Ske #24 - English version

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MUSIC #24

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AXEL FLÓVENT

EDITORIAL WELCOME TO ICELAND

PODCAST EMBEDDED

FOOD TIPS THE FOOD CELLAR

TRIBUTE BIGGIE SMALLS

TÓMAS LEMARQUIS "Life is a vision like a dream in the night." ∙ JUNE 2016

A "PERFECT" DAY PT. 24

EDITORIAL

There is no such thing as perfect. A thing cannot be perfect. But when a thing is sufficiently wonderful we may refer to it as perfect for the sake of emphasis – such a thing is customary. A few days ago, we experienced a day that was wonderful enough to predispose us towards exaggeration, and we are confident that if any traveler were to follow in our footsteps, then they too would feel the same. It was, in all honesty, a perfect day.

1. MT. ESJA

ICELAND: THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN … *Written in the throes of a brutal hangover …

Iceland is, arguably, the greatest country you can find – in this particular region. If you travel about 1,500 kilometers to the east, you will find other equally agreeable countries too. In fact, you shall probably find much better countries, countries that are not marred by the eternal pettiness of the Icelandic race (islanders are, as a rule, small-minded).

In Iceland the weather is usually shit. And when the weather isn’t shit all the good places are crowded with disagreeable people (i.e. Icelanders). You could say that Icelanders are the (north) polar opposites of vampires – albeit equally white and dangerous.

Also, the language is an indecipherable mess, masquerading as a system of intelligent symbols. I have lived here for almost 23 years and still have not learned to properly inflect; every time that I attempt to say something profound, the profundity of said proclamation is severely undermined by its ungrammatical nature (an Icelandic grammarian is a myth).

Furthermore, Iceland is expensive as all hell; there is no competition in Icelandic markets and when there is competition in Icelandic markets said competition is negated by the fact that it is taking place on an Icelandic market – which, by definition, is either an absolute monopoly or one in which all of the agents involved in the market are colluding to obliterate the competition.

In other words, the consumer always loses and the rich are smart enough to hide their money in foreign bank accounts – while preaching, with familiar patriotic fervor, the importance of paying one's taxes.

Lastly, our country is currently overrun by you, the tourist.

And while we thank you for salvaging our economy from the long fires of hell with your Bethlehem wallets, we curse you for exposing our countrymen for what they really are: unblushing opportunists without an honest droplet of blood in their generally pale bodies (every Icelander is currently involved in the tourist business, specializing in that brand of tourism characterized by the fleecing of good-natured travelers with various unwholesome schemes).

I am joking (mostly). Leaf through the pages of our humble magazine and find tips on how to make your stay more enjoyable.

Ragnar Tómas PS. Always buy bottled water

Hike the Mountain, Become a God 09:00 “How good it feels to stand atop the mountain – how it engenders within one the feeling that one is some ancient God, lording over a civilization of stupid sheep.”

So begins a fictional account of Friedrich Nietzsche’s travels in Iceland (as we wrote it), encapsulating, perfectly, the reason why we love hiking up Mt. Esja: It affords a kind of eagle-eyed perspective of Reykjavík commonly reserved only for gods, and, well – eagles. To commence your perfect day in Iceland, begin by securing transportation to the roots of Mt. Esja (one of the most popular hiking trails in the capital area and a mere 25-minute drive from Central Reykjavík). Be sure to bring a bottle of water and a backpack offering the option of a change of clothes; they say climate is what you expect and weather is what you get, but in Iceland there is no climate – just weather.

2. NAM

Recuperation 12:00 Once you’ve captured a series of vain but admirable selfies on the summit of Mt. Esja, it is likely that a persuasive feeling of all-consuming hunger will begin bubbling up in your innards as you descend downwards.

All the while, a familiar thunderstorm of indecision will begin raging within your foreign head too – and you will ask yourself: “What shall I eat?” But don’t worry. We have suffered from that same violent indecision and shall offer you salvation in the form of a command: Return to Laugavegur (the main shopping street in Reykjavík) and find building number 18b. There, tucked behind a tourist service center, awaits an unassuming Asian restaurant that goes by the name of NAM. Eat there! On the menu, you will find a stellar Vietnamese sandwich (Banh Mi) consisting of beef, kimchi, salad, cilantro and a wasabi-mayonnaise sauce. We acknowledge that all taste is subjective, but we feel as if the beef Vietnamese sandwich at NAM is endeavoring to transcend the concept. It’s gooooood.

3. VESTURBÆJARLAUG The Cold Pot 14:00

Icelanders are soulless creatures.

We are soulless creatures and godless heathens who rarely attend church and are frequently caught pants down, flirting with the worse angels of our nature in some disreputable bar or other (Sorry, Lincoln). But if you were to invent a soul for each Icelander and then go on to amalgamate all of our souls into some kind of grand collective soul, and were then to describe said collective soul in terms of its predilections and habits – then it is likely that you would conclude that it spends a good

STAFF EDITOR Ragnar Tómas Hallgrímsson

PHOTOGRAPHS (lóa 2016) Kolbrún Klara

ART DIRECTOR Helgi Pétur Lárusson

PUBLISHER Lifandi Verkefni ehf

INTERVIEWEE Tómas Lemarquis

PRINTING Ísafoldarprentsmiðja

PHOTOGRAPHS (COVER & INTERVIEW) Allan Sigurðsson

ADVERTISING SALES Laila Awad

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ua Von Verrucktberg Síta Valrún Edda Kentish Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass Friðrik Níelsson

deal of its time in an Icelandic swimming pool, which is of course merely an overly complicated way of saying that swimming pools form a part of our national identity.

There are plenty of good swimming pools in Reykjavík, but lately we’ve become quite fond of Vesturbæjarlaug (in west-side Reykjavík). If the purpose of your visit to Iceland is pleasure, then allow us to outline the greatest pleasure you can possibly experience in our country (without popping an inordinate amount of E and involving yourself in an orgy): Descend into the hottest hot pot (Icelandic version of a Jacuzzi, kind of), let yourself stew a while, until the heat becomes unbearable, walk over to the cold pot (8° - 12° C) and submerse yourself to the neck. Try to endure for a minute or two and return back to the hottest hot-pot.

Take our word for it: You will feel alive again! Like a born-again Christian phoenix!

4. BRYGGJAN BRUGGHÚS Burger 19:00

After your trip to the pool, we suggest you explore downtown Reykjavík on foot. See the Hallgrímskirkja church, visit the Einar Jónsson Museum, grab a dog at the Bæjarins Beztu hot-dog stand, attune yourself to the perplexing discord of the Icelandic language. When you’ve worked up an appetite again, head over to Reykjavík’s old harbor neighborhood in Grandi, which has, over the past few years, become one of the most exciting areas in town. A nice restaurant to try is the Bryggjan Micro-Brewery and Bistro, which offers (in its own words) “delicious local foods in a cool atmosphere and world-class beverages brewed on site.”

Last time we visited, we ordered the Bryggjan Burger (pure beef, Ísbúi cheese, romain fraise, tomatoes and beer-pickled cucumbers, chilimayo and shoestring fries) along with a large beer and became increasingly tipsy and boisterous. It was fun.

5. BÍÓ PARADÍS Indie Films 21:00

There are many movie theaters in Iceland but the thing about movie theaters is that they are usually crowded with overly vocal children and uncivilized old people who engage in bewildering conversations in the middle of a film – but not at Bíó Paradís (Cinema Paradiso). Bíó Paradís attracts mainly cultured Icelanders, who arrive early to the theater, drink a glass of wine and play some chess prior to the film’s commencement. And when the film starts they sit quietly and politely in their seats and engage in a rich inner dialogue with themselves about the film’s hidden meaning and symbolism. Bíó Paradís is located on Hverfisgata, which runs paralell to Laugavegur (the main shopping street). If you are interested in seeing an Icelandic movie, make sure there are subtitles.

YOU’RE IN FOR A PERFECT DAY!

