Reykjavík Grapevine - 28.05.2004, Síða 23

23the reykjavík grapevine
LISTINGS : may 28 - june 10CULTUREARTS and
In one of those rare instances of
the rich giving to the poor, the
National Bank of Iceland decided to
practically give an office building to
artists to use as studios. The building
had previously housed a rope factory
and then Fréttablaðið newspaper. A
debate, albeit not a very deafening
one, had been going on about artists
in need of studios, so bank owners
contacted an art gallery named Kling
& Bang offering them the house for
a minimum fee. Kling & Bang were
only too happy to accept and named
the facility Klink (small change)
& Bank (a bank). The selection of
artists to use the facility was done
by a committee that democratically
reviewed applications. The accepted
artists then went into their studios
and started work, interacting
between themselves and exchanging
ideas, the ideal of a mix between
different art forms having become a
reality.
The exhibition on May 1st was the
first fruit of this artistic melange.
Fourteen of the selected artists were
given the concept of LO-FI to work
with and the result was then revealed
to the public. When I spoke with
the curators Huginn Þór Arason and
Unnar Örn Auðarson Jónasson about
this choice of concept, they said they
wanted to do it in honour of Dieter
Roth and others who, along with
groups such as the Flúxus and Súm,
helped reinvent artistic expression
in the sixties. They opposed the
idea that art needed to be made of
some specific matter to be worth
something. They attempted to create
their works out of everyday material
that had been rejected or wasn´t
considered to have any value, and
convert it into a part of something
sublime. They said that the idea
itself was golden and the matter it
was created out of needn´t be gold as
well. They created gold out of junk,
so to speak.
With this in mind I then walked
about the showroom. There was one
piece that I particularly liked because
I thought it was the strongest
expression of the concept as I
understood it. It was a basketball-
sized coconut roll by Huginn Þór
Arason, one of the curators. What he
was pointing out was that a coconut
roll is usually made of scrapings from
the bakery. Rejected flour, sugar
and assorted bakery ingredients are
kneaded into dough with a bit of
chocolate powder and butter and
then formed into small balls with
a sprinkle of coconut on top. From
what I had learned, this was the very
essence of LO-FI; A huge coconut
roll on a pedestal. Rejected material
formed into a perfect form and
then displayed. Imperfection made
perfect.
I walked on through the exhibition
room and into the basement where
there was something completely
different going on. Tilraunaeldhúsið
or the Kitchen Motors were
celebrating their fifth anniversary.
To describe their work it is best
to say that they are sort of sound
sculpturists that have been actively
playing their noise music every
month or so. The outcome is a
huge number of sound sculpturists
that came together that day in
the basement of Klink & Bank to
celebrate their birthday. It was good
to see a former rope factory being
put to good use. I hope the National
Bank won’t soon see a higher (FI)
purpose for it.
Building something out of nothing. From HI-FI to LO-FI
by Aðalsteinn Jörundsson
ONGOING
Ásmundarsafn, Sculpture museum
10:00-16:00 every day
The Man and Material. A retrospective exhibition
of works by Asmundur Sveinsson.
Telecommunications Museum
Tue,Thu&Sun 11:00-17:00
Pictures and items related to the history of tele-
communications.
Reykjavík Zoo and Family Park
10:00-18:00 every day
Icelandic horse and sheep, along with local va-
rieties other animals in the zoo. Right beside it
is the Park, which has various activities for the
whole family.
Reykjavík Botanical Garden
10:00-22:00 every day
All kinds of plants and flowers on display.
Kjarvalsstaðir Art Museum
10:00-17:00 every day
Roni Horn: Her, her, her and her: Photographs
taken in the Reykjavik Swimming Hall.
Francesco Clemente: New Works. Exhibition of
new works by the famous Italian artist.
Kjarvalsstaðir Art Museum
10:00-17:00 every day
Works from the Kjarval Collection. Kjarval’s career
as a painter spans the years 1901 to 1968. An
overview of Kjarval’s work which shows how he
developed as an artist.
Einar Jónsson Sculpture Museum
Tue-Sun 14:00-17:00
Works of Einar Jónsson, Iceland´s first sculptor.
