Ske - #10 (English Version)

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#10

Plan your perfect day

On Hugleikur Dagsson

SKE plans your perfect day in Reykjavík: peak inside for further details.

briefly on Iceland’s most infamous cartoonist, and his unfortunate race of stick figures.

Ske.is 24.07 2015 - 31.07 2015

Your free copy Your guide to what’s going on in iceland

“It’s not about making money. Extreme Chill is a non-profit festival. Everybody involved is doing it for the love. We get paid in happiness and memories. It’s about the experience.”

– Pan Thorarensen, co-founder of the Extreme Chill Festival

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A “Perfect” Day – Pt. 10 (Best Of Edition) In order to celebrate the tenth edition of our humble magazine, SKE reviewed the past nine editions of its Perfect Day column and created one extra Perfect day for the benefit of its readership. Below you will find nine activities that guarantee a great experience in Reykjavík.

“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. Coocoo’s Nest – Egg Florentine – 11:00 (3rd edition) If brunch is halfway between breakfast and lunch, then Coocoo’s Nest is halfway between good and unbelievably brilliant. Every weekend, between 11:00-16:00, The Coocoo’s Nest offers a brunch menu, which features classic breakfast dishes like green eggs & ham, omelettes, pancakes and more. We at SKE recommend the Egg Florentine: grilled bread, fried spinach, two poached eggs and a buttery blue cheese. The atmosphere is cozy and warm and the service rarely disappoints. Also, their sourdough bread is famous.

2. Sundhöllinn – Outdoor Hot-tubbing – 12:30 (9th edition)

A few days ago, a billiard table was introduced into my family’s solarium. Since then, I have not accomplished a single thing worth mentioning. My sink is congested with dishes; my fiancé is beginning to suspect infidelity; and my laundry lies scattered about my apartment like an accumulation of malodorous molehills. Yes, sir. I have discovered that the billiard table, when a component of one’s domestic furniture, is, above all, an instrument of procrastination; a thing designed to undermine the ambitions of young men; a product of the Devil. And I am powerless against its charms. It beckons me at all hours of the day like some inanimate, wooden siren, and I, like an unrestrained Odysseus, floating through the Mediterranean Sea, somnambulate in its direction whenever it sings. I slide open the doors, remove the balls from the pockets, gather them inside the triangle, chalk up my pool stick and send the cue ball smashing into the atomic triangle with abandon. You, who are not so fortunate as to enjoy the company of this household good, may inquire, “What is it about a game of billiards that is so addictive?” And I shall tell you. First of all, there is a secret vanity to the ritual: To stand about contemplatively with a pool cue in one’s hand affords one an aristocratic air; it makes one fee like an English earl, quietly considering how best to divvy up colonial territory. Second, there is an aural delight to the game: The sound of colliding billiard balls is the sound of the Universe unlocking – the sound of intention, purpose and triumph. Finally, billiards is a game of leisure and levity: a game that goes equally well with red wine and chocolates as it does with coffee and biscuits; it is the chosen diversion of artistic idlers like myself. I am not quite sure where I am going with this editorial, dear reader, but I know that I have gone too far to turn back. Leaf through the pages of our humble magazine and find yourself the event equivalent of a billiard table.

Whoohaa! #chilliards #TommyO’Sullivan

Ske Editors: ritstjorn@ske.is Advertisement: auglysingar@ ske.is Interview & Editorial: Ragnar Tómas Hallgrímsson Interviewee: Solla Photographs: Joseph Hall Photographs from ATP: Brynjar Snær Photographs from Algera: Joseph Hall Printing: Ísafoldarprentsmiðja Design & Layout: Hlynur Ingólfsson, Lifandi verkefni ehf.

They say that Iceland is the land of fire and ice. If this is true, then a soak in an outdoor hot-tub is as near a man can come to experiencing that manifestation of the national identity without dying in the process; there is something ineffably wonderful about sitting in warm water during cold weather. The best place to experience the nation’s essence in its sensational form is at Sundhöllin. Sundhöllin is an indoor swimming pool (located on Barónsstígur 45 A) completed in 1937 and designed by former state architect Guðjón Samúelsson. Besides the indoor pool, Sundhöllin also features a sauna and a terrace with hot-tubs. After exiting the showers, we recommend launching yourself carelessly off the diving board and venturing outside to the hot-tubs for some fresh air.

3. Kaffismiðjan – Best Coffee in Town – 14:00 (5th edition) There are many great coffee places in Reykjavík, but of all of the great coffee places – Reykjavík Roasters is the greatest. Located on Kárastígur 1, in downtown Reykjavík, Reyjavík Roasters is an unassuming little place that seats only about 20 people. It is owned and operated by a quatrain of accomplished coffee professionals; hanging on the walls of the coffeehouse, there are numerous placards that advertise their accomplishments (Barista of the year, etc.). SKE usually orders a cappuccino, which is always just right. We owe our literary talents to that caffeinated drinkable. It is as they say, genius is 10% inspiration, 90% coffee.

4. The Einar Jónsson Museum – Iceland’s First Sculptor – 14:30 (3rd edition) If the purpose of art is to wash the dust of daily life from our souls, then there is no better washing machine than the Einar Jónsson Museum. Located across the street from Hallgrímskirkja, the Einar Jónsson Museum was, for a while, the only building on top of Skólavörðuholt. It once resembled, as someone once said, “the private residence of a modernist vampire” – and still does. Einar Jónsson was Iceland’s first sculptor and the mastermind behind some of Reykjavík’s most famous statues: Outlaws, Ingólfur Arnarson, Jónas Hallgrímsson and Jón Sigurðsson were all the products of his imaginative mind. Einar lived abroad before striking a deal with the Icelandic government, wherein he sold the government all of his works under the condition that the government build him a house. The government agreed and constructed what is now the Einar Jónsson Museum, which opened in 1923.

5. The Celtic Cross – Mexican Soup – 15:00 (10th edition) The Celtic Cross has been a fixture of the Icelandic bar scene for over 20 years. Situated on Hverfisgata, one

street over from Reykjavík’s main shopping street, the Celtic Cross recently changed its opening hours and now offer food and drinks from noon until evening. Besides the opening hours, the Celtic Cross has also improved its menu to include Mexican soups, chicken and vegan, served in bowls of bread (sans salt and yeast). The Celtic Cross is fine place celebrate multiculturalism: a Celtic bar in Iceland that serves Mexican soup to all kinds of people.

6. Loft Hostel – The Happiest Hour – 16:00 (8th edition) Located on Bankastræti 7 in downtown Reykjavík, Loft Hostel’s appeal lies in one of two things: its balcony, which affords its patrons a rare view of Reykjavík’s central shopping street; and its Happy Hour (in effect every day between 16:00-20:00), which affords it patrons with the opportunity of inexpensive inebriation. During sunny days, there is no better place to observe the Icelandic nation in its natural habitat: at the bar.

7. Shopping at Kolaportið – Back in Time – 16:45 (1st edition) Kolaportið is an indoor flea market situated inside an old warehouse by the harbor. It is open on Saturdays and Sundays between 11:00-17:00. To enter Kolaportið is to travel back in time without violating the laws of physics: Credit cards give way to cash; Kindles give way to old books; and Netflix gives way to DVDs and VHS tapes. Kolaportið is a kind of 18th century version of Kringlan – except one does not leave smelling like a cocktail of free cologne samples, but like a box of dried fish instead. The best thing to do at Kolaportið is to withdraw a reasonable amount of cash from the ATM by the main entrance, and then to trade that cash for various oddities and knickknacks.

8. The Steakhouse – Design Your Own Meal – 19:00 (4th edition) SKE is certain that 100 years from now, future man will look back upon our people’s carnivorousness as a form of barbarism; they will shake their collective heads at our pagan rituals; and they will liken us to an uncultured troop of chimpanzees. Even though we realize all this, we are yet products of our time – and our moral compass is greatly confused by a steak. Thus, of all the wonderful restaurants in Reykjavík – the Steakhouse is one of our favorites. What we like about the Steakhouse, besides its seemingly endless selection of wine, is that it affords its patrons the opportunity of designing their own meal.