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INFO

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WEBSITE www.ske.is

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MUSIC

AXEL FLÓVENT “Axel Flóvent’s tombstone will read: Property of Sony Music.”

WORDS RAGNAR TÓMAS The Secret Solstice music festival will be held for the third time this year. This fact, that the Secret Solstice music festival will be held for the third time this year, kindles a joyous conflagration within my breast which burns with eager anticipation – you could say that the anticipation is the gasoline that fuels the flames. I can hardly have a normal conversation about music without this fire shooting out from my mouthhole and searing the cheeks of my interlocutors in the form of a long, unattractive flame: Hot damn, I am excited! Why? Mostly because never before in the history of the festival have the headliners’ names composed a sentence which resounds with such fame, fortune and fairness as this one: “Radiohead, Deftones, Of Monsters and Men, Die Antwoord, Jamie Jones, St. Germain, Action Bronson, Flatbush Zombies.” Hearing these words strung together is like watching pearls being strung up on a beautiful necklace – or like being a faithful Catholic and hearing the names of famous Saints recited in one go. Anyhow, to prepare ourselves for the upcoming Secret Solstice festival, SKE contacted Axel Flóvent, a singer and artist from the town of Húsavík.

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Hello, good sir. What’s going on?

Heyyo! I’ve been quite busy recording my second EP here in Belgium and the Netherlands. I’m working with a Belgian producer and Sony Music.

It’s been fantastic and oh so nice! I’ve also been touring here and there, by myself and with my wonderful band. It’s all good.

If you were to describe yourself in the manner of an old hunting lodge by the shores of Húsavik – how would said description sound?

A decrepit hunting lodge that an old man is revarnishing in hopes that it will be as good as new.

You’ll be performing at this year’s Secret Solstice festival. What can we expect?

A great mood and lots of new material! We look forward to playing at Solstice after performing at all these festival abroad.

You released the EP record Forest Fires last summer, and are planning to release an LP soon.

Any news on that?

As it stands, I’m about to release a second EP with EPIC Sony and we are working diligently trying to finish it. After that, we’ll set to work on the LP! A song of yours was featured on the American television drama Grey’s Anatomy not too long ago.

If you could live inside one particular TV series, which series would you pick?

I think I’d be a great character on Guiding Light, where I would pop up in random scenes with my guitar – prompting the audience to scratch their heads in bewilderment.

What are you listening to these days – and what are you not listening to?

I’m mainly listening to the new James Blake and the new 1975 record. My favorite band today is probably MUNA from L.A. There’s a lot of music that I’m not listening to these days. I’ll probably never throw on a Lukas Graham record.

Whose your role model and why?

Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) is probably my biggest influence, because I can relate to almost everything

that he does and his ideas are so pure. I have subscribed to certain theories of his, all of which have been quite natural and truthful, in my mind.

If you had to pick an epitaph for your tombstone, what would that epitaph be?

Copyright of Sony Music.

Which Icelandic presidential candidate do you endorse?

I have never followed politics closely, and have not, in my own opinion, been sufficiently diligent in my contemplation of these matters to form an opinion publicly.

Is there a purpose to life, and if so – what is the purpose?

Each person must find his or her path to happiness, because without happiness – life has no meaning.

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SKE ∙

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CLASSIC ICELANDIC SONGS

MUSIC

YOU REALLY MUST ATTEND THESE MUSICAL EVENTS IN JUNE Oh, how wonderful June is, how pregnant with possibility – how bursting with the fine likelihood of joy! As the sun climbs higher into the heavens – and stays there, refusing to part with the kind company of clouds – so too does the Icelander ascend into mania, attuning himself to the springy notes of summer with an endless, manic conducting of concerts. Here is a list of worthy events: SUMARMÖLIN

DRANGEY MUSIC FESTIVAL

The fourth music festival in Drangsnes, featuring the likes of FM Belfast, Hjaltalín, Úlfur Úlfur and Snorri Helgason.

Festival Pass: 5,900 ISK

The Drangey Music Festival will be held in Reykir, in northern Iceland, for the second time this June. Retro Stefson and Úlfur Úlfur will perform alongside of others – in a beautiful environment.

THE SECRET SOLSTICE FESTIVAL

ATP ICELAND

One of the most anticipated musical events of the sumer, featuring superstars like Radiohead, Deftones, Of Monsters and Men, Die Antwoord, Flatbush Zombies, Action Bronson and Kerri Chandler.

ATP Iceland is a music festival taking place in the old NATO military base in Ásbrú, near Keflavík. ATP features the likes of John Carpenter, Sleep, Thee Oh Sees, Tortoise and many more.

June 11th

June 16th – June 19th

SIGUR RÓS "INNÍ MÉR SYNGUR VITLEYSINGUR"

June 25th

JET BLACK JOE "HIGHER AND HIGHER"

July 1st

Festival Pass: 19,000 ISK Festival Pass: 24,900 ISK

REYKJAVÍK MIDSUMMER MUSIC June 16th – June 19th

An award-winning chamber music festival founded by pianist Víkingur Ólafsson in 2012. The festival takes place in the magnificent Harpa Music and Conference Hall in downtown Reykjavík.

TRIP ICELAND July 1st

The world-renowned DJ and record-label owner Nina Kraviz hosts a once-in-a-lifetime party in an unspecified cave in Iceland. The lineup itself is a mystery – but something tells us that some of the members of the label will perform (Trip is mainly a techno label). Only 300 tickets will be sold (available on residentadvisor.net)

BJÖRK "YOGA"

Festival Pass: 12,000 ISK Admission: 10,000 ISK

ANDI “Android Party Music.”

MUGISON "STINGUM AF"

WORDS THOMAS JEFFERSON SNODGRASS

Andi just released his eponymous album with Lady Boy Records. Not only that, but he intends on celebrating said release with a concert at Paloma (taking place on June 23rd at 21:00.) The album itself will not be available on cd or vinyl – but rather, and more interestingly, on a laser engraved transluscent blue cassette housed in a sweet yellow case: It’s beautiful.

Having wrapped himself in Buddhist garbs and meditated upon the album, here’s Mr. Snodgrass’s verdict: “This is android party music at its best. It is that variety of music that C3PO, Roy Batty and Data would listen to, if ever the dimensions of their respective universes were to overlap – prompting them to assemble for a fine android shindig. But don’t get me wrong: Human beings will enjoy it, as well. I did.

Check out the song ‘Minninga maðurinn.’ Its fantastic.”

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∙ JUNE 2016

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SKE ∙

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"IT WAS CALIBAN AND MYSTIQUE – NOT TÓMAS AND JENNIFER."

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∙ JUNE 2016

TÓMAS LEMARQUIS INTERVIEW RAGNAR TÓMAS ∙ PHOTOGRAPHS ALLAN SIGURÐSSON

SKE: In Þórbergur Þórðarson’s masterpiece, Bréf til Láru (A Letter to Lára), one finds the following words: “Body fat and stoutness often accompany spiritual death, when a man’s inner struggle has ceased and he has made peace with the desolation … a calm sheepishness creeps into his face, as is often the case with holy men. Every inquiring thought, every living feeling and every suffering nerve is washed away by the advancing despair.” I sat across from Icelandic actor Tómas Lemarquis when these lofty words sprang to mind like redolent Alpine roses. “Why?” Because Tómas Lemarquis is the respiring antithesis of these words; there is little or no body fat hanging upon his bones and he is “stout” only in the sense that he is “stout of spirit.” Furthermore, there is a kind of calmness to Tómas Lemarquis which should not be described as “sheepish.” It is the calmness of a creeping cheetah – before it explodes into a blur of red-hot speed. Finally, his feelings are living and his thoughts are inquiring, in other words – he is as far away from spiritual death as Þórbergur was, naked by the shore practicing his Müllers routine … We discussed X-Men: Apocalypse, Peruvian Shamanism, yoga and much, much more.

(Bathed in heavenly sunshine I walk up Öldugata as if spearheading a one-man parade, a parade dedicated to life. The joy that is bubbling within my breast can be traced to the fact that today, the 19th of May, 2016, marks the beginning of that annual symphony “Summer Vacation,” which begins with an enlightening overture called “Tómas Lemarquis.”