Hafnarhúsið, Reykjavík Art Museum
10:00-17:00 every day
The annual graduation exhibition of the Iceland
Academy of the Arts. No entrance fee Ends
May 31
Hafnarhúsið, Reykjavík Art Museum
10:00-17:00 every day
Part of the Erró Collection on show.
National Gallery of Iceland
11:00-17:00 every day
Close-up. American Contemporary Art. Includes
the Jacko porcelain statue, the most expensive
piece of art ever to come to Iceland.
Sigurjón Ólafsson Sculpture Museum
Tue-Sun 14:00-17:00
Works by the artist.
Reykjavík Museum of Photography
Mon-Fri 12:00-19:00, Sat&Sun 13:00-
17:00.
A collection of Finnish contemporary photographs.
Museum of Medical History
Sun,Tue,Thu,Sat 13:00-17:00
Artefacts, tools, instruments and pictures on the
subject.
Numismatic Collection of the Central Bank
Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00, Closed 12:00-13:00.
Icelandic coins and banknotes.
Icelandic Institute of Natural History
Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun 13:00-17:00
Geological, botanical and zoological exhibits, dis-
playing the nature of Iceland.
Nordic House
Mon-Fri 8:00-17:00, Sat&Sun 12:00-17:00
Paintings by Sigurður Þórir.
Saga Museum
10:00-16:00 every day.
The Saga museum intimately recreates key mo-
ments in Icelandic history and gives a compelling
view into how Icelanders have lived and thought
for more than a millenium through the use of life
size likenesses
Culture House
11:00-17:00 every day
Many of Iceland’s national treasures are on display
in the Culture House’s featured exhibition Medieval
Manuscripts – Eddas and Sagas. The exhibition
Home Rule 1904 is held on the centenary of Home
Rule in Iceland 2004.
Gerðarsafn, Kóparvogur Art Gallery
Tue-Sun 11:00-17:00.
Private Collection - Icelandic Painting in Denmark.
Also Opus, Paintings on Plexiglas by Bjarni Sigur-
björnsson.
Gerðuberg Cultural Center
Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00, Sat-Sun 13:00-17:00.
Women of the world - art exhibition. Works of 176
women from 176 countries.
Reykjavík City Library
Mon-Fri 10:00-16:00
Books and periodicals in Icelandic as well as Eng-
lish, Scandinavian and other languages. Also has a
childrens and a comic book section.
Hafnarborg Art Gallery
Wed-Sun 11:00-17:00
Ólöf Erla Bjarnadóttir exhibits her ceramic works
and Arngunnur Ýr Gylfadóttir her paintings. Ends
June 7
Gallery Fold
Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00 Sat 11:00-17:00 Sun
14:00-17:00
One of the largest Galleries in Iceland, works by
many know artists.
Handverk og Hönnun
Mon-Fri 09.00-16:00
Craft and design. Craftspeople transfer – in mod-
ern and dynamic ways – nature’s shapes, colours
and materials to their work.
Gallery Hnoss
Mon-Fri 12:00-18:00 Sat 11:00-16:00
Auður Eysteinsdóttir works with aquarelle, pastels
and stained glass. Hildur Margrétardóttir works
with oil on canvas and aquarelle.
Gallery i8
Thu&Fri 11:00-18:00
Catharsis. In her work Gabriela Friðriksdóttir pres-
ents the manifold faces of melancholy in many of
her sculptures and drawings.
Gallery Meistari Jakob
Mon-Fri 11:00-18:00, Sat 11:00-14:00
The gallery is run by eleven artists who work in ce-
ramics, textiles, printmaking and paintings and you
will always find one of them at the gallery.
Gallery Ófeigur
Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat 10:00-16:00
Exhibitions by Sunna Sigurðardóttir.
Gallery Sævar Karl
Mon-Fri 10:00-17:00
Harpa Björnsdóttir installation inside the cloathes
store.
Gallery Tukt
Mon-Thu 13:00-18:00, Fri 13:00 - 17:00
Various artists.
Gallery Hulduhólar
Sat 11:00-14:00
Ceramic artwork from Steinunn Marteinsdóttir.