Guests select a steak (lamb, beef or horse), a side dish (baked potato, sweet potato, salad etc.) and a sauce (blue cheese, Bernaise, garlic, etc.) and some wine to go with it.

9. Kaffibarinn – Party Time – 21:00 (2nd edition) To truly familiarize oneself with a new nation, a new people, it is necessary to study that nation in both its sober and drunk state of mind; while the former may provide a glimpse into that nation’s vain conceits – the latter affords the observer a rare angle into their unalloyed essence.

There is not better spyglass into the Icelandic soul than Kaffibarinn after 3 o’clock in the morning. At Kaffibarinn after 3 o’clock in the morning, the Icelandic nation reveals itself as a tribe of boisterous madmen; it dances, it drinks and it embarrasses itself, occasionally, with spells of foolish violence.

Enjoy your perfect day.

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Music

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Æla, Nolo and Wesen Pikknikk Concert Series @ Boston Old School Throwdown @ Gaukurinn Radio Iceland and Artivist Events present Old School Throwdown at Gaukurinn this Friday, July 24th. Old School Throwdown is a concert that features an exciting mix of Icelandic rappers.

Boston (located on Laugavegur 28 B) will be celebrating the Icelandic summer with a concert this Friday.

20:45 – Wesen 21:30 – Nolo 22:45 – Æla Where: Boston (Laugavegur 28 B) When: Friday, July 24th, 20:45 Price: Free

Performers: Holy Hrafn & Binni Bó Átrúnaðargoðin Þriðja Hæðin Alexander Jarl Alvia Islandia Valby Bræður Shades of Reykjavík

Andri Ívarsson

This Sunday, July 26th, Andri Ívarsson will be performing at the Nordic House greenhouse for the 2015 Pikknikk concert series. Andri Ívarsson is a stand-up comedian who peppers his stand-up routine with music. He is a kind of comedic troubadour, who combines humorous songs about life and existence with traditional stand-up comedy. Andri began his career at open-mic nights, and quickly thereafter began receiving requests to perform at birthday parties, high-school events and office parties.

Recently, Andri Ívarsson has been performing alongside of Saga Garðarsdóttir and Hugleikur Dagsson, among others.

Guests are also invited to bring food from Aalto Bistro to enjoy in the greenhouse during the concert.

Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious. (Peter Ustinov)

Where: Gaukurinn (Tryggvagata 22) When: Friday, July 24th, 21:00 Price: 1,500 ISK

Óregla

Where: Nordic House When: Sunday, July 26th, 15:00 Price: Free www.nordichouse.is

This Saturday, July 25th, the jazz/funk band Óregla will be performing at Bar 11. Óregla will do their best to perform three new songs, and have been practicing like diligent smurfs for the past few weeks in order to accomplish this unlikely feat. Óregla is influenced by such bands as Igor Stravinsky, Frank Zappa and Miles Davis, among others.

Opening for Óregla will be Arnljótur Sigurðsson, who will be warming up the crowd with his stimulating electromagnetic waves. Óregla: Mind-blowing music that will blow your mind all over your face! (Óregla) Where: Bar 11 (Hverfisgata 18) When: Saturday, July 25th, 21:30 Price: Free

Arnljótur Sigurðsson Arnljótur Sigurðsson is an Icelandic musician born and raised in Reykjavík city. Arnljótur has studied music and visual art from an early age. He is also a chess and science enthusiast. Whenever Arnljótur is not performing with Ojba Rasta (an Icelandic reggae band), he partakes in various improvisational and innovative projects. He has released the albums Listauki (2008), Línur (2014) and Til Einskis (2015). For this performance at Mengi, Arnljótur will be performing new beat-driven electronic music along with some older material as well.

My whole life has been one big improvisation. (Clint Eastwood) Where: Mengi (Óðinsgata 2) When: Friday, July 24th, 21:00 Price: 2,000 ISK www.mengi.net

Bárujárn and Sindri Eldon @ Bar 11 Bárujárn is a surf band from Hafnir, which has recently been rehearsing and composing new material. This Friday, July 24th, Bárujárn will be performing this new material.

Sindri Eldon will be following Bárujárn’s performance and he will keep the party going with his humble, sincere tunes.

My passion for surfing is greater than my fear of sharks.

(Bethany Hamilton) Where: Bar 11 (Hverfisgata 18) Where: Friday, July 24th, 22:30 Price: Free

Reykholts Festival 2015 This weekend, a music festival will be held in Reykholtskirkja (Reykholts church) in Borgarfjörður. The festival opens on Friday with a performance by the men’s choir Heimir from Skagafjörður, who will perform alongside of a few special guests. On Saturday, a concert called Snapshots from the First Icelandic Concert Traditions, in which Þóra Einarsdóttir (soprano) and Steinunn Birna Ragnarsdóttir (pianist) will be collaborating. Their performance will be folllowed by a chamber concert featuring the Finnish violist Atte Kilpeläinen. The festival will conclude on Sunday with a special concert.

Where: Reykholtskirkja (Borgarfjörður) When: Friday, July 24th—Sunday, July 26th Price: 3,500 (Single Events) / 9,000 ISK (Festival Pass) www.midi.is

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Music

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Nicolas Kunysz – Music for Islands Bræðslan 2015 The Bræðslan music festival has become a favorite among fans of music and nature alike. The festival takes place in an old fish factory in the beautiful Borgarfjörður eystri (the east coast of Iceland). There are only 800 tickets sold each year. The festival was first held in 2005 and has, since then, been held annually on the last weekend of July. This year, Bræðslan will be celebrating its 10th anniversary on Saturday, July 25th. It will feature some of Iceland’s most popular bands.

Performers: Prins Póló Lára Rúnars Ensími Valdimar Bubbi Morthens Dimma

This Saturday, July 25th, Reykjavík-based Belgian artist Nicolas Kunysz will be releasing a limited edition 10” record entitled Music for Islands (a piece that he created in 2011-2012). Nicolas creates music that spans the genres of electro acoustic, experimental and warm ambient drone, combining lo and hi-fi techniques in the creation of his soundscapes – along with accidental recordings and glitches.

No man is an island, entire of itself. (John Donne) Where: Mengi (Óðinsgata 2) When: Saturday, July 25th, 21:00 Price: 2,000 ISK www.mengi.net

Where: Borgarfjörður Eystri (East) When: Saturday, July 25th, 19:00 Price: 8,500 ISK www.braedslan.com

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The Janis Carol Band This Friday, July 25th, singer Janis Carol and band will be performing classic songs by Ella Fitzgerald at Café Rosenberg. The band will also be performing blues and jazz standards.

Band: Árni Heiðar Karlsson (piano) Gunnar Hrafnsson (bass) Jóhann Hjörleifsson (drums)

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Where: Café Rosenberg (Klapparstígur 25-27) When: Friday, July 24th, 21:00 Price: Free

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Sigurður Flosason’s Blue Shadows This weekend the classically trained jazz saxophone player Sigurður Flosason will be performing alongside the Blue Shadows – an outstanding jazz/blues crossover band that features the Icelandic king of the Hammond organ.

If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know. (Louis Armstrong) Where: Menningarhúsið Hof (Akureyri) When: Saturday, July 25th, 14:00 and Sunday, July 26th, 14:00 / 20:00 Price: 2,900 ISK www.midi.is

Mafama – DOG (Album) Mafama released their debut album DOG not long ago, and celebrated the album with a release concert at Húrra on July 8th. Mafama was founded in Akureyri in 2013 by Árni Þór Theodórsson (guitar), Victor Ocares (guitar and vocals), Þórgnýr Inguson (guitar, synthesizer and bass) and Toggi Nolem (percussion, synthesizer and vocals). In order to finance their debut album, Mafama turned to Karolina Fund and later founded their own

label, Shaka. The songs from the album are influenced by various genres, such as psychadelic, disco and metal, and everything in between. The band has already made an impact on the Icelandic music scene, and has performed at the Iceland Airwaves and Secret Solstice festivals in 2014.

Ef þú hleypur 10 kílómetra notarðu jafnmikla orku og þarf til að hafa kveikt á einum ljósastaur í átta klukkustundir Gagnvirkar orkusýningar Landsvirkjunar í Búrfelli og Kröflu varpa ljósi á orkuna sem býr í öllum hlutum.