I ring the topmost doorbell and the speaker phone rings: “Hello,” says a voice, presumably Tómas’s. “Hello there!” I reply, with an uncomfortable chumminess unsuited for first encounters. I walk up the stairs with airy steps and in the doorway, on the top floor, stands Tómas, smiling – the epitome of human sincerity. He invites me inside a beautiful, bright penthouse apartment owned by his mother. I tell him that I recently moved into the neighborhood.)

Tómas: I don’t understand how people live anywhere else.

SKE: I agree … well, actually, I have lived in Hafnarfjörður most of my life – but have now betrayed my former town. You recently moved to L.A.?

Tómas: I haven’t fully settled yet. I’ve lived in Berlin for the past 10 years. Before that, I lived in Paris for three. (“In all the best places,” I say, trying to compliment Tómas on possessing a fine taste in geography.)

Tómas: I wouldn’t say Paris is the best place to live …

Tómas: Yes, there’s this kind of etiquette among nerds.

SKE: A friend of mine from the States, Brian, says he’s not going to see X-Men: Apocalypse until a week or two after its premiered – because the nerds are so judgmental of the shallow laymen.

(We laugh.)

Tómas: During the premiere of X-Men in London, I was caught off guard. A journalist shoved a camera in my face on the red carpet and inquired as to my favorite character – but at the time an entire year had passed since I had been exploring that world with any seriousness. I tried to remember the names of the characters but had a visibly difficult time doing so. It was a little awkward. But I’d say that my personal superpower is forgetting the past; it makes room for the present moment. It prevents me from being especially vindictive, even I wanted to.

(I ask if the film has helped further his career.)

Tómas: I was signed by a respected agent after I was hired, which was something that I had been trying to do for many years. It’s a good start. Every little thing helps. Each time that you are involved in a big-budget movie like this you become more trustworthy as an actor.

Each day of shooting is so expensive that you have to be certain that the actor you’re hiring is experienced, is fit for the job.

(The kettle begins boiling. Tómas makes himself some tea and a bowl of chia seeds. He offers me a bowl as well but I decline: “I had some Corn Flakes this morning,” I say like an idiot.)

SKE: Did you meet Fassbender?

SKE: I wouldn’t mind some coffee, if you have it. I’ve been suffering from strep throat these past few days – which has utterly destroyed my appetite.

Tómas: We didn’t do a scene together, but we did have lunch once. I performed alongside of Oscar Isaac, Jennifer Lawrence and Olivia Munn.

Tómas: I’ll make coffee.

SKE: The nerds love Olivia Munn. I think she used to host a TV show about video games.

(Tómas’s spoon rattles against the bowl as I dig around in my brief case for my notes. He finishes his bowl of chia and makes some coffee. I inquire into the recent Nexus [a comic book store] premiere of X-Men: Apocalypse. Tómas portrays Caliban in the film.)

Tómas: I didn’t know that – even though she portrayed my girlfriend.

Tómas: It went well. This is a new world for me, this nerd world. I got a taste of it when I was promoting the Spanish horror film Painless. We did the rounds at a few horror festivals.

Tómas: It’s different being on set for a supporting role. You don’t form as close of a bond.

Most of the time, you’re in character. It’s Caliban and Mystique – not Tómas and Jennifer.

(Tómas asks if I’d like some milk with my coffee. “Yes,” I say and he hands me the milk carton. “It’s best you select the shade yourself,” he says, somewhat poetically.)

SKE: You were left to your own devices, mainly, as far as preparing for the role goes, right?

SKE: It’s a strange world, this nerd world …

Tómas: Yes and they seem to lose themselves so completely in these worlds, screaming and booing. Sometimes they go too far, maybe.

SKE: Was that the mood during the premiere?

(Fassbender is my man-crush.)

(We laugh.)

Tómas: Yes, I delved into this world but up to a certain extent. You want to enjoy a certain creative license to create something new.

(Tómas saunters into the kitchen and begins washing the dishes. In my mind, washing the dishes, alongside of all other minor chores, is a ritual involving the restoration of balance to the Universe. Tómas seems to subscribe to the same belief system. He seems to live in harmony with his environment.)

SKE ∙

9

SKE: I’ve got a few quick questions here, to wrap up. But you don’t necessarily have to answer them quickly. What’s your favorite book?

Tómas: Hmm, there are so many that come to mind … (Tómas ponders the question.) ... This is a really difficult question. I guess I’d have to say the Spiritwalker Trilogy by Hank Wesselman, because it relates to my field of interest. The protagonist encounters the spirit world, but in the future – 2,000 years from now. I really enjoyed those books. I’m not exactly sure why I mention these books as opposed to some others. (“The mind is a mysterious phenomenon,” I think to myself.)

Tómas: These days I’m reading a book called Iron John, which is interesting. It’s about a rite of passage, which is something that our society lacks, in my opinion. It’s becoming more difficult for people to take this step – to become adults.

The process is deferred in modern societies.

SKE: I only recently moved out of my parents’ house. And I’m thirty.

(We laugh.)

Tómas: I wouldn’t say that I possess a specific technique, in terms of acting. It’s more of an instinct. I’m often inspired by the costume, which probably goes back to the shamanism that I’ve practiced.

(I glance down at my notes, where I’ve scribbled in big letters: “PERUVIAN SHAMANISM???”)

Tómas: For me, acting is about channeling energy. I took a lesson in shamanism once, where I was asked to walk in the shoes of one of my ancestors. We were divided into groups of two. I play the role of this ancestor of mine and my partner played me, the idea being that I address myself as this forefather of mine. I was reluctant at first, but since I had paid the fee I decided to have a go at it. I closed my eyes and looked down at my shoes. All of the sudden I was someone else.

(Tómas assumes a strange position, as if he were a crippled Viking, solemn and emotional.)

Tómas: My body was no longer my own, even though, perhaps, I was putting words into this person’s mouth. After the session I cried and cried. It was this kind of catharsis.

Then there was another exercise that we did in which I staged my own death. The other students stood in for my friends and relatives and I was asked to address them as if for the last time. The aim of the exercise was to get certain things off one’s chest: Everyone who took part cried. These were Oscar-worthy performances, even though none of the other students were actors. They were just channeling energy. Being an artist, or an actor, is usually about channeling some external energy. It doesn’t always happen, but when art is successful – that’s usually what’s happening. You become someone else.

SKE: Where does this fascination with Peruvian Shamanism come from?

Tómas: I come from a very secular home, at least as far as my paternal family is concerned.

from this puppet show called life – but that’s easier said than done.

SKE: What was that like?

Tómas: Exactly, but you can do it by meditating, which is something that I’ve practiced assiduously. According to the tenets of shamanism, the practitioner should never walk the same path twice, on account of the following mechanism: When you see a car for the first time you’re truly seeing that car. But when you see the car a second time, you’re really only seeing the memory of the first car. The brain takes a shortcut, especially as we get older. But some people are young in spirit and struggle against this tendency. They keep an open mind and make a concerted effort.

(Tómas obviously belongs to this group of people. He adds that this is the reason why he loves traveling and learning new languages: they demand that one stay awake – that one become vulnerable again, like a child.)

Tómas: All of one’s prejudices tend to evaporate when one travels. When I was little there were two things that I was certain I would never do: learn German and live in America – but now I’ve done both.

(We laugh.)

SKE: French Intellectualism, right?

(Tómas’s father is a Frenchman by the name of Gérard Lemarquis.)

Tómas: Exactly, the word “God” wasn’t in the picture. But then it changed (Tómas explains that the word means something closer to “universal energy,” to him, so as not to confuse it with an old man with a beard). I had a spiritual experience when I was 19. I was studying acting in Paris and had read a little about yoga and meditation. I was focusing my mind on a burning candle when I felt as if a lightning bolt shot down my spine. It was a moment of bliss that lasted a few seconds – as if I were one with the universe. The boundaries of the self vanished.