Safn
Wed-Fri 14:00-18:00. Sat&Sun 14:00-17:00
The works were the artists’ most current works at
the time of the museums purchase. The artists in
Safn include: Donald Judd, On Kawara, Karin Sand-
er, Lawrence Weiner, Dan Flavin, and Dieter Roth.
Teddi - Workshop
10:00-18:00 every day
Open workshop of tree sculptures of Teddi
Hafnarhúsið, harbour side
Tue-Sun 14:00-18:00
Björg Þorsteinsdóttir: Flow. Watercolor paintings.
Ends May 30
Art Studio Gallery
Mon-Fri 10:00-16:00
Ceramic by Svetlana Matusa and oilpaintings by
Helgi Hálfdánarson
Gallery Fold
Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00 Sat 11:00-17:00 Sun
14:00-17:00
Photographs by Artist Fridrik Tryggvason.
Acryl paintings on canvas by Tryggvi Olafsson.
Ends June 6
ASÍ. Art Museum
Tue-Sun 14:00-18:00
CONFIDENTIAL, Visual exhibition of two leading
young and fresh artists Ragnar Kjartansson and
Magnus Sigurdsson. Exhibition includes trouba-
dours and confidential conversation. Ends June 6
FRIDAY
MAY 28
17:00
Kringlan mall
Arts festival: KK and Guðmundur Pétursson per-
form music.
20:00
The Icelandic Opera
Arts festival: Brodsky String Quartet - A classical
concert at Icelandic Opera.
20:00
Borgarleikhúsið, City Theatre
Arts festival: The Raven´s rhapsody Hugstolinn, the
Raven´s rhapsody
21:00
Broadway Entertainment Hall
Arts festival: Klezmer Nova -french klezmer jazz.
One of the leading French klezmer bands, whose
roots are in classical music, jazz and pop.
SATURDAY
MAY 29
14:00
Kringlan mall
Arts festival: Dog missing, music feat.
14:00
Háskólabíó
Arts festival: Icelandic film music – then and now.
Kasa group performes film music by Icelandic com-
posers –then and now at Háskólabíó.
16:00
Borgarleikhúsið, City Theatre
Arts festival: Brodsky String Quartet - a classical
concert. A classical concert at Icelandic Opera.
SUNDAY
MAY 30
21:00
Broadway Entertainment Hall
Arts festival: Susana Baca - the barefoot diva
from Peru. World music from the Peruvian Grammy
Award winner.
MONDAY
MAY 31
11:00-16:00
Árbæjarsafn, Folk Museum
Hugstolinn, the Raven´s rhapsody. Chamber opera
by Janick Mosian. Composers from Alaska, Ice-
land and Finland and Faroe Islands.
21:00
Broadway Entertainment Hall
Arts festival: Susana Baca - the barefoot diva
from Peru. World music from the Peruvian Grammy
Award winner..
14:00
Árbæjarsafn, Folk Museum
Children’s puppet show at 2pm
SATURDAY
JUNE 5
All day
City Harbour
Festival of the Sea. The first weekend in June
is a special day in Iceland a celebration of the
importance of the sea and its sailors to Icelandic
history economy and people.
SUNDAY
JUNE 6
16:00
Árbæjarsafn, Folk Museum
New exhibition opens in Suðurgata 7: Women’s
national dress. Folk dances at 4 pm.
All day
City Harbour
Festival of the Sea. The first weekend in June
is a special day in Iceland a celebration of the
importance of the sea and its sailors to Icelandic
history economy and people.
THURSDAY
JUNE 10
19:30
Háskólabíó
The Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Igor Stravinsky:
Pulcinella, Firebird (1919), Rite of Spring
On May 1st I entered the Klink & Bank’s artist facility to attend
their first exhibition since it started in February. It was apparent at
once what a treasure this house is for artists. Each and every one has
a studio for themselves, whether they are into music, drama, graphic
design or just good-old-classic painting and everything beyond and
in between. You name it; if you are an artist in a need of a studio,
you can get housing with Internet access and all modern comforts
and pay only minimum fee to cover heat and electricity.
Laugavegur 37
Safn By the Reykjavík harbour
Suðurbugt Reykjavík harbour
Tel: 551 5101