykjavk Art Museum -
Hafnarhs
'Flatland' by Sirra Sigrn
In her exhibition, Sirra Sigrn juxtaposes
structural stasis with movement by
 ART ONGOING
integrating video with text, movement
and sculpture. The exhibit's title is a
reference, among other things, to a
book of the same title published in
1884 which is a satirical portrayal of the
social hierarchy using the language of
mathematics and geometry.
Runs until January 25
Synthesis
This international exhibition comprises
works by seven artists. The artists make
three-dimensional installations which
share the qualities of reflecting a certain
perception, thinking and rhythm, which
may be seen as an echo of life itself, of
primal forces, the structure of the fabric
of the world and the ongoing genesis of
the universe.
Runs until January 15
Worlds And Ways
This exhibition is a selection of works
by Gunter Damisch from the 1980s to
2013. On display are both graphic works
which Gunter has given Reykjavk Art
Museum and a selection of other works
by him. The works are highly individual
iconography and mythology oscillates
between figuration and abstraction.
Runs until January 25
Reykjavk Art Museum -
Kjarvalsstair
'Roundabouts' by Andreas Eriksson
Andreas Eriksson is one of the most
acclaimed Swedish artists of his
generation. The exhibition presents
Erikssons works from the last ten years,
spanning his entire oeuvre including
painting, photography, sculpture, film and
textile.
Runs until January 4
Top Soil - , +" 3( "5"

For the exhibition, artist Andreas Eiriksson
has selected paintings and drawings Airwaves In Focus 
3 & : , + "7 ,





by Kjarval, which will be shown along
with new work by Andreas himself in
Look At The Light 5&-


appreciation of Kjarvals art. X X X K P N G S V J O  J T
Runs until January 4 KEX Hostel
The Reykjavk City Library
The collection centres around new Nordic Sklagata 28 (E7) | Nov 4 - 25 | 10-17 | Free!
literature, both fiction and nonfiction.
The library lends out novels, academic Airwaves fever has officially descended upon Reykjavk, and will
publications, audiobooks and more. linger on long after the festival finishes. To celebrate this ultra fun
On permanent view
Reykjavk City Museum
time of the year, some of the country's most talented photographers
The Settlement Exhibition have pooled their talents to bring you some photographic delights,
Archaeological findings from ruins of one celebrating the Iceland Airwaves festival. MC
of the first houses in Iceland (from 871 Photo by Magns Elvar Jnsson
AD, give or take two years) and other
excavations in the city centre. every European capital. Using Open Volcano House
On permanent view Street Map (OSM) data, the maps are The exhibition gives a brief overview of
Reykjavk Maritime Museum meant to represent a view of the cities Icelands geological history and volcanic
From Poverty to Abundance rather than try to capture the reality of systems with superb photographs of
Photos documenting Icelandic fishermen at them, because cities are not static like volcanic eruptions and other magnificent
the turn of the 20th century. maps but are continuously evolving over aspects of Icelandic nature.
On permanent view time. On permanent view
The History of Sailing Runs until November 11 Wind And Weather Gallery
Iceland's maritime museum showcases the Tsgalleri 'Enter. Space.' by Auur marsdttir
growth of the Reykjavk Harbour through 'Are You Sure' by Bjrk Gunadttir The exhibit focuses on those two buttons:
history. Bjrk Gunadttir's exhibits three enter and space. Both make space. Enter
On permanent view photographic works and a video gives you an invisible pass into another
The Coast Guard Vessel inn installation made over the last two years. realm or a leap down as far as possible.
This vessel sailed through all three Cod Bjrk explores the eternal and ever Space gives you an invisible room that
Wars and has also served as a rescue challenging questions on the existence of keeps words apart from each other.
ship to over 200 ships. mankind, the impulse of humans to make Runs until December 29
On permanent view things and creating new dimensions in
The Reykjavk Museum of our conscience.
Photography Runs until November 22
Girl Culture 'KOK' by Kristn Eirksdttir
The exhibit focuses on the central role Kristn exhibits illustrations from her latest
occupied by popular culture in the book, 'KOK.'
construction or deconstruction of female Runs until November 22
identity. The exhibition consists of portrait
images and interviews that cast a light
on the experiences and expressions of
women today.
Runs until January 11
'Iceland' by Beth Yarnelle Edwards
Fascinated with the relations between
people, their living spaces and
possessions, the San Francisco based
photographer Beth Yarnelle Edwards
collaborates with her subjects to recreate
scenes from their daily lives. The Iceland
series was created when she spent a
summer month in Iceland. Her aim is to
seek out intersections of the mythic and
mundane.
Runs until December 9
Sm
Single Lines by Erla rarinsdttir
The exhibition consists of painted metal
sheets where the paint is allowed to run
down the sheet and continue in a straight
line.
Runs until November 25
Spark Design Space
'Urban Shape' by Paolo
Gianfrancesco
The exhibition by artist Paolo
Gianfrancesco is a series of maps of
 FOOD
FOR YOUR MIND BODY AND SOUL