SKE: In terms of shamanism, is it all natural?

Tómas: Yes, it’s all natural. Drums. Breathing. There’s no herbs or anything like that.

This is the reason why I was so moved by X-Men: Days of Future Past, which is about traveling to the past in order to heal one’s future self (Tómas exited the theater and wished that he would one day star in an X-Men movie – a wish that is now reality.)

Within each individual’s energy sphere there are many unresolved issues, which inhibit that individual. Shamanism helps the individual rewrite history. When one travels along the same route in the snow, for example, a path is formed – and the same thing happens within our brains. The brain has this tendency of travelling along the same route. But you can create new paths. Where before there was a path of fear, there is now a healthier path instead.

SKE: I read the article that you shared the other day about happiness, and about those unconscious habits that we human beings usually develop. I often desire to break free

10 ∙ JUNE 2016

Tómas: Sometimes you just need a ritual. A friend of mine, Annette, who is a seer and a shaman, took me on this kind of rite of passage.

I felt like a very old boy before the ritual, and afterwards – I felt like a young man.

Tómas: This tendency of ours to judge is such poison. I believe that we are all one.

Each time that you judge another person, you are juding yourself.

(As the editor of SKE [“ske” means “happen” in Icelandic], I inquire what’s happening.)

Tómas: I’m starring in a music video by a famous Icelandic band, to be released in the near future. I won’t say more at this time. Thereafter I’m going to France for a mockumentary festival, the first of its kind, where I’ll be on the judging panel. After that I travel to Leipzig to shoot the film Touch Me Not. From there I go to the Caribbean with my paternal family. Finally, I return to Iceland before going back to L.A. (Tómas’s cell phone rings. He apologizes, answers the phone and tells the person on the line that he’s in the middle of an interview.)

Tómas: It was a journey in the mind, this rite.

Not unlike hypnosis. I awoke as a new man. My worldview shifted: new glasses. In this book, Iron John, the writer says that every man must find his inner “wild man” or “hairy man.” He says that the key to that man lies underneath his mother’s pillow. What he means by that is that we don’t always allow ourselves to be the person who we are. We are always censoring ourselves. We aren’t free. We’re in hiding. A part of what I’m doing these days is revealing myself as the person who I am. I’m not trying to convert anyone and I have no interest in forcing my ideas upon others – so long as I’m free to be who I am.

(I begin, like so many times before, to discuss philosophy.)

SKE: I feel that the world itself becomes less and less important as I grow older. One begins to look within. I’ve read some philosophy in my lifetime, both Kant and Berkeley, and if one really contemplates Idealism, that is – if one can really wrap one’s mind around it – then it changes one’s view of life, completely.

Sometimes it sounds a bit far-fetched, this idea that one can never truly know reality, because it is always mediated by one’s senses. But if you let it sit, then you realize how groundbreaking this idea is … I’m not sure that I’m articulating my thoughts correctly …

Tómas: No, I know what you mean. There’s this really fascinating book called The Disappearance of the Universe, which addresses this issue: Nothing exists apart from the mind. Life is as much of a vision as a dream in the night. We are all one, and all phenomena are merely manifestations of our thoughts. There are many occasions to forgive and accept.

(I look down at my watch and realize that I’m about to be late for my flight. Then I curse myself for having talked too much. Tómas asks me where I’m going: “To Florida,” I say and he smiles a genuine smile and we say goodbye … a few days later, as I’m sitting at a Tiki bar in Florida, I look out towards the glittering blue ocean.

The beach is unreal, dreamlike. Tómas’s words float up from the unconscious: “Life is as much a vision as a dream in the night.” Amen.)

Explore the wonders of

WESTMAN ISLANDS with Viking Tours

We offer wide variety of sightseeing tours and activities like: • • • •

THE CIRCLE TOUR by boat: daily at 11:00 and 15:30 NATURAL HISTORY BUS TOUR: daily at 13:30 VOLCANIC HIKING TOUR (ca. 3,0 hours) And many more...

Please check our website and facebook

Day Tours with Gray Line from May 15th

Phone: 540 1313

WESTMAN ISLANDS

Phone +354-488-4884 www.vikingtours.is www.facebook.com/VikingToursHeimaey

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11

EXHIBITIONS

TRACES OF WATER Hafnarborg’s summer exhibition is a group show of six artists that all work with some form of water in their works. Color, water and its evaporation are among the subjects. The artists that contribute pieces to the exhibition are Anna Rún Tryggvadóttir, Florence Lam, Harpa Árnadóttir, Hulda Stefánsdóttir, John Zurier and Margrét H. Blöndal.

SARA BJÖRNSDÓTTIR FL ÂNEUR Sara Björnsdóttir’s exhibition Flâneur is a kind of autobiographical expedition revolving around the artist’s mysterious state of mind while seeking a long-awaited peace to pursue her work in London. Sara’s sincere but frank insight can strike the finest chords of the heart (with those truths that said insight uncovers).

Where: Gerðarsafn (Hamraborg 4, 200 Kópavogur) When: Run until August 21st

Where: Hafnarborg Museum (Strandgata 34, 220 Hafnarfjörður) When: Runs until August 21st

THE WORKS OF KRISTINN E. HRAFNSSON Kristinn E. Hrafnsson’s works have a philosophical dimension to them; they’re often a kind of contemplation of space, time, motion, relativity and language. His art revolves around man and man’s understanding of his environment: how nature shapes his perception and interactions.

UNKNOWN An exhibition of 20 pictures done in pencil in 2015. The idea behind the pictures was the creation of characters without the use of models or any other material to aid the artists in their creations, allowing the artists to make up their own minds regarding the character’s identity.

Where: Mokka Coffehouse (Skólavörðustígur 3 A) When: Thursday, June 16th, 17:00

Where: Hverfisgallerí (Hverfisgata 4,101 Reykjavík) When: Runs until July 2nd

搀甀渀欀 礀漀甀爀 搀漀渀甀琀 吀䠀刀䔀䔀 䰀伀䌀䄀吀䤀伀一匀 䤀一 吀䠀䔀 䜀刀䔀䄀吀䔀刀 刀䔀夀䬀䨀䄀嘀촀䬀 䄀刀䔀䄀

KINGDOM Flora, Fauna, Fable

伀瀀攀渀㨀 㜀 䄀䴀 ጠ ㄀ 倀䴀⨀ ⨀䰀愀甀最愀瘀攀最甀爀 愀渀搀 䠀愀最愀猀洀爀椀 䰀愀甀最愀瘀攀最甀爀 ㌀ 簀 䠀愀最愀猀洀爀椀 㤀 簀 䬀爀椀渀最氀愀渀

12 ∙ JUNE 2016

KINGDOM – Flora, Fauna, Fable is an extensive exhibition of works that relate to nature and taxonomy. The exhibition gives the viewer insight into the art of dissimilar artists through their work from recent years and decades, as well as older works from the archives of Reykjavík Art Museum.

Where: Reykjavík Art Museum (Tryggvagata 17, 101 Reykjavík) When: Runs until September 18th, 2016

Arctic Concerts

SARA BJÖRNSDÓTTIR

FLÂNEUR

Every Thursday nights at 20:30

Gerðarsafn

27.5.

Mynd: Georg Guðni

Outstanding Icelandic and Nordic musicians, performing classical, jazz, folk and popular music.

Kópavogur Art Museum

Tickets at www.tix.is/is/nordichouse

Hamraborg 4

200 Kópavogur

www.gerdarsafn.is

21.8.2016 SKE ∙

13

FASHION

CATHERINE "RAINBOW" CÔTÉ “My style is cartoon-like” WORDS SÍTA VALRÚN

1.

Could you describe your style in three words ?

Colorful, dark, cartoon-like.

2.

What is your main style inspiration?

I am inspired by pop culture along with the colorful or goth sides of Japanese fashion.

3.

Could you name a fashion icon, living or dead, that you admire?

I actually really like the fashion designer Jeremy Scott. I think he always comes up with interesting pieces and partakes in great collaborations. His collections are very colorful, loud and over the top. Very actual and inspire feelings of nostalgia, depending on the collection!