Landsvirkjun vinnur rafmagn úr endurnýjanlegum orkugjöfum; vatnsafli, jarðvarma og vindi.

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Leiðarlýsingar á landsvirkjun.is/heimsoknir

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“What sets Extreme Chill apart from other festivals, besides its unique location, is its friendly atmosphere. There’s this kind of electro-hippie mood to it.”

– Pan Thorarensen

Interview: Ragnar Tómas Hallgrímsson Photographs: Allan Sigurðsson

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Reykjavík is now the stage of an ongoing tragedy.

All over the capital city, artists, like golden-cheeked warblers, are being chased out of their natural habitats by the grinding teeth of the tourist industry. Studios, concert halls and galleries give way to wing after wing of nondescript rooms; hallway after hallway of unicolored carpets; and where once a tormented songbird labored under the merciless whip of his muse, an American tourist now slumbers – and farts in his sleep (we have nothing against tourists, or Americans, or unconscious flatulence, for that matter – but we are bothered by our countrymen’s rampant green myopia). Last Wednesday, as I entered the top-floor perch of musician Pan Thorarensen, to discuss the upcoming Extreme Chill Festival, I was nudged out onto the tragic stage – and as I lavished praises upon his peaceful nest, which featured not only a studio pregnant with synthesizers, but an inviting lounge and a library as well – he delivered the news: “They’re tearing it down in December. I hear they’re building another hotel.” On the floor below, my own flock of unconventional songbirds had made its nest, and we had not been told of its impending destruction. But such is life: unpalatable like a bowl of skyr. It was underneath the shadow of this looming bulldozer, that Pan and I discussed the forthcoming Extreme Chill Festival in Snæfellsnes: an annual electronica festival that Pan co-founded with his father and his wife.

Ragnar Tómas: There are many great festivals in Iceland: Iceland Airwaves, Secret Solstice, All Tomorrow’s Parties, Sónar, etc. What makes the Extreme Chill Festival so special?

Pan Thorarensen: I think it’s the environment and the atmosphere. The festival takes place in Hellissandur, by the roots of Snæfellsjökull (a 700,00 year-old stratovolcano with a glacier covering its summit, which was featured in Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth). It’s amazing. The glacier is right next to the village; you can really feel its presence. You’re flanked by the ocean and the glacier. On clear days, you can see across to the West Fjords.

Ragnar Tómas: And in terms of the music venues: you have the Röst community center, where the main stage is located.

Pan Thorarensen: Just one program. On Friday, the program runs from 20:00-03:00 at Röst. Then on Saturday, the program runs from 14:00-18:00 at Frystiklefinn, and then it moves back to Röst. The final day of the festival, Sunday, is just a kind of chill-out day.

Guests are invited to take walks by the ocean or on the glacier. Often we do field recordings on Sunday and in the future we hope to be doing workshops. A friend of mine in Berlin has been doing this workshop in which he teaches participants to build synthesizers and other devices. Next year, hopefully, we’ll be bringing his workshop to Extreme Chill.

Ragnar Tómas: And how many tickets do you sell for the festival?

Pan Thorarensen: 400 tickets go on sale.

And that’s the whole point: We don’t want to sell more tickets. We want to preserve our uniqueness and familiarity. And that’s what people love about the festival. There are so many large festivals in the world, but when you visit Extreme Chill it’s different. It’s a very special experience.

Ragnar Tómas: The Guardian named Extreme Chill the most picturesque festival in Europe in 2012.

Pan laughs.

Pan Thorarensen: What we’ll be doing at Röst, because this part of the festival is often lost on people, is a lot of video/visual work. We will be transforming Röst into a different world. We work with a lot of visual artists who have been shooting Icelandic nature.

So when you step inside – it’s like entering a different Universe. And this isn’t just an electro festival: It’s eclectic. There are some performance artists, like Snorri Ásmundsson. We’ve had Inferno 5 play. Jón Proppé. And others. Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson (a pioneer in the use of computers when composing music) and Steindór Andersen (Icelandic musician known for his Rímur chanting and his collaboration with Sigur Rós) will be performing this year.

Ragnar Tómas: And the festival is sponsored by Uppbyggingarsjóður Vesturlands (West Iceland Development Fund), right?

Pan Thorarensen: Yes. We finally received sponsorship by the fund. Well, I say finally, but this is the first time that we applied.

Ragnar Tómas: Really?

Pan Thorarensen: Yes. This shows how funny we are.

We’ve had other sponsors, but basically the ticket sales have been sustaining the festival. It’s not about making money. Extreme Chill is a non-profit festival. Everybody involved is doing it for the love. We get paid in happiness and memories. It’s about the experience.

Ragnar Tómas: The last festival was held in Berlin?

“It’s not about making money. This is a nonprofit festival. Everybody is doing it for the love.

We get paid in happiness and memories. It’s about the experience.” – Pan Thorarensen

biggest stars of the ambient industry. He does a lot of field recordings. And he’s a famous mountain climber, as well: He climbed Everest once. So this year’s lineup is great: Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, Steindór Andersen, Mixmaster Morris, Biosphere, Studnitzky, who will be playing some fantastic jazz, and then all of the best Icelandic electronic musicians as well.

Ragnar Tómas: So this is possibly the greatest lineup to date?

“My father and I were doing some field recordings in Hellissandur in 2009. And we took a cigarette break and wandered into Röst community center. There was this country ball going on. And there was this terrible band playing. But when we entered we were blown away by the beauty of the place.” – Pan Thorarensen on discovering the venue for the Extreme Chill Festival

Pan Thorarensen: Right. Due to the location. People often ask us, “Isn’t the festival getting bigger every year?”, which was the idea, perhaps two years ago: to make the festival into this big thing, but now, we’ve started to discover our roots. This happens, when you age. You calm down, stop partying as much, and attune yourself to this family lifestyle. It’s a little bit like that. This festival is like my child.

“400 tickets go on sale. And that’s the whole point: We don’t want to sell more tickets.” – Pan Thorarensen on Extreme Chill’s limited ticket sales.

Pan Thorarensen: Yes, that’s the old community center.

It’s one of the most beautiful community centers in the country, in my opinion. Built in 1971, I think. It used to be a movie theater. The acoustics are great. The stage is beautiful, as is the case with so many of these old community centers. Its walls are covered in panels. It’s just a beautiful place, with a capacity of 400 people. So the two music venues are Röst, and then we’ve begun collaborating with Frystiklefinn (The Freezer Hostel), operated by Kári Viðarsson, who was recently awarded the Eyrarrós cultural award. Frystiklefinn is only about a 5-minute walk away from Hellissandur. So there will be two stages. We’ve always had an outdoor stage as well, but this year we’re not going to take any chances. The weather in August is quite unpredictable.

Ragnar Tómas: Very true.

Ragnar Tómas: So there are two programs for each stage?

Pan Thorarensen: Right. Our five-year anniversary was held in Berlin.

Pan tells me that he has often dreamed of taking the Extreme Chill Festival abroad, instead of making it bigger here at home.

We talk about the Reykjavik X Berlin Festival, which was a collaboration between Extreme Chill and XJAZZ. The idea behind the festival was to introduce Germans to Icelandic music and vice versa. During Reykjavik X Berlin, Pan had the opportunity of meeting legends from the electronic music world: Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Thomas Fehlmann. Our conversation segues back to this year’s Extreme Chill Festival.

Pan Thorarensen: Yes, quite possibly.

Ragnar Tómas: And how many artists will perform?

Pan Thorarensen: Around 25.

Ragnar Tómas: And your band, Stereo Hypnosis (an electronic/ambient duo consisting of Pan and his father) will be playing as well, right?

Pan Thorarensen: Yes. We’ve been performing at Extreme Chill since 2009.

Ragnar Tómas: And how did it all begin?

Pan Thorarensen: My father and I were doing some field recordings in Hellissandur in 2009, along with Guðrún (Pan’s wife) and Ally (the wife of Pan’s father).

And we took a cigarette break and wandered into Röst community center. There was this country ball going on – and there was this terrible band playing. But when we entered we were blown away by the beauty of the place. We ordered a beer at the bar, and began joking: “Shouldn’t we throw a release concert here?”.