As Icelandic As
The Wind And Rain
Caf Loki got was hangikjt.
Hangikjt quickly became popular
among the locals and is by now ubiqui-
Lokastgur 28, 101 Reykjavk
tousif you want a taste, you can find it at
What We Think: pretty much any supermarket (or gas sta-
Seems like a tourist trap, tion for that matter). However, if you want
but it isnt. to properly feast on the recently tradition-
al dish, in a nice and cosy setting, Caf Loki
Flavour: is your place, as I learned one rainy, windy
Traditional Icelandic. Sunday afternoon.
Ambiance: Without ever actually visiting the
Very clean. The sound system place, I had always considered Caf Loki
blares '50s Icelandic pop to be a tourist trap. My prejudice probably
standards. stems from the fact that the restaurant is
located right across the road from Reyk-
Service:
javks main tourist attraction, Hallgrm-
Very polite, enthusiastic
skirkja, surrounded by B&Bs, hotels and
young servers. guesthouses. I am very happy to report
Price for 2 (no drinks): that I was absolutely wrong on this ac-
5-6,000 ISK (very fair). count.
the rye bread is really delicious, and goes
wonderfully well with a crisp white wine
or an ale with a sweet or malty finish.
For our main course we both had the
crown jewel of Icelandic cuisine, Icelandic
meat soup (slensk kjtspa) (1,750 ISK).
This very traditional soup is basically a
broth of lamb, carrots, yellow turnips and
onions, flavoured with parsley and made
a bit heavier with a handful of rice. This
version is the classic, which most Iceland-
ers grew up eating on a regular basis. It
is a very comforting dish, even though it
is often bland and sometimes too greasy.
While it was perfectly balanced in the
grease department, we found Caf Lokis
kjtspa to be a bit lacking in flavoura
bolder approach to the seasoning would
have made a big difference. Still, the soup
made for a very satisfactory meal, espe-

WE DONT SELL
Arriving at Caf Loki, my companion
and I were given some of the best tables
in the place, with a great view of Hall-
grmskirkja and Sklavruholt. There is
cially once we poured a bit of Tabasco in
there (Im not kidding, it makes ALL the
difference!).
For dessert, we decided to share a