4.

Where do you find your clothes (how do you shop: do you find things online, when travelling. What’s your favorite store, favorite brand etc.)?

For most of my clothes I am quite the cheap shopper, but sometimes I invest in certain pieces that I really want!

I like to find good deals at second-hand stores, when I go back home to Canada or when I shop online.

Online shopping is mainly how I get my crazy clothes to Iceland. I also buy from Ebay, but sometimes from the brand’s websites too. Online shopping is great when you know your measurements and read the descriptions. I've been satisfied with what I order most of the time.

Also, sometimes I have friends or clients that surprises me with some clothes or accessories: "I saw this when I was on vacation, it reminded me of you!" I find this kind of thoughtfulness really sweet.

Velvet Cape This beautiful velvet cape is from the Icelandic designer Kyrja.

I love the big hood so much! For this look, I wanted to go to my dark side. I don’t feel like being so colorful every day, since my hair is colorful, my home is colorful etc. Some days I want a more dramatic, romantic look. I purchased the corset that I’m wearing underneath the cape from Ebay and it has this Steampunk look to it.

14 ∙ JUNE 2016

Yellow Plastic Dress

Yellowish-Green Jacket

*Warning, this dress is not for daily activities! This neon, seethrough dress been apart of my life for a while now, but there haven´t been many occasions to wear it. I love it nonetheless! You will probably spot me rocking it at the Secret Solstice Festival soon – which seems like the perfect time to wear it. This dress has a bit of a story: I remember doing Rósa’s (from the band Sometime) nails for Airwaves and we were discussing crazy outfits for her to wear on stage. I remembered seeing this neon plastic dress online, showed it to her and she decided to get it and totally rocked it! After a couple of months, she could not see herself wearing it again on stage – so she gave it to me. I was really happy since I wanted to get it too.

This neon yellowish-green jacket is probably one of my favorites. I have many jackets (I think jackets are really my obession. Lucky we’re in Iceland!) I got this jacket at Primark for cheap during a trip to London. They had it in pink, orange and blue as well and I kind of regret not buying the jacket in all available colors.

I like good finds like this, from places you wouldn’t necessarilly expect to find anything. The key is to keep your eyes open and dig to find those rare gems. It’s all about timing too. I often go shopping on vacations even though I don’t buy anything. Usually when I "need" something and go shopping – I never find anything!

WELCOME TO OUR CAFÉ | SHOP FOR SOUVENIRS | WWW.WHALESOFICELAND.IS | WINTER: 10 AM – 5 PM | SUMMER: 10 AM – 6 PM

A RARE, ONCE-INA-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY Around, on and deep within the awesome Langjökull ice gap glacier.

Into the Glacier offers various tours to the World's largest ice tunnel. The ice tunnel and caves are located high on Iceland’s second largest glacier, Langjökull.

Daily departures from Klaki base camp, Húsafell center and Reykjavík.

You can choose from various tours and book online at www.intotheglacier.is Tel: +354 578-2550

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FASHION

Mermaid Fringe Vest

Bone Dress

This long, pink mermaid-eqsue vest is quite versatile. I can wear it at the beach, over a swimsuit or simply as an outfit. My younger cat, the black one called Mr. Bubbles, really enjoys it too; he loves playing with the fringes! If decide to wear it, I need to put it on just before leaving the house, because I can’t be around him in it. I actually found this vest in Iceland at Gyllti Kötturinn, believe it or not, since it looks a bit beachy. It’s all about the good finds. I love that store! I really like the mermaid look with those pink glittering heels and the starfish hair clip, using my wavy iron to create these messy mermaid waves in my hair. The seashell waist belt is also a must with many dresses I own. It’s such a nice touch!

This bone dress is also one of my favorites. I have probably worn it way too many times – but I love it! It’s from the London-based brand Lazy Oaf, from one of their collections a couple years back. I actually wore my first one so much that I had to find a new one to replace it; it was beginning to look worn out. The dress was hard to find since the collection was a couple year’s old, but with the help of Ebay and patience – I found a brand new one in Australia.

The googly-eyes necklace is also one of my favorite accessories. It’s from the brand Irregular Choice, check them out. They make some of my favorites shoes too!

16 ∙ JUNE 2016

INSTAGRAM RAINBOWNAILS_

EXPLORE

LEARN

DISCOVER

Can’t catch the Nortern Lights?

Don’t worry, we have already done it for you!

Visit us and enjoy our multimedia exhibition

OPEN EVERY DAY FROM 09.00–21.00

Grandagarður 2 - 101 Reykjavík - Near the old harbour Tel: (+354) 780 4500 - www.aurorareykjavik.is @aurorareykjavik

@aurorareykjavik

@aurorareykjavik

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POTPOURRI

Q&A AUÐUNN LÚTHERSSON Singer, Producer and Life-Liver If you were to describe yourself as a piece of real estate in the Kensington neighborhood of London – what would said description sound like?

A truly unique property. Beautiful inside and out. Newfangled and fragrant.

brand-new material that I debuted at festivals in Norway and in L.A. The material was well received. I look forward to performing at such a great festival here in Iceland. I’m passionate about my live performances; I’m not impressed by artists who just press play.

Which Icelandic presidential candidate do you support?

I’m pretty torn between Andri Snær and Guðni Th. at the moment.

What are you listening to these days?

The new James Blake album. It’s incredibly beautiful. Lemonade has its moments and dvsn also.

Is life just improv?

Yes, life is one long jazz song. Play something weird.

If you could author your own epitaph, what would it be?

Buried treasure here.

You recently posted a picture of yourself crouching by Bruce Lee’s star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Why Bruce?

Because I’m water.

When will your album be released?

When the time is right. I’m very proud of what I’ve composed so far. Owing to foreign interest I won’t be merely uploading it onto SoundCloud. No worries, it’ll be good. Soon.

What do you think about when it’s 4 AM in the morning and it’s raining outside?

Upcoming projects. My record.

Concerts.

You will perform at the Secret Solstice Festival this summer – what should we expect?

A good show. I’ll be performing

Favorite quote / one liner?

“Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.”

Do you drink a lot of Red Bull?

Actually, no. I’ll probably drink more of it when I’m invited to Canada to perform and work at the Red Bull Music Academy this fall.

PODCAST OF THE MONTH

Embedded Journalists were not created equal. Some journalists do not mind if the substance of their reporting is lacking – so long as they can adorn said reporting with a catchy headline and a pretty picture, endeavoring to reap as many likes, clicks and shares as possible. But then there are other journalists who go deep, who hurl themselves willingly into the abyss of human existence like Nietzsche catapulting off of some lofty philosophical diving board. Kelly McEvers, the host of Embedded, is that kind of journalist. Her mission is to dive deep into the various, pressing stories of the world while asking difficult questions like “What does it feel like being the father of a young girl in El Salvador and feeling compelled to lie to one’s daughter regarding all the dead bodies scattered about in the streets?”

Embedded is an excellent, if at times harrowing, podcast.

18 ∙ JUNE 2016

SKE ∙

19

FOOD TIPS

THE FOOD CELLAR WORDS RAGNAR TÓMAS

“A Most Wonderful Leg of Goose.”

A short while ago my friends from America, Brian and Larissa, visited Iceland for the first time. And I can assure you that there is nothing that bolsters an Icelander’s respect towards his own country and people – as having two middle-class American southerners (read “salt of the earth”) visit; everything that had anything to do with our island was declared “wonderful” by the standards of American sensibilities, and even an unceremonious drive through a dusky Mosfellsdalur inspired the sincerest of rhapsodies: “Wow, look at that mountain! That’s like a giant piece of earth sticking up from the ground. I’ve never seen anything like it!”

As I was so moved by these Yankee exaggerations, I endeavored to show my friends only the best that our country has to offer. We took an elevator to the top of Hallgrímskirkja, and beheld Reykjavík city with the eyes of an eagle; we consumed a warm canine (hot-dog) at Bæjarins Beztu; and we circumnavigated that infamous tourist bear-trap the Golden Circle (I explained that the Golden Circle was not really a circle, but resembled rather a spastic man’s attempt at sketching a circle – drunk).