Ragnar Tómas: I read about this.

Pan Thorarensen: And then we did it. We held a release concert for our album Hypnogogia in 2009. Snorri Ásmundsson performed along with Jóhann Eiríksson (Reptilicus) and others. So we threw this concert. There was no admission fee. 150 people showed up from the city. We didn’t expect that kind of turnout. We were just kidding around, sort of. We were just gonna bring our friends and families, but all of the sudden 150 people turned up. The atmosphere was so sweet. We loved it.

And we decided to make something of it. We had always wanted to do something more with Extreme Chill, which, at the time, was a monthly series of musical evenings held at Hemmi og Valdi and Kaffibarinn, beginning in 2006. So we decided to throw an Extreme Chill festival in 2010. Biogen played that year, before he died. The 2011 festival was dedicated to him. What sets Extreme Chill apart from other festivals, besides its unique location, is also its friendly atmosphere. There’s this kind of electrohippie mood to it.

I laugh.

Pan Thorarensen: It’s kind of like Woodstock.

Ragnar Tómas: Yes, I can see why the tourists like it.

Pan Thorarensen: Mixmaster Morris will return to Extreme Chill this year. He’s been a regular since 2012.

And Biosphere will also be performing. He’s one of the

Pan Thorarensen: My father and I have been touring a lot since 2008. We’ve performed at countless electronic

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What’s happening Pan laughs.

Pan Thorarensen: I forgot about that. He was working not far from here. But I’ve often thought, “why did I study to become a baker – and not a chef?”. I cook a lot. I love cooking.

Ragnar Tómas: Yes, why baking?

Pan Thorarensen: It just kind of happened. Jón Björn, from Brain Police, he’s also a baker. Beggi, from Sóldögg, also a baker (Pan laughs). There are a lot of bakers / musicians.

Ragnar Tómas: That’s funny. But today, you’re mainly doing music and organizing festivals.

Pan Thorarensen: I’ve also been working as a chef. I do these bouts of work, which is good. You need money.

Pan tells me about his time in Berlin. His wife, Guðrún Lárusdóttir (one of the founders of the Extreme Chill Festival) was studying sustainable design, while he was doing music. He thinks he might move to Berlin in the future.

Pan Thorarensen: But I’ve started a new project: Ambátt, with Þorkell Atlason. Þorkell Atlason has recently become a member of Stereo Hypnosis. After our last album, Morphic Ritual, which was recorded in Bjarnarfjörður in 2013, he joined our team. I also collaborated with him on the last Beatmakin Troopa album. And so we decided to start a new project. We will be releasing a new album in a month, which will be more beat-driven. And then there is another album that we plan on releasing this winter which

“I’m named after the Greek god of nature, which is fitting.” – Pan Thorarensen on his name is pure ambient: no drums. Þorkell is a trained composer.

Ragnar Tómas: Will you be releasing these albums online?

Pan Thorarensen: Yes, and on vinyl as well. We are also working on a new Stereo Hypnosis album, which will probably be released early next year.

Ragnar Tómas: Great.

Pan Thorarensen: But right now I’m focusing on Extreme Chill. The festival will take place from the 7th - 9th of August.

I glance at my phone and see that our time is nearly up. I decide to wrap things up. festivals. But the festivals that we love most are the smaller, family-operated festivals. They stand out. You form relationships. You become more connected. This doesn’t happen during big festivals. You’re just a face in the crowd.

Ragnar Tómas: Is there any festival that you’ve played that has stood out?

Ragnar Tómas: Where does the name Pan come from?

(Pan laughs).

“Biogen played that year, before he died. The 2011 festival was dedicated to him.” – Pan Thorarensen

Pan Thorarensen: We really love Canada. We didn’t expect to love it. But it’s just wonderful. We’ve played in Toronto and up north. The Harvest Festival is a favorite of mine. It’s held annually in Burks Falls. It’s not that different from Extreme Chill. It’s in the middle of nowhere. You have to drive some distance from Toronto.

It’s quite freaky. There are stages all over the place and lasers and visuals. There are only about 2,000 tickets sold.

If I am not mistaken. It’s an amazing experience.

Ragnar Tómas: Canadians are lovely.

Pan Thorarensen: Yes, they are. And they love making fun of the Americans. And the Americans love making fun of the Canadians. But yes, in my mind, Canada stands out.

Harvest Festival is my favorite.

Ragnar Tómas: We know each other through Hip-Hop. Have you transitioned into electronic music for good?

Pan Thorarensen: Not really. I’m still influenced by it. I’m doing more instrumental stuff, as Beatmakin Troopa (one of Pan’s aliases). Even though the last album wasn’t purely

Ragnar Tómas: Finally, is Caribbean Blue by Enya still your favorite song?

Hip-Hop. It was more experimental.

Pan Thorarensen: mythology.

From

Greek

Ragnar Tómas: The prefix -pan means everything, I believe.

Pan Thorarensen: Yes! Still my favorite.

Ragnar Tómas: I listened to it this morning.

Pan Thorarensen: No way! That’s awesome.

Pan Thorarensen: Well, actually, I’m named after the Greek god of nature, which is fitting.

Ragnar Tómas: Ahhh. So, judging by all these books, I’m thinking that it was your father’s idea?

Pan Thorarensen: My mother can be just as kooky.

Ragnar Tómas: Pan also means bread in Latin. And you’re a professional baker?

Ragnar Tómas: It has aged really well.

Pan Thorarensen: One day, Enya will play at Extreme Chill. Enya was Biogen’s favorite musician. We used to make fun of him: “Biogen listens to Enya?!”. Here’s this hardcore techno fanatic who listens to Enya.

But he just found her music so masterfully produced and beautiful that he loved it. That’s why we really connected, because we were both Enya fans. And not just us, but everybody. I think most people are afraid to come out and admit that they’re fans of Enya. It’s kind of like coming out of the closet.

“I think most people are afraid to come out and admit that they’re fans of Enya. It’s kind of like coming out of the closet.”

– Pan Thorarensen

Pan Thorarensen: Yes. I am a professional baker, which is funny. But I never bake.

Perhaps bread and some pizza. I can bake whatever you like, you know, I’m a professional baker (Pan laughs). I studied to become a baker when I was young.

Ragnar Tómas: All of the best producers in Iceland are bakers. Helgi “Fonetik” is also a baker.

On that note our converation ends. Tickets for the Extreme Chill Festival are available online at www.midi. is. The festival pass costs a meager 7,900 ISK. Day passes cost 4,200 ISK. SKE recommends staying in a tent at the campsite.

13 What’s happening

Exhibitions

14

What’s happening

NOT – Northern Product Design This Saturday, July 25th, the exhibition NOT – Northern Product Design will be opened at the Akureyri Art Museum (Ketilhús). NOT is a collaborative exhibition by five designers residing in the north of Iceland. The story behind the exhibition is as follows: during the 2014 Design March in Iceland, observers from the Akureyri Art Museum discovered that five out of the 30 designers contributing to an art exhibition an Epal were from Akureyri, which was noteworthy. Following the exhibition, the Akureyri Art Museum became interested in showcasing product design

by Icelandic northerners in its own musuem.

The exhibition features works that were on display during the art show at Epal alongside of other more recent works by the artists, which were designed especially for the NOT exhibition. The designers worked under the theme of hús-gagn (the Icelandic word for furniture, which is a composite word consisting of the words house and utility), which refers to practical objects found in the home. The contributing artists also aimed to employ the knowledge and tools available at northern companies for the production of their products. The results are thoroughly Icelandic products, designed and manufactured, for the most part, in northern Iceland. The exhibition is sponsored by Björg í bú—vöruhönnun, Herdís Björk Þórðardóttir, María Rut Dýrfjörð, Sandra Kristín Jóhannesdóttir and Sveinbjörg Hallgrímsdóttir. Companies involved in the manufacturing of the products are Hrísiðn, Valsmíði, Ölur and more. The project was sponsored

by Uppbyggingarsjóður Norðurlands (North Iceland Development Fund) for the processing and continued development of product design and exhibition for the 2016 Design March. Curator is Helga Björg Jónasardóttir.