WHALE MEAT
Is there any Icelandic culinary tradition
to speak of? This is a question Ive often
struggled with. Some of our more tradi-
tional dishes might be rooted in Nordic
cultureas our Scandinavian neighbours
Restaurants that have this logo promise not to sell seem to have similar onesbut most of
whale meat. We kindly ask you to choose what gets called traditional Icelandic
a whale friendly restaurant and to recommend food these days was simply created out of
chance or necessity.
others to do the same. Smoked lamb (hangikjt), for exam-
ple, only became popular in the late 19th/
Whaling is cruel and unnecessary early 20th century, after failed attempts
by Icelandic farmers to breed sheep for
exporting purposes. Suddenly Icelanders
had an overabundance of lamb meat to
contend with, and the only way to keep it
20142 edible was to cure and smoke the hell out
015 of it, in the style that our Danish overlords
liked to treat their fabled pork. What we
something quite comfortable about sitting
in a warm and bright restaurant, gleefully
observing passersby struggling with Reyk-
javks strong autumn wind.
Caf Loki offers a fine sampling of
whats officially deemed Icelandic food.
They bake fresh rye bread daily (the kind
of dense, almost cake-like rye bread that is
sweet and malty in flavour) along with tra-
ditional Icelandic pancakes and flatbreads
(flatkkur).
Caf Lokis menu basically consists of
rye bread or flatbread topped with various
delicacies, including pickled herring, eggs
or lamb pat. For a starter we chose a rye
bread with smoked arctic char and cottage
cheese (1,290 ISK), which I highly recom-
mend. The contrast of the salty and smoky
fish against the sweetness and density of
house speciality, a rye bread ice cream
topped with whipped cream (750 ISK),
a delightfully simple dish that serves to
underline the sweetness of Icelandic rye
bread. And it was a real treat, the soft
homemade ice cream contrasting nicely
with the almost crunchy pieces of rye.
I must admit, Caf Loki took me by
surprise, and I learned my previous ideas
about it being a tourist trap were entirely
unfair and unfounded. With very fair
prices and above-average food, its safe to
recommend Caf Loki to anyone wanting
to try a bit of local flavour.
BJRN TEITSSON
ANNA DOMNICK

#109 Dill is a Nordic restaurant with its

focus on Iceland, the pure nature and
all the good things coming from it.

It does not matter if its the

FOR ANIMAL WELFARE
INTERNATION AL FUND

ingredients or the old traditions, we

try to hold firmly on to both.

Dont let your visit to ICELAND There are not many things that make
us happier than giving life to old
leave a bad taste in your mouth traditions and forgotten ingredients
Choose a whale friendly restaurant with modern technique and our creative
mind as a weapon.
Information about whale friendly restaurants
can be found at www.icewhale.is

Lfi er saltfiskur
Hverfisgata 12 101 Reykjavk
INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR ANIMAL WELFARE
icewhale.is Tel. +354 552 15 22 www.dillrestaurant.is