During the Americans’ last evening in Iceland, I decided to veer off the trodden path and invited them along to a restaurant that I myself had never visited: The Food Cellar (on Aðalstræti 2).

On a beautiful Wednesday night we strolled down the steps of the restaurant and into a dusky cellar. There was an undeniable romantic air that permeated the restaurant and quickly I began to despair. Had I yet again become that oftdiscussed “third wheel” – that inappropriate round thing that spins around its axis in the company of two lovers? I glanced at my friends’ content faces and thought: “Probably not.” #denial.

In the foyer, we were met with a jovial waiter who escorted us to our table.

The restaurant was quite busy. Evidently, the foreigners had discovered the restaurant before me – but there is nothing wrong with being fashionably late.

20 ∙ JUNE 2016

We order two starters: a grilled puffin and a leg of goose, alongside of a slow-cooked cod. The cod, which was smothered in Hollandaise sauce, was good and so was the puffin. But it was the goose leg, hiding inside of a spring roll, that really charmed us. There was something about the texture. I became guilty of the same wild exaggerations employed by my friends in Mosfellsdalur: “Wow, try this goose leg! It’s as if a small neighborhood of heaven has found its way onto the plate. I’ve never tasted anything like it!”

For the main course I ordered a pepper steak and my friends decided to try the grilled lamb. While we waited for the food we sipped red wine and discussed Donald Trump.

I advanced the tired theory that Mr. Trump was the last of the Roman emperors and put on a wise face, hoping that I would not be asked to explain my theory further.

I know nothing.

The main courses arrived a few minutes later and my friends were considerably taken with the lamb. Brian expressed his interest in preparing a similar dish in the US – but I trounced his idea discourteously; this was high-quality lamb of the Icelandic variety: “You won’t find anything like it in Florida.”

Following the main course, Brian and I were too stuffed for dessert, but Larissa was not. She ordered Crème Brulée with orange sorbet and licorice. The chef himself served the dessert and explained that it was an ode to his youth. When he was younger he used to sip orange soda, utilizing a piece of licorice as a straw. It was a cool story about a tasty dish.

We walked out satisfied.

A few days later, I better understood my friends’ love for the Reykjavík culinary scene. Not to sound haughty, but we are on a different level as far as the quality of ingredients and presentation goes.

The Food Cellar upholds that standard quite nicely.

Gelato

Gelato is the italian word for icecream. Perlan makes it’s own italian gelato for you to enjoy with the spectacular view overseeing the city in any direction.

C

A

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FOOD TIPS

FISKFÉLAGIÐ / FISH COMPANY Iceland’s Reputation Abroad WORDS FRIÐRIK NÍELSSON A few weeks ago, a British journalist arrived in Iceland. The purpose of his stay was to pen a story about the Icelandic people and their unlikely success in the field of international football – all in the interest of global journalism.

An unnamed compatriot of mine, who is acquainted with the journalist, got wind of his arrival and decided to welcome him to our country. He had the idea of reinforcing the welcoming committee (which was comprised solely of himself) by supplementing the committee with the undersigned. The rationale behind this supplementation was, undoubtedly, the fact that I am relatively well-versed in the shades and nuances of the English language and could therefore prove useful. I could be of aid in my compatriot’s endeavor to strengthen the image of our beloved island in the eyes of the foreign media (or so I suspect).

After a short while’s wait, the food arrived and it was good. I had ordered the roasted spotted wolfish with celeriac and lemon crumble, served with a potato and celeriac risotto. The dish was also garnished with some green tomatoes pickled in white balsamico along with parmesan shavings. I shoveled the food into my mouth, visibly dispirited by my own unfortunate muteness.

The Brit didn’t like me.

Over coffee, the waiter served up a big bowl of assorted chocolates – of the Quality Street variety – and finally I espied my opportunity to say something intelligent.

I turned to the Brit, a bit tipsy now on account of two beers, and said, with much uncalled-for enthusiasm: “This is our most famous chocolate!”

And so I decided to make my country look good – for a change.

Moments before I assumed my duties to said committee, I adorned my anatomy with an expensive coat and blanketed myself in a fragrant cloud of thick cologne. I looked (and smelled) like a perfect dandy – as if I were Oscar Wilde, heterosexually resurrected.

We rendevouzed with the journalist at Slippbarinn and immediately I intuited, from the suspicious way that he eyed my person, that he was not impressed: “This man is an idiot, a vain idiot,” he must have thought to himself as he shook my hand.

But of course Quality Street is British. The Brit giggled a derisive giggle and seemed poised to follow in the footsteps of his countryman Gordon Brown – and employ antiterrorism laws against this vain, vapid Icelander.

After dinner we strolled back towards Slippbarinn, as the Brit had booked a room at Hotel Marina. My soul was a deflated balloon. I walked behind the two of them with a bent back and a stifled throat. ...

But finally I found redemption.

But I remained unfazed – still faithful in my capacity as a qualified representative of the Icelandic nation.

Together, my compatriot and I escorted the British journalist to a restaurant called the Fish Company, located in downtown Reykjavík. We were warmly received by the host and directed to our table immediately. All three of us ordered different dishes of fish. We sipped our beers and conversed while we awaited our meals.

Unfortunately, I was immediately exiled from the conversation by the nature of its subject matter: international power lifting – and given that I have no opinion on international power lifting – I sat at the table like a dumb fool.

Every now and again the Brit would glance at me with sympathetic eyes, suggesting that his first impressions of me as an idiot had been proved beyond a shadow of a doubt: I really was that vain idiot that he had initially suspected I was.

As we were about to say our goodbyes the Brit mentioned that he was the reading the Icelandic novel Höll minninganna by Ólafur Jóhann Ólafsson. Disinterested and exhausted I casually mentioned that the novel was based on my great grandfather, Árni Benediktsson, who had been William Randolph Hearst’s butler. This caught the Brit’s attention who invited me along for another beer – eager to hear the rest of the story.

Over the next few hours I managed to salvage the reputation of the Icelandic nation and we drank beer and conversed well into the night. Later, I strolled home and almost collided with a lamppost.

The point of this article is that the food at Fish Company is good and the service is excellent (seeing as this is a restaurant critique). Also, we all have our “Quality Street” moments, but we can overcome them with a little luck.

I hope that the Brit’s writing on Iceland is positive. We sure need it.

I was an inarticulate embarrassment to my nation.

22 ∙ JUNE 2016

SKE ∙

23

ICELAND

HAPPY HOUR! YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS

PRIKIÐ

BANKASTRÆTI 12

MONDAYS – THURSDAYS FROM 16:00–20:00 BEER–500 ISK

VEGAMÓT

VEGAMÓTASTÍGUR 4

AN ODE TO GUNNAR NELSON WORDS FRIÐRIK NÍELSSON

(On May 8th, Icelandic MMA fighter Gunnar Nelson defeated the up-and-coming Russian mixed martial artist Albert “Einstein” Tumenov in Rotterdam. After the fight, Nelson moved up the ranking list and is currenty 13th. SKE’s own Friðrik Níelsson penned a brief ode to Iceland’s own Admiral Nelson.)

Gunnar Nelson is a national hero.

may quell the current disorder by means of a rear-naked choke.

He is a national hero because as regards the violent torturing of disagreeable foreigners within metal cages – Gunnar Nelson is second to none.

(Pundits say that Bashar al-Assad would be served as chicken salad the following day in Damascus.)

Barack Obama refers to him as Gunntanamo Bay and condemns his actions continually in the foreign media. Donald Trump, on the other hand, has no problem with Gunnar Nelson – for Nelson’s tactics align harmoniously with his view of American foreign policy.

If Gunnar Nelson ran for president he would be made emperor and carried down Laugavegur on the shoulders of the people.