The exhibition is open Tuesdays – Sundays from 10:0017:00 Where: Ketilhús, Akureyri Art Museum (Kaupvangsstræti 12) When: July 25th – August 30th Price: Free www.listak.is

Sumargöngur (Summer Walks) Hafnarfjörður This summer, guided walking tours will be offered in Hafnarfjörður every Thursday at 20:00. The walking tours take about one hour and are open to everyone. Admission is free.

Next Thursday, July 30th, the guided tour Hugað að Náunganum will begin at the Pakkhúsið Historical Museum. The tour will acquaint participants with trails connected to the participation of women in the construction of public healthcare in Hafnarfjörður.

Where: Starts at the Pakkhúsið Historical Museum When: Thursday, July 30th, 20:00 Price: Free

Cycle LISTERÍA LISTERÍA is a collaborative exhibition by five Icelandic designers that is held in the unfinished art museum in Seltjararnes (next to Nesstofan). Construction of the museum is far from being completed, but its crude infrastructure and its pure view of nature provide an excellent venue for different kinds of contemporary art. The musuem was originally designed to display and preserve objects associated with the history of medicine in Iceland, but following the financial crisis construction was postponed indefinitely, and the building’s future is still uncertain. The name of the exhibition may sound a bit repulsive, with listeria (list means art in Icelandic) being a bacteria that is prevalent in nature, and that causes infections in animals, and which can be lethal if found in humans.

The exhibition LISTERÍA is a process where the artistic bacteria dominates. It infiltrates the vulnerable exhibition space and resides there autonomously throughout the month of August. Afterwards, no one knows whether the building will return to its former state of hibernation, or whether it will be revived again.

Contributing artists include Ragnar Axelsson, Ívar Valgarðsson, Svava Björnsdóttir, Kristinn E. Hrafnsson and Finnbogi Pétursson.

During the exhibition, artists from different fields will be afforded the opportunity of distributing the artistic bacteria around the building in the form of spontaneous performances and exhibitions, which will be advertised with short notice. The LISTERÍA bacterium is therefore an unpredictable phenomenon in which everything can happen.

The exhibition is open during weekdays between 13:0017:00 throughout August.

Music and Arts Festival For the first time this summer the Cycle Music and Arts Festival will be held from August 13th – August 16th in Kópavogur. The festival aims to showcase inter-disciplinary artworks by international artists, many of whom are innovators in their fields. These artworks fall into the genres of contemporary music, performance art, visual art, audio art and architecture, with the main emphasis being on music. This is one of the first festivals that focuses on the burgeoning inter-disciplinary scene of music with other genres of art. Artists, scholars and guests will be invited to participate in the dialogue through concerts, events, workshops and symposiums, thereby promoting international collaboration and society’s participation in the contemporary art scene.

The artworks that the festival will showcase promote the idea of recycling by introducing existing ideas, sounds, materials and spaces to new contexts, thereby expanding the viewers’ conception of their environment. Besides such conventional arts festival spaces as the concert hall and the art gallery, events and installations will also be staged in public places along with other selected spaces with the aim of altering the guests’ perception of their environment.

As part of the festival an exhibition will be held in Gerðarsafn under the direction of Nadim Samman.

Samman studied philosophy at University College London before completing a doctorate in art history at the Courtauld Institute of Art. In 2012, Samman, alongside of Carson Chan, directed the fourth Marrakech biennial.

Naddam’s projects in 2014 consisted, among others, of Antarctopia: The Antarctic Pavilion; the 14th Venice Biennial in architecture; and Treasure of Lima: A Buried Exhibition, which was a unique exhibition on the Pacific island Isla del Coco. Nadim is one of the two directors of Import Projects, the editor of Near East Magzine and curator at Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary.

Curators are Margrét Áskelsdóttir and Klara Stephensen.

Where: The unfinished museum in Seltjarnarnes (next to Nesstofan) When: Throughout the month of August

Where: Kópavogur When: August 13th – August 16th Price: 7,500 ISK www.cycle.is

Ceramic – From the Museum’s Collection Hafnarborg’s art collection is diverse and constantly growing. Currently, there are around 1,400 artworks in its collection, a large portion of which are paintings and sculptures from the latter half of the 20th century. The founders of Hafnarborg, pharmacist Sverrir Magnússon and his wife Ingibjörg Sigurjónsdóttir, laid its foundation by donating their collection of art to the museum in 1983.

Hafnarborg owns various works by Icelandic and foreign artists, including plenty of ceramic artworks.

This summer, in the Sverrir gallery of Hafnarborg, ceramic art by 14 Icelandic artists will be exhibited. These are all works from the museum’s collection, which were made between the years 1984 – 2006.

The works of the following artists will be exhibited: Áslaug Höskuldsdóttir, Bjarni Sigurðsson, Bryndís Jónsdóttir, Edda Jónsdóttir, Gestur Þorgrímsson, Guðný Magnúsdóttir, Jóna Guðvarðardóttir, Jónína Guðnadóttir, Kolbrún Björgúlfsdóttir, Kristín Ísleifsdóttir, Sigríður Ágústsdóttir, Sigríður Erla Guðmundsdóttir, Sigrún Guðjónsdóttir and Sóley Eiríksdóttir.

Where: Hafnarborg (Strandgata 34) When: June 24th – August 23rd, 2015 www.hafnarborg.is

15 What’s happening

OH, HI! Stop by for some fresh JUICE, yummy SHAKES, tasty SANDWICHES and awesome COFFEE.

SMÁRALIND | KRINGLAN | WORLD CLASS LAUGAR | KEFLAVIK AIRPORT

Exhibitions

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What’s happening

Verksummerki

Gullkistan: 20 Years Last Sunday, July 19th a new exhibition opened at Listasafn Árnesinga (LÁ Art Museum) that showcases the work of 24 artists from eight countries.

Hreintjarnir Harpa Árnadóttir is known for her experimental paintings, both on canvas and on paper. New works by Harpa Árnadóttir, which celebrate the Icelandic summer in all of its glory, will be displayed at the exhibition Hreintjarnir at Hverfisgallerí. Harpa investigates nature by capturing both Iceland’s landscape and how light from the sun is perceived through the percipient’s eyes. The exhibition is an ode to transience and eternity, sorrow, the growing season and the ephemeral, with Harpa connecting poetry and visual art in many of her works, bridging the gap between literature and visual art.

Harpa Árnadóttir was born in Bíldudalur in 1965 but grew up in Ólafsvík in Snæfellsnes. After having completed a BA degree in history and literature at the University of Iceland, Harpa turned her attention to visual art. She studied at the Myndlista- og Handíðaskólinn (School of Visual Art and Handicraft) and later did her post-graduate studies at the Valand Academy in Gothenberg, Sweden. Harpa’s artworks have been purchased and exhibited in galleries all over Europe. In 2011, Crymogea published a collection of water-color works and texts by Harpa entitled Júní/ June. Harpa also contributed works to the Points of View exhibition at Safnarhúsið (Hverfisgata), which will be a part of the exhibition for the next five years.

Where: Hverfisgallerí (Hverfisgata 4) When: July 2nd – August 9th

20 years ago, the visual artists Alda Sigurðardóttir and Kristveig Halldórsdóttir organized an arts festival in Laugarvatn, where they were living at the time. Over 130 artists participated in the festival. 10 years later, Alda and Kristveig organized another festival and over 145 artists participated. These festivals inspired the idea of creating a dwelling place for creative people. This idea evolved into Gullkistan, center for creativity, whose operations stretches to several places in Laugarvatn.

In order to celebrate the history of Gullkistan, Listasafn Árnesinga (LÁ Art Museum) will be exhibiting recent works by 24 artists who are connected to Gullkistan: who have either contributed to previous arts festivals or resided and worked at the centery for creativity. The works were chosen by Ben Valentine, who is the exhibition’s curator.

Ben Valentine is a freelance writer and curator who arrived to Iceland from New York. Ben is on his way to Cambodia where he will be directing a new and exciting arts center.

For the exhibition, Ben Valentine has selected 15 foreign artists from seven different countries, whose works were influenced by their stay in Iceland, along with works by nine Icelandic artists. The exhibition will also feature information concerning the two previous arts festivals, the center for creativity, and a special creative space for guests. The exhibition, which is a collaboration between Listasafn Árnesinga (LÁ Art Museum) and Gullkistan, is supported by Uppbyggingarsjóður Suðurlands (South Iceland Development Fund) and will be open until the 20th of September.