FOR YOUR MIND BODY AND SOUL
Drive-Thru & Rib-Up
Dirty Burger & Ribs
Miklabraut 101, 108 Reykjavk
What We Think:
Best ribs, so-and-so burgers
Flavour:
Smokey, fatty, tangy, meaty,
American
Ambiance:
Dependent on the comfort level
of your car
Service:
Fast and friendly
Price for 2 (no drinks):
2,500-3,500 ISK
When I first heard that native Icelander
Agnar Aggi Sigursson, the founder of
Michelin-awarded London restaurant
Texture, was opening up a drive-thru in
The Motherland, I immediately ran to the
tallest peak of social media and let out a
tweet of joy, which blew through its ver-
dant fields. Hark! I harkened! I pictured
gravlax and heirloom tomato sandwiches,
trout ceviche with local herbs, and foie
gras skewers wrapped in dainty quail om-
elettes. When I learned it was only going
to serve burgers and ribs I collapsed like
a puppet with its strings cut. I stared into
the rainy Icelandic summer and nibbled
forlornly at the celebratory prosciutto hats
I had made for the dainty quail omelettes.
Eventually, I got over it and accepted
that Aggi simply wanted to open a de-
cent drive-thru burger shack. Personally I
could go the rest of my life without hear-
NEW AWARDS
BEST THAI FOOD
BanThai
the finest thai restaurant in Iceland
many famous people are regulars here
FOOD
ing another internet foodie evangelize
about the Maillard reaction but I get it.
People like burgers, and its hard not to
see why. Icelanders are gradually recover-
ing from the recession, but, as before, its
the top percent who are profiting better
than ever, and the bottom 50% are only
just clawing their way to the lofty heights
of living hand-to-mouth with rising food
prices (unless they can get by on that 250
ISK/meal).
So, unless Reykjavk turns into Lon-
dons successor, and the rich start moving
here en masse, a moderately priced burger
remains a more viable business plan than
yet another high-end eatery. To drive the
point home, Dirty Burger & Ribs offered
free burgers on their opening day back in
August, and the line stretched for hours
putting on display hundreds of Icelanders
who valued their hour at no more than $8
and change.
Its easy to assume Aggi may have
taken two recent success stories from the
UKwhere he lives and worksas his in-
spiration. Firstly, theres the biggest over-
night retail success story of an Icelander in
London, ever, in the form of the Tommis
Burger Joint (aka Hamborgarablla T-
masar) franchise. Secondly we have the
familiarly named franchise Dirty Burger
in Kentish Town in London. In addition to
the name, Dirty Burger & Ribs has trod a
very similar path in terms of interior de-
sign. Both are faux-rustic seaside shacks,
with the London one favouring corru-
gated iron and the Reykjavk one favour-
ing something like driftwood. It would
have made more sense if it was the other
way aroundas corrugated siding is the
quintessential finish in Icelandic fishing
villages.
That said, the bathroom looks nicer
than my apartment. And its a drive-thru
2014
also. . . .
the best thai food
2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013
best goddamn restaurant 2011
top ten the best restaurants in Iceland
DV.17.07.11
-----------------------------
with barstools and a liquor license. Which
is slightly odd when you consider that the
place is very difficult to access without a
motorized vehicle.
Dirty Burger & Ribs has four items on
the menu: The burger (990 ISK), the fries
(390 ISK), the pork spare ribs (990 ISK)
and shakes (690 ISK).
The burger is good but suffered from
excessive hype. An almost-slider with a
well-cooked chunk of above-average beef,
relish-mayo and unmelted cheese. The
bread is good, the meat is good, and it all
tastes quite a bit like Hamborgarabllan.
The main attraction is the ribs. They
get them completely right. Even down to
offering extra BBQ sauce and wet wipes,
two essentials that are too often over-
looked. The ribs were dripping off the
bone like a gaggle of Nazis spooning on
top of the Ark of the Covenant, and the
meaty fibres put up less resistance than
Norwayif Quisling had been a sweet and
tangy sauce. These are the best damn ribs
Ive had in Iceland. And Dirty Burger &
Ribs is the best drive-thru join in Iceland
(although with Aktu-Taktu as the nearest
competition, this may be damning with
faint praise).
(One last thing. Since were naming
places after storylines in Trailer Park Boys
I would like to request that the next drive-
thru to open in Iceland be named after epi-
sode two of season one: "Fuck Community
College, Let's Get Drunk and Eat Chicken
Fingers." They should serve chicken fin-
gers, rum, and coke. Please make this hap-
pen.)
RAGNAR EGILSSON
ANNA DOMNICK
Our food is made fresh from scratch, its not pre-made.
Laugavegur 130, ofan vi Hlemm Tel: 692-0564
Open 18.00-22.00, 18.00-23.30 weekend
Reykjavik Est. 2012
FRENCH ONION SOUP
Icelandic sbi cheese, crotons
1.890.kr
MOULES MARINIRES
steamed mussels from Breiafjrur
1.900.kr
FISH OF THE DAY
chefs special
3.300.kr
www.banthai.is 101 INSTORG REYKJAVK SLAND SNAPSBISTRO.IS
banthai @ banthai . is
snaps@snaps.is +354 5116677
 safold Bistro - Bar & Spa is a stylish new
restaurant located at CenterHotel ingholt
in the heart of Reykjavik.
Oering fresh and tasty cusine in a
beautifully decorated environment inspired
by the Icelandic nature. Delicious lunch
specials made of fresh Icelandic ingredients
everyday from 11:30.

Open til midnight

HARPA
REYKJAVK CONCERT HALL
ART MUSEUM

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www.isafoldbistro.is - ingholtsstrti 5, 101 Reykjavk - +354 595 8535 - isafold@centerhotels.com