A few days later he would be stabbed on the steps of the parliament by Davíð Oddsson and Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson:

Freudian intellectuals have observed that the gentleman Nelson is the means by which a diminutive country in the North Atlantic sublimates its impulse for military achievement, and this is not far from the truth: He is our navy, our army and our air force – and when he departs for war we watch with furrowed brows and clenched teeth.

“Et tu, Ólafur Ragnar?

In his last five battles, the army of Nelson has not only conquered such respectable nations as England, Ukraine and Brazil, but has also vanquished, with embarrassing ease, the former cold-war superpowers, America and Russia.

The foreign minister of Iceland has been so impressed by Nelson’s proficiency that she has considered sending him to Iran as a sole member of Iceland’s “diplomatic” envoy, in order that he

24 ∙ JUNE 2016

But there is yet another quality possessed by Nelson which cements his reputation among the modern Icelandic population, namely an unrivaled calmness of mind; on the eve of war, Gunnar saunters into the fray as if awaking from a long slumber, and, strolling into the ring, he bears all the outward qualities of an intoxicated stoic –walking down a supermarket aisle to purchase a dozen eggs. I know this because I have seen him at the supermarket and can report with full confidence that there is no observable change in his demeanor.

In other words, Nelson is our Achilles – and he has heels of steel.

THURSDAYS – SATURDAYS FROM 22:00–01:00 BEER: 750 ISK WINE: 750 ISK

STOFAN CAFÉ AÐALSTRÆTI 7

ALL DAYS FROM 16:00–19:00 BEER: 650 ISK WINE: 650 ISK

KALDI BAR LAUGAVEGUR 20B

ALL DAYS FROM 16:00-19:00 BEER: 650 ISK

SLIPPBARINN MÝRARGATA 2

ALL DAYS FROM 15:00–18:00 BEER: 500 ISK WINE: 500 ISK

BAR 11

HVERFISGATA 18

THURSDAYS - SATURDAYS FROM 21:00–00:00 BEER 500 ISK

KAFFIBARINN BERGSTAÐASTRÆTI 1

ALL DAYS FROM 15:00–20:00 BEER: 650 ISK

BARBER BAR LAUGAVEGUR 66-68

ALL DAYS FROM 16:00–19:00 BEER: 650 ISK WINE: 650 ISK

LOFTIÐ

AUSTURSTRÆTI 9

WEDENSDAYS - SATURDAYS FROM 16:00–21:00 BEER 600 ISK WINE 700 ISK

THE SUMMER HAS NEVER LOOKED BETTER! Harpa greets thousands of visitors every day during the summer. The summer season has never been as busy with Harpa regulars instituting a fuller summer program. The most recently launched concert series during lunchtime in Eldborg and the viking play, Icelandic Sagas – Greatest Hits will most certainly appeal to culture seeking tourist in Iceland. One of Iceland’s most distinguished music festivals, Reykjavik Midsummer Music will take place the fifth year in a row, with exceptional musicians from all over the world, this year evolving around the theme "Wanderer". Múlinn Jazz Club continues to play weekly at Björtuloft hall surrounded by the greatest harbour view in Reykjavik. This summer Harpa premieres a new scenic hall with two exhibitions, honoring David Bowie and commemorating Icelandic emigrants to North America. Pearls of Icelandic Song will bring life to Icelandic art and folk songs and foreigners will get a lesson or two in How to become Icelandic from hilarious stand-up comedians. www.harpa.is

HARPA REGULARS The Harpa daily guided tour: Experience Harpa behind the scenes. Daily trips at 11:00, 13:30, 15:30 and 17:30. Special tours in Italian, French, Danish, German, Finnish.

The Expo Pavillion: A fifteen minute long film, presenting Iceland in all its diversity. Footage from both city and nature is projected onto the four walls and the ceiling of the pavillion, together forming a cube that surrounds its guests. You fly through waterfalls, a marathon and a volcano even erupts.

Showing every 30 minutes.

How to become Icelandic in 60 minutes: This show is much more than a stand-up comedy routine, it is a hilarious blend of incisive and visual observation of the Icelandic human condition, the attitude, the struggle and everyday life. You will laugh and learn and at the end of the show leave the theatre feeling 100% Icelandic. Daily shows.

Pearls of Icelandic Song: Classical Icelandic music in programs consisting of some of the most beloved Icelandic songs, folk-songs and hymns. Programs

are sung in Icelandic but annotated in English to aid foreigners in getting acquainted with classical Icelandic music. Weekly concerts.

Reykjavík Classics in Eldborg: The new concert series is a welcome addition to the vibrant scene of arts and culture in the Capital and is specifically designed to fulfil the demand raised by the enthusiasts of music among international travellers, in particular those who wish to listen to live performances of classical music, performed by artists of the highest caliber, in “one of the ten best concert halls of the new millennium”. Daily lunchtime concerts from 30 June.

Múlinn Jazzclub: Presents weekly jazz in rendering surroundings in Björtuloft, the only hall at Harpa with an inbuilt bar and open air balcony. Múlinn welcomes you on a Wednesday.

Exhibitions premiering a new hall at Harpa with a panoramic view Bowie – The Session by the world famous Gavin Evans. Open daily.

Silent Flashes – The Icelandic Emigration Center‘s Exhibit. Open daily.

Icelandic Sagas – The Greatest Hits: Presented by two of Iceland‘s finest actors, Icelandic Sagas - The Greatest hits, is a 75 minute theatrical comedy roller coaster ride through Iceland’s literary heritage. In English! The Icelandic Sagas are the 40 true stories of the first settlers of Iceland - Well, Icelanders say they’re true. Everyone else says: Get out of here!

Weekly shows in Norðurljós.

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25

POTPOURRI

ICELAND

STAY IN THE LOOP

BY

SKE Doesn't want you to be out of the loop during your time in Iceland. Here is some useful information, which could serve as an ice-breaker during your conversations with the locals.

Elections:

Presidential elections will be held on June 25th in Iceland.

The winner of the election will become the country's sixth president, succeeding the incumbent Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson.

When these words are written, historian and expert on the presidential office Guðni Th. Jóhanesson is polling at around 60%. Former Prime Minister and former mayor of Reyjavík Davíð Oddsson is polling second with 17%.

Sports:

The Icelandic international men's football team qualified for the 2016 European Cup last fall – for the first time in Icelandic football history. The tournament kicks off this June in France and many Icelanders will be making the trip to witness this historic moment. Iceland's first match will be against Portugal on June 14th. The streets will be empty of all but tourists.

National Day:

Iceland celebrates the annual Icelandic National Day on June 17th. The holiday commemorates the foundation of the Republic of Iceland in 1944 and its independence from Danish rule. The date was especially chosen to coincide with the birthday of Jón Sigurðsson, a leading figure in Iceland's independence movement in the 19th century.

NUMBERS 334,300

POPULATION OF ICELAND

Music:

980

Justin Bieber visited Iceland last September with photographer Chris Burkard. A few months later he premiered a video the song I'll Show You (from his fourth studio album Purpose), which was filmed entirely in Iceland. In early June, the Canadian singer released a video to the song Company, which was partially filmed in Iceland.

NUMBER OF CHILDREN BORN DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2016

Politics:

NUMBER OF ICELANDERS WHO MOVED TO DENMARK DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2016

Following the revelation of the Panama Papers leak in April of this year, then Prime Minister of Iceland, Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, stepped down amid vehement protests (Gunnlaugsson failed to disclose a 50% share in an offshore company, which was also a creditor of Iceland's fallen banks.) He was replaced by the former Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson (who is a member of the Progressive Party like Gunnlaugsson). Shortly thereafter, the newly formed government announced that parliamentary elections would be held next fall.

190

3,2%

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2016

400

NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN UNEMPLOYED FOR 12 MONTHS OR LONGER AS THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2016

34%

PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN HOTEL STAYS FROM LAST YEAR

Tourism:

Iceland expects to welcome 1.7 million tourists this year, which is more than five times the population – and up from just 500,000 in 2010. Following the economic crash in 2008, tourism has become the country's most important industry. While beneficial to the economy, this rapid increase poses serious questions in terms of the Icelandic infrastructure.