Verksummerki revolves around the subjective and the personal in the photography of our day. The exhibition weaves together the works of six photographers, all of whom focus on everyday life as well as their own lives, and make these two subjects the themes of their work.

Photographers include Agnieszka Sosnowska, Bára Kristinsdóttir, Daniel Reuter, Hallgerður Hallgrímsdóttir, Kristina Petrošiutė and Skúta.

The photographer himself/herself as a visual artist is at the center of the exhibition and is its subject. All of the contributing photographers focus on their own lives, as their lives relate to their experiences, memories and emotions, or as chroniclers of their immediate environment and daily life. The photographs showcased at the exhibition are a testimony to everyday life and traces of the photographer’s life.

Curator is Brynja Sveinsdóttir.

Where: Reykjavík Photography Museum (Tryggvagata 15, 6th floor) When: May 16th – September 13th Price: Free

Where: Listasafn Árnesinga (LÁ Art Museum) When: July 19th – September 20th, 2015 (Open daily 12:00-18:00) Price: Free

Textile Art by Júlíana Sveinsdóttir and Anni Albers: Vertical/Horizontal In parallel with her painting career, Júlíana Sveinsdóttir (1889-1966) enjoyed a successful and interesting career as a textile artist. The exhibition Vertical/Horizontal at Kjarvalsstaðir (Reykjavík Art Museum) features Júlíana’s textile work alongside the works of the German Bauhaus weaver/artist Anni Albers, (1899–1994) who was one of the most influential weavers of the twentieth century.

Both Júlíana and Anni took up weaving by chance and instead of being limited by the traditional technique, the artists discovered freedom to experiment with conventional and unconventional materials, weaving

A Subjective and Personal Contemporary Photography Exhibition

forms and compositions that were abstract and modern. (artmuseum.is) Curators are Guðjónsdóttir.

Ingibjörg

Jónsdóttir

and

Sigríður

The exhibition commemorates the centenary of Icelandic women gaining the right to vote.

Where: Kjarvalsstaðir (Flókagata 24) When: June 19th – August 30th, Price: Adults 1,400 ISK (Children under 18 – Free)

CAUTION (We place this caveat here, among the featured art exhibitions, for the benefit of the reader): Please be warned that art is a dangerous thing; a perilous thing; and should only be observed with the utmost care and caution. Individuals who observe art, worthy art, jeopardize their own ignorance and put at risk that innate conception of themselves which says that they occupy a privileged position within the Universe. Often, such individuals begin to feel less like avaricious, self-interested individuals and more like members of a vast, catholic tribe, until, gradually, they become friendlier towards animals; more solicitous about nature; and more troubled by grand social injustices.

Food tips

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What’s happening

In order to celebrate the 10th edition of SKE, here are some of our favorite reviews from previous editions.

Beef Soup @ Noodle Station “Noodle Station: when both one’s wallet and one’s stomach are nearly empty.”

(Issue #9)

Bread Soup @ Svartakaffi “There is something magnificent about a bowl made from bread.

Furthermore, there is something ingenious about making a bowl from bread and then pouring soup into it: It’s like making a glass of milk from Oreos.”

(Issue #1)

101 Reykjavík @ Domino’s Pizza Tunacado @ Lemon “When life gives you Lemon, you walk inside and buy some sandwiches.”

(Issue #8)

“There is one pizza establishment that I cannot help but to call when I am too hungover to stray from the comforts of my bedroom: Domino’s Pizza. Perhaps it is because the phone number is easy to remember: 588-12345; or perhaps it is because Domino’s marketing department is more effective than other marketing departments, and has managed to purchase permanent real estate in my subconscious; or perhaps it is because Domino’s Pizza makes a fine pie (perhaps all three).”

(Issue #4)

KFC Wings @ K-Bar “The wings arrived in generous portions. We stuffed our faces and smeared our cheeks with streaks of red ochre (sauce), each bite a tiny neighorhood of heaven. We exited as reformed individuals, forced to acknowledge the existence of two churches: the orthodox Kentucky Fried Chicken – and the protestant, unorthodox K-Bar.” (Issue #7)

Donuts a la the Owner @ Dons Donuts “Dons Donuts is located in a convenient location. It stands a mere Coke’s throw away from the police station (Hlemmur, Reykjavík). To open a donut shop outside a police station is like opening a McDonalds in front of a fat camp; like selling tin foil in front of an insane asylum; or housing an escort service inside parliament. It is to pander to the police officer’s instinct for intemperance. In other words, it is a solid business model: prudent, provident and wise.”

(Issue #6)

Sourdough Bread @ Sandholt “There is something wonderful about the sour-dough bread at Sandholt.

It is so wonderful, in fact, that every now and again one of our staff members at SKE is inspired to drive to Reykjavík from Hafnarfjörður for the sake of it – passing a slew of fine bakeries on his way, and looking, generally, like an idiot.”

(Issue #7)

REYKJAVÍK CENTRUM

Meat Soup @ Súpuvagninn

Elegant bistro menu Service with a smile Cozy atmosphere Great location

“Either the owners’ of the Soup Wagon had stolen my grandmother’s recipe – or they had handcuffed her to the radiator, and forced her to churn out bowl after bowl of her authentic product under duress ...

Long live the Soup Wagon – and long live my grandmother, as well!”

(Issue #9)

Classic Burger @ Búllan (The Burger Joint)

www.cafeparis.is

“I know of only one Icelandic hamburger that has been good enough to take his show on the road; that has made the transition from the relatively small town of Reykjavík to the Big Smoke (aka London); and that has inspired the likes of David Beckham to utter such profound words as very good burger.”

(Issue #9)

18

What’s happening

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Geysir TOp 25 besT places TO phOTOgraph On The planeT earTh

Nice aNd cozy rooms iN buNgalows or oNe wiNg hotel right opposite the hot spriNg geyser area

popphoto.com

Welcome,

hotel geysir WWW.geYsIrcenTer.cOM geYsIr@geYsIrcenTer.Is Tel +354 480 6800 WWW.TWITTer.cOM/hOTelgeYsIr WWW.FacebOOK.cOM/hOTelgeYsIr

19 What’s happening

WELCOME TO G E YS IR the geysir ceNter is directly opposite oF the geothermal area oF the great geysir aNd strokkur e

I

Hotel Geysir restaurant Geysir Glima bistro local luncH buffet coffee House WitH fresHly Ground coffee sWeet ice cream & cakes traditional icelandic meat soup fisH soup & veGetarian soup Hotel & spa museum of Hot sprinGs & volcanoes

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Design

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What’s happening

In order to celebrate the 10th edition of SKE, here are some of our favorite Icelandic designs from previous editions.

Harpa Concert Hall Design: Ólafur Elíasson Harpa, the symbol of Reykjavík city, was designed by the Danish firm Henning Larsen Architects in cooperation with the Danish-Icelandic artist Ólafur Elíasson. The structure consists of a steel framework clad with geometric-shaped glass panels of different colors. (Wikipedia) Ólafur Elíasson is a Danish-born Icelandic artist. He represented Denmark at the 50th Venice Biennial in 2003 and has produced a host of public projects, including the New York City Waterfalls in 2008.

Silent Village Design: Brynjar Sigurðarson The Silent Village by Brynjar Sigurðarson is a collection of furniture made using ropes, employing the traditional craft methods of Icelandic fishermen.

Brynjar Sigurðsson recently won the Swiss Design Awards. He is a 29-year old product designer based in Switzerland. Having studied at the Iceland Academy of the Arts and ECAL, he currently teaches at ECAL and runs his own design studio. www.biano.is

Bow Tie Design: Sonja Bent Stylish bow tie available in many colors. Easy to put on: just fasten it to your shirt.

Sonja Bent is a young Icelandic knitwear designer who takes knitted clothes from frumpiness into the modern age. The results are sexy, yet comfortable clothes that make you feel at home in cocktail parties and country cottages alike. Keeping both practicality and playfulness in mind, Sonja Bent makes clothes for the confident and the happy. www.icelandicmarket.com

www.harpa.is

Anatomy of Letters (The Letter S)

Klaustur Design: Farmers Market

Design: Sigríður Rún An A3 poster of the letter S printed on 80g munken cream paper. The poster is signed by Sigríður Rún.

Vængurinn (The Wing)

Farmers Market is an Icelandic design company and clothing brand, founded in 2005 by a young artist couple – a designer and a musician.

Sigríður Rún is a graphic designer and an illustrator who graduated from the Icelandic Academy of the Arts in 2012. Her final project at the Academy, which received considerable attention, was a book about the anatomy of the Icelandic letters with illustrations.

The power, grace and color of the bird wing protects and dazzles.

The Wing scarf is a tribute to the playful power of the bird kingdom.

Available in six bird-inspired color combinations.

www.farmersmarket.is

www.sparkdesignspace.com

www.vikprjonsdottir.com

Double-breasted woolen tweed coat.

Design: Vík Prjónsdóttir

Gourmet Experience

- Steaks and Style at Argentina Steakhouse Barónsstíg 11 - 101 Reykjavík Tel: 551 9555 argentina.is

21 What’s happening

We proudly present our latest collection. The Icelandic designed Tradition watches are stylish and are available in a range of color combinations. See the whole collection on michelsenwatch.com.

Laugavegur 15 - 101 ReykjavĂ­k - Tel. 354 511 1900 - www.michelsenwatch.com

Things to do

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What’s happening

Kría Wmn 100 Ride

The Walk will begin at Hallgrímskirkja, continue down Skólavörðustígur to Bankastræti, before coming to an end at Austurvöllur for a special concert and an assembly.

This Sunday, July 26th, thousands of women all over the world will be bicycling 100 kilometers for the Rapha Women’s 100. Rapha is a sportswear and lifestyle brand focused on road bicycle racing, clothing and accessories.

Last year, over 8,000 women took part in this global event, and this year Rapha hopes for double the participation. The bicycle store Kría invites women in Iceland to participate in the event by showing up to Kría Cycles on Sunday morning.

Let’s take #þöggun #freethenipple #konurtala #Drusluganga #6dagsleikinn to the next level and let’s make this the biggest Slut Walk to date!

For additional information, visit the event’s Facebook page. It’s worth mentioning that the ride will be confined to the pavement.

Slut Walk 2015 The annual Slut Walk will be held for the fifth time on July 25th at 14:00.

The Slut Walk has over time established itself as a fixture in Icelandic society, in which individuals unite against perpetrators of sexual violence and take a stand with the victims. The primary aim of the Slut Walk is to transfer the responsibility of sexual violence from victims to offenders.

Too often in cases of sexual violence, the victims’ clothing, behavior or deportment is cited as an excuse. But there is no excuse.

Where: Hallgrímskirkja and Ingólfstorg When: Saturday, July 25th, 14:00 Price: Free

Where: Kría Cycles (Grandagarður 7) When: Sunday, July 26th, 09:00 Price: Free

Gong Relaxation at Nauthólsvík Beach

Bernhöfts Bazaar Bernhöfts Bazaar is a new and exciting outdoor market located in downtown Reykjavík. The bazaar will be held on Saturdays from the 20th of June till the 25th of July from 13:00-17:00. Each market will have a theme of its own: Music, Plants, Skateboards & Bikes, Toys, “Made by Granny” and Art.

#womens100

KRÁS Flea Market

For this sixth market, the theme will be Art, in which fashion drawings, paintings, sculptures and other art will be for sale and on display at this final bazaar of the summer. As usual, the restaurant Torfan will be selling refreshing beverages, lobster soup, cakes and biscuits for the whole family.

This Saturday, July 25th, the KRÁS flea market continues. At KRÁS everyone can find something to their liking, whether young or old. 12 well-known restaurants in Reykjavík will bring their chefs and serve food on the street, presenting street-style variations to their usual dishes. The KRÁS flea market will offer live music, wine and beer, along with a lively atmosphere throughout the day. It is the perfect venue for enjoying summer.

Where: Bernhöftstorfa Square (On the corner of Bankastræti and Lækjargata) When: Saturday, July 25th, 13:00-17:00

Where: Fógetagarðurinn (On the corner of Aðalstræti and Kirkjustræti) When: Saturday, July 25th, 13:00-18:00

This Saturday, July 25th, a special Gong Relaxation will take place on the Nauthólsvík beach (by the hot-tub). Gong Relaxation is a regenerative experience that helps you attain greater peace of mind.

Where: Nauthólsvík Beach When: Saturday, July 25th, 15:00 Price: Free

One Station for the Nation Radio Iceland is a brand new station that broadcasts in English. This is what makes it so special. In fact, regulations in Iceland needed to be changed for such a broadcast to be legal. This makes Radio Iceland a watershed in Icelandic broadcasting.

Day Out of Time Saturday, July 25th, marks the so-called Day Out of Time, according to the Thirteen Moon Calendar. As opposed to the Gregorian calendar, the Thirteen Moon Calendar measures the year in 13 months of 28 days each, or a perpetual calendar of 52 perfect weeks (a total of 364 days).

The 365th day of the calendar is referred to as the Day Out of Time, seeing as it is not part of any week or month.

This special day is observed as the day to cancel debts, to pardon and to forgive and to celebrate life through art and culture, hence the Peace through Culture Festival. The Day Out of Time has been celebrated since 1992 and forms a part of a growing populist movement: the World Thirteen Moon Calendar Change Peace Movement, whose purpose is just that – to change the calendar.

In order to celebrate this special day, a special program

has been set up and is scheduled to take place at Grasagarðurinn (in Laugardalur, Reykjavík). The program will feature events like a World Water Meditation (at 11:11) and a Day Out of Time Ceremony (13:20). The organizers of the event invite everyone to participate and to share their talents with the world, whether in the form of yoga, art, dance, music, poetry, handicraft or health. Bring your tools or your art, or whatever you require to showcase your talent. Participants are welcome to sell their art at the festival.

Like the Mayans said: Time is art.

Where: Grasagarðurinn (Laugardalur) When: Saturday, July 25th, 09:00-18:00 Price: Free

The language spoken is English but the music is exclusively Icelandic. Radio Iceland interviews artists and people at the forefront of their fields; keeps you informed on what is going on in the country or in the city you’re staying in; and updates you on the weather and road conditions every hour.

Radio Iceland also features different shows and content with a rotating cast of interesting hosts: a little bit of everything for everyone. All hosts have their personalities and are allowed to express themselves freely on air: no other radio station in the country is so permissive, which means that every time you tune in – you’re in for a treat!

Radio Iceland is a brand-new station that started broadcasting in February of this year, but its increasing popularity at home and abroad suggests that by the end of this year it will be the leading station in the country.

You can listen to Radio Iceland in your car or directly on its webpage: www.radioicelandfm.is

23 What’s happening

Ske

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What’s happening

On Hugleikur Dagsson (Stick Figures in a Strange World) 99% of all stick figures are born into agreeable circumstances. They are born inside sunny, one-page Universes and lead lives of quiet dignity. The sole purpose of their existence is to stand still and quietly emulate whatever family member they are intended to resemble. Their Gods are children and their biographies are brief and when they pass their graves become colorful wastebaskets. But there are a small percentage of stick figures who are less fortunate. These stick figures may reside in similarly small worlds but the circumstances of their existence are decidedly less agreeable. This owes to the fact that they are not created by unworldly children, but by a cynical and rather morbid Icelander named Hugleikur Dagsson. Hugleikur Dagsson is not a benevolent deity: no, sir. He is the fertile father of an unfortunate race of creatures, who are, more often than not, the unsuspecting victims of rape, incest, violence and murder. Also, their race is unusually long-lived; owing to

the popularity of their Creator’s vision they may lead long and drawn-out lives, sometimes suffering publicly on living-room walls. It is a strange thing, to sympathize with a stick figure, but I cannot help it (I am a compassionate and pitying human being, who inherited his compassion from his grandmother). This morning, I witnessed a member of that hapless race tell his comrade that his insides were slowly filling up with feces.

Why? Because his rectum was sewn shut by his wife – and tomorrow he shall, undoubtedly, be more congested still.