(COURTESY OF STATISTICS ICELAND)

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POTPOURRI

THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA WORDS THOMAS JEFFERSON SNODGRASS

In order to celebrate the forthcoming International Day of Yoga (IDY), SKE contributor Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass penned a piece on his recent yoga retreat:

As my weekend "yoga-retreat" comes to a close, I feel compelled to exercise my newfound clarity and wisdom by reflecting on the experience in the fashion of a profound Buddha. If you are impartial to the vain ramblings of common fools, I recommend that you stop reading now; everyone else, continue at your own discretion.

This weekend, I have experimented with many wonderful and inexplicable things; I have contorted my body into the most unexpected postures, in an earnest but ultimately failed attempt at emulating some of nature's most celebrated animals; I have lodged two nights in a small room designed by uninspired minimalists: consisting of bed, table, sink and precarious cabinet; I have ingested several courses of wholesome and unappetizing food, and frequently daydreamed of disgusting pizza; I have - in an effort to ventilate the soul - partaken enthusiastically in various respiratory exercises, and I have done so, sometimes, without sneezing; I have listened to the self-deprecating anecdotes of tortured alcoholics, and considered joining their club for the sake of their stories; I have made a fool of myself dancing - exploring styles and rhythms that no Caucasian European should ever explore; I have turned my soul inside out in the manner of a blanket, and found that in all these years I have not been cleansing my spirit, but merely turning it over like a sock when one side gets dirty; and finally, I have chanted unaccountable mantras while dancing an ungainly twostep, and discovered that Sanskrit is as good a language as any in drowning out one's relentless and pretentious inner monologue.

I have done all of these things with great vigor and with great passion, and in the process I have learned the following lesson: it is easy to clean the body - anybody with half a brain and a bar of soap can do that - but it takes a special kind of fool to cleanse the spirit: for one must work at it earnestly and unabashedly from impossible angles ...

The International Day of Yoga will be held by the Icelandic Yoga Alliance and the Indian Embassy on June 19th, from 11:00 – 13:00, in the Harpa Music and Conference Hall. The program is ambitious, various classes are available and there will be something for everyone: for the young and the old; for beginners and experienced practitioners. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own yoga mats to the event.

Admission is free.

The House at Eyrarbakki

THE HOUSE AT EYRARBAKKI Árnessýsla folk museum is located in Húsið, the House, historical home of the Danish merchants built in 1765. Húsið is one of the oldest houses in Iceland and a beautiful monument of Eyrarbakki´s time as the biggest trading place on the south coast.

Today one can enjoy exhibitions about the story and culture of the region, famous piano, shawl made out of human hair and the kings pot, are among items. Húsið prides itself with warm and homelike atmosphere.

Opening hours: May 1st - September 30th daily 11.00-18.00 or by an agreement Tel: +354 483 1504 & +354 483 1082 | husid@husid.com | www.husid.com

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EDDA'S CORNER

ORDER. I WILL HAVE ORDER. WORDS EDDA KENTISH I think I would look good with a gavel. Perched on a wooden, intimidating bench somewhere, telling people to approach, or banging my mini-hammer on its thing to make it known that I am the smartest the person to obey in the room.

To that effect, I might even be a good orchestra conductor.

Poised with a baton in hand, ready to command troops of diligent instrument-workers (commonly referred to as musicians) who will do what I mysteriously signal with the waving of arms. As a veteran choir singer, I have seen lots of conductors in my time (my Dad is even one) and sorry – sometimes there’s just no way to know what you all want.

I think I would also be a great minister. The politician kind, not the religion kind (even though the two have mysteriously much in common). I’m pretty good at thinking on my feet, I have the good sense not to lie brazenly during TV interviews, and I can make decisions like nobody’s business. That automatically happens when you become a mother and need to be responsible for a 7-year-old with a serious case of the Mondays all through the week, and make sure she gets to school on time.

I would be a fantastic personal banker as well. I manage my household’s books and know how much money there is in our various accounts at any given time, down to the last króna. I would be excellent at telling people to cut the crap and stop bloody spending all their money on useless novelties, overpriced fast food and lottery tickets.

To that point, I would probably also make a very good dominatrix, but that’s neither here nor there.

Based on these passages of my over-inflated ego and control

issues, I seem to have the makings of a good leader (whether by nature or nurture I will never know). I like structure, I like order, but I also like thinking on my feet and coming up with solutions to complex problems by doing proper research. I’m headstrong and stubborn, complete with a set of wit and banter, and I know where I want to go.

The problem, however, seems to be knowing how to get there.

I am a woman. Already, the odds are stacked against me. I have the sheer nerve of reproducing, raising children during office hours, and expecting paid leave for it as well, and then expect to jump ahead on the career ladder knowing that I might have to nip out of the office one day in future to have a baby.

The multitasking nature, evidently so prominent in the gentler sex, means that while men focus on one thing, the

thing they’re driven to complete, we women get to take care of our jobs, children, the family money (or lack thereof; I make on average about 8% less than my male counterparts and the situation is even worse in other countries), household chores, extended family relations, dinners, lunches, homework, etc.

Did I just invent time travel? Because I feel like I landed in the 50s, just by reading this paragraph.

Women proved their worth in the workplace decades ago.

The problem is just that the game is rigged. It still favors people who can be consistently present at the arbitrary hours 9 – 5, come hell or high water, or an outbreak of the flu in second grade. The magical eight-hour workday is just as arbitrary and might even be working against office productivity (I get just as much done in seven hours as I do in eight. Don’t tell my boss.), or so I’ve heard, so why is this system still in place? Why is the gender balance so flawed when it comes to leadership? Don’t blame it on the children. That’s just sad. Who does that?

I want to know. Maybe, when I know, I will also learn how to get where I want to go.

Maybe someone needs to make me a board director first.

I’m available if you’re looking.

Edda Kentish is a professional seller of things through the medium of words and has spent the better part of her thirty-odd years mastering the English language. She has an incurable interest in good rock music, Harry Potter, British baking shows and quirky home design. She is rubbish at hoovering but is somehow married despite that obvious flaw.

JUICY

American rapper Biggie Smalls would have turned 44 last month. In order to honor his memory, we altered his classic lyric from Juicy in order to accommodate a slightly more “ literary” point of view.

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It was all a dream / I used to read New Yorker magazine / James Joyce and Hemingway on the mezzanine / Hanging paintings on my wall / Every Saturday, BBC: books and authors on the pod / I let my shelves stack / Till my shelves cracked / Smokin' on a vain pipe, sippin' on bad cognac / Way back / When I had a hounds-tooth with an elbow patch / And a sixpence to match / Remember Mark Twain, duh-ha, duh-ha / You never thought that lit'rature Would take me this far? / Now I'm in the spotlight / Ran the stoplight / Time to get laid Have sex like 50 Shades / Born sinner / The opposite of a winner / 'member when I used to eat A modest (one-course) meal for dinner / Peace to Borges, Thoreau, Stephen King / Nabokov, Poe, J.R. (R.) Tolkien / I'm blowing up Like you thought I would / Call the crib, Wrong number, wrong 'hood / It’s all good /

At Public House Gastropub we put an emphasis on serving fun dining along with some quality ambience.

We use Icelandic ingredients but we add some japanese flair to our dishes because we like to have fun with our food and drinks.

TRY OUR PHGP TASTE OF ICELAND

I‘M TRAPPED Slow cooked LAMB SHANK doughnut | Apricot jam

LOL Cured PUFFIN with liquorice | Cherries | Blue cheese sauce

SENBAI Thyme smoked ARCTIC CHARR on a senbai cracker | Dill mayo | Chimichurri

TATAKI REINDEER TATAKI with Icelandic blue cheese | Smoked sour cream | Amazu ponzu

PUBLIC HOUSE GASTROPUB Laugavegur 24 | Tel. 555 7333 publichouse@publichouse.is #publichousegastropub publichouse.is

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∙ JUNE 2016