Hugleikur’s microcosm reveals that we are all the oblivious casualties of our circumstances and of our Creators.

Perhaps it is therefore wise to adopt a compassionate attitude towards our fellow beings: Who knows what kind of a perverted joke their God is playing on them today?

Hugleikur Dagsson is an Icelandic visual artist famous for his satirical comics.

Happy Hour!

You know what time it is Prikið, Bankastræti 12

All weekdays from 16:00 - 20:00 Beer - 500 ISK

Vegamót, Vegamótastígur 4

Thursday till Saturday from 22:00 - 01:00 Beer - 750 ISK Wine - 750 ISK

Stofan Café, Aðalstræti 7 All days from 17:00 - 20:00 Beer - 750 ISK Wine - 950 ISK

Kaldi Bar, Laugavegur 20B All days from 16:00- 19:00 Beer - 650 ISK

Hlemmur Square, Laugavegur 105 All days from 17:00 - 21:00 Beer - 600 ISK Wine - 600 ISK

Slippbarinn, Mýrargata 2 All days from 15:00 - 18:00 Beer - 500 ISK Wine - 500 ISK

Smurstöðin Restaurant, Austurbakki 2 All days from 16:00 - 18:00 Beer - 500 ISK Wine - 600 ISK

Barber Bar, Laugavegur 66-68 All days from 16:00 - 19:00 Beer - 650 ISK Wine - 650 ISK

Loftið, Austurstræti 9

Laugavegur 53 B

All days from 16:00 - 23:00 2 for 1

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PROBABLY THE

WORLD’S SMALLEST WATCH MANUFACTURER

Our Master Watchmaker never loses his concentration

With his legendary concentration and 45 years of experience our Master Watchmaker and renowned craftsman, Gilbert O. Gudjonsson, inspects every single timepiece before it leaves our workshop.

All the watches are designed and assembled by hand in Iceland.

Only highest quality movements and materials are used to produce the watches and every single detail has been given the time needed for perfection.

At JS Watch co. Reykjavik we’re committed to provide a personal quality service and we pride ourselves on the close relationships we have with our customers.

Scan it and learn more! www.jswatch.com

www.gilbert.is

Fashion

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What’s happening

Sindri Jensson

Hildur Ragnarsdóttir

Húrra Reykjavík

Einvera

The Short-Sleeve Shirt: It’s Here to Stay For the past few years, short-sleeve shirts have become more popular among men.

This trend once inspired strange looks from observers, who felt that short-sleeve shirts should belong exclusively to the uniforms of bus drivers and police officers.

But that time is long since past. Now, many of the world’s most popular brands manufacture collection after collection of short-sleeve shirts. Personally, I have been preaching the merit of short-sleeve shirts for the past few summers, and I have mostly been successful. More often than not, these shirts have prints, which is fine.

These days, however, I prefer the closefitting, single-colored Oxford shirts. You don’t have to browse through many men’s

fashion websites to see that this trend is here to stay. The most important thing to keep in mind when buying this kind of shirt is making sure that the shirt is closefitting, that is to say, that it is neither too baggy nor too tight, and that it is free from any silly prints. If you are keen on buying a shirt with a flowery print, then purchase something that is as refined and as minimalistic as possible: no Hawaiian shirts, please. Hawaiian shirts are best left in Hawaii. More often than not, that old cliché “less is more” applies. Occasionally, however, when you feel brave and your self-confidence is peaking, the mantra “more is more” can also work.

A RARE, ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY Visit the largest man-made ice caves and tunnel in Europe You can choose from various tours and book online at www.intotheglacier.is

Kali Clothing Kali Clothing is the brain child of Steed Lord front-woman Svala Björgvinsdóttir.

Kali Clothing is a fun mix between basic wardrobe staples like the long-sleeve maxi dress, black jumpsuits, bodysuits and colorful garments like patterned,

silk bomber jackets, shorts and matching harem pants. The brand’s motto is, “Kali is for the unique girl that loves to stand out in the crowd” – which is fitting. Kali Clothing is available at Asos Market Place and at the online Lasta Shop.

27 What’s happening

Svarfadur Valley is Iceland’s most beautiful place, according to its people, the Svarfdaelings. A few years ago, all sheep in the valley were quarantined and destroyed because of scrapie, a fatal and infectious disease. That’s when they founded the Herding Society, a venerable club of shepherds, car mechanics, carpenters, schoolteachers and plumbers. They are also poets and singers and festive men. And they continue to herd every year, despite the fact that there is not a single sheep left in the valley.

The Svarfadur Valley Herding Society: Skál fyrir þér!

Léttöl

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Journey to Kjós, The Edge of Skaftafell Text and photos by Joseph Hall In the long hours of the Icelandic summertime, the 28.5 km return trip from the campsite in Skaftafell to Kjós on the eastern side of the verdant Morsádalur valley can be completed in one day. A very long day, but a day all the same.

The way to Kjós was characterized by what I called “glacial thunder”: as you approach the Morsájökull glacier which backs onto the Vatnajökull ice cap, you can hear it collapsing in massive pieces in the warmer temperatures of summer.

None of this prepared my companion and I for our arrival at Kjós. It’s marvellous, but in a special and sinister way: the landscape communicates a sense power in a way that I have not experienced before: It’s a very narrow valley filled with rhyolite screes, decorated streaks of green and white stone and jagged edges, the ground nothing but rocks where there was once a great river bed, and only relatively small streams remain.

This was made all the more threatening by the evidence of massive rock slides leaving trails of boulders of God­knows­how­many tons all the way to the ground level, some boulders as high as seven or eight meters, with the clean breaks in the cliff clearly visible. Then it suddenly dawned on us: maybe that wasn’t “glacial thunder” that we were hearing after all. Needless to say, we didn’t stay much longer.

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Cinema

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What’s happening

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

MAGIC MIKE XXL

JURASSIC WORLD

HUMAN CAPITAL

LAUGARÁSBÍÓ | ÁLFABAKKI KRINGLUBÍÓ | SAMBÍÓIN EGILSHÖLL SAMBÍÓIN AKUREYRI | SAMBÍÓIN KEFLAVÍK

ÁLFABAKKI | KRINGLUBÍÓ SAMBÍÓIN EGILSHÖLL | SAMBÍÓIN AKUREYRI | SAMBÍÓIN KEFLAVÍK

SMÁRABÍÓ | HÁSKÓLABÍÓ LAUGARÁSBÍÓ | BORGARBÍÓ ÁLFABAKKI | SAMBÍOIN EGILSHÖLL

BÍÓ PARADÍS

98%

8,8

64%

6,3

8,6

7,4

81%

SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY SMÁRABÍÓ | LAUGARÁSBÍÓ

36%

6,2

70%

ENTOURAGE 1001 GRAMS

SPY SMÁRABÍÓ | LAUGARÁSBÍÓ

BÍÓ PARADÍS

7,6 6,6

WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS BÍÓ PARADÍS

95%

GIRLHOOD BÍÓ PARADÍS

7,4

30%

6,8

95%

87% 96%

7,6

SAN ANDREAS TERMINATOR GENISYS ÁLFABAKKI | KRINGLUBÍÓ SAMBÍÓIN EGILSHÖLL | SAMBÍÓIN AKUREYRI | SAMBÍÓIN KEFLAVÍK

7,0

ÁLFABAKKI | KRINGLUBÍÓ | SAMBÍÓIN EGILSHÖLL SAMBÍÓIN AKUREYRI |

26%

TOMORROWLAND

ÁLFABAKKA | KRINGLUBÍÓ

6,6

50%

ÁLFABAKKI SAMBÍÓIN, AKUREYRI

TED 2

SMÁRABÍÓ | LAUGARÁSBÍÓ

SMÁRABÍÓ | HÁSKÓLABÍÓ LAUGARÁSBÍÓ | KRINGLUBÍÓ | SAMBÍÓIN EGILSHÖLL | SAMBÍÓIN KEFLAVÍK | BORGARBÍÓ AKUREYRI

7,1

INSIDE OUT

48%

6,7

50%

8,9

98%

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What’s happening

565 6000 / somi.is

Eat Out in Iceland.

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