Reykjavík Grapevine - 08.04.2005, Page 30

COMICS:
Closer than First-Person
by Birgitta Jónsdóttir
I have always had a weakness for comics.
My newest favourites are graphic novels
that recite history. Just read three books
on this subject. They have a common
thread, life during wartime experienced
through the eyes of the innocents. The
visual of the graphic novel somehow
brings the distant world of the inhumane
closer to heart than any documentaries I
have seen, and these books brought me
closer to these horrid events that have
occurred and are still occurring in our
human history.
Maus approaches the unspeakable.
I started with Maus by Art Spiegelman, a
Pulitzer Prize winner. I hate to admit that
I am rather bored with documentation
of the Holocaust, seen so much of it and
it had ceased to have any effect on me,
except the traditional sadness of human
brutality and insanity. Maus is great
because it is not in the hero-making
business. It is a brutally honest story
within a story. Maus approaches the
unspeakable through the diminutive and
at the same time it is set up against the
backdrop of guilt brought by survival and
the relationship between a survivor and
his son.
It is not always the ideal relationship
and yet it has a warm core to it and it
moves easily between the grisly past and
the difficult now as a result of this past.
Art Spiegelman’s work from Maus is on
display at the Reykjavík Art Museum
as a part of the comic show Nine at
Hafnarhúsið.
I couldn’t help compare the fate of
the Palestinians to the fate of the
Jews.
The next book I read was Palestine
by Joe Sacco, winner of the American
book award. Somehow it was a lot
more difficult to read that one because
it is not based on the past but what is
actually happening now and I couldn’t
help compare the fate of the Palestinians
to the fate of the Jews. The parallel is
uncomfortably real.
Sacco manages to use the comic book
format to its full effect, bringing
fragmented life into reality, his work
made its way deep into my soul so that I
actually felt as if I were with him on his
journey, and like him I couldn’t wait to
get out. Again it was the brutal honesty
of the author about himself and his
weaknesses, like in Maus, that made the
story what it is, unforgettable.
Children were the soft targets of
the snipers because they got paid
for each person they killed.
Finally I read Fax from Sarajevo by
Joe Kubert winner of Eisner Award.
This is a story based on real faxes from
Sarajevo. Joe received these faxes from his
friend and comic book publisher Ervin
Rustemagic during the siege of Sarajevo
in 1992-1993. It tells the story of Ervin
and his family struggling to survive and
the many facts about war that was just
too easy to forget: like how the rest of
the world did nothing, and how many
children were the soft targets of the
snipers because snipers were paid for each
person they killed and kids were an easy
target. The adults would usually come
out from their hiding to help them if
wounded and then the snipers could shoot
them too.
The place to get hold of these books
and other like them is Nexus, the only
specialist in comic books in Iceland and
of course you can always get them at the
city library’s ever-expanding comic book
Gerðarsafn, Kópavogur Art Museum
Two exhibition; Master of Glass and Metal &
Dialogues
Tue-Sun 11:00-17:00.
www.gerdarsafn.is/e_nn/index.html
Hamraborg 4
tel: 570 0440
Gerðuberg Culture Center
Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00, Sat-Sun 13:00-17:00.
www.gerduberg.is
Gerðuberg 3-5
tel: 575 7700
Gljúfrasteinn - Laxness museum
Thu-Sun, 10:00-17:00
www.gljufrasteinn.is
Gljúfrasteinn - hús skáldsins / Laxness museum
P.O. Box 250
270 Mosfellsbæ
tel: 586 8066
Hafnarfjörður Folk Museum
Pakkhúsið, open: May – Sept, Weekends 13:00
– 17:00, Sívertsens-House, May – Sept, Weekends
13:00 – 17:00
www.hafnarfjordur.is/byggdasafn/
Vesturgata 5
tel: 565 5420
Harbour House
NINE – Comics Festival; see Pick & Visual World
Daily 10:00 -17:00
www.listasafnreykjavikur.is/index.en.shtml
Tryggvagata
tel: 590 1200
Icelandic Institute of Natural History
Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun 13:30-16:00
www.ni.is/english/
Hlemmur 5
tel: 590-0500
Kirsuberjatréð
Mon. - Fri. 10:00 – 18:00, Sat. 11:00 – 15:00
www.kirs.is
Vesturgata 4
tel: 562 8990
Kjarvalsstaðir Art Museum
Aim XI & Retrospective
10:00-17:00 every day
Flókagata, Miklatún
tel: 5526131
Klink&Bank
14:00-18:00
Brautarholt
tel: 822-0402
National Archives
Mon – Fri from 9:00 – 12:00 and 13:00 – 17:00
archives.is/index.php?node=english
Laugavegur 162
tel: 590 3300
National Gallery of Iceland
Archive – endangered waters
11:00-17:00 every day
www.listasafn.is/?root=1
Fríkirkjuvegur 7
tel: 515 9600
National Museum of Iceland
Daily except Mondays from
11:00-17:00 during winter
www.natmus.is/english
Suðurgata 41
tel: 5302200
Nesstofa Medical Museum
Open by arrangement
Neströð
tel: 561 1016
Numismatic Collection of the Central Bank
Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00, Closed 12:00-13:00.
www.sedlabanki.is/template4.asp?pageid=328
Einholt 4
tel: 569-9962
Reykjavík Botanical Garden
Daily 10:00-17:00
www.umhverfisstofa.is/default.asp?sid_
id=3412&tid=1&Tre_Rod=006|001|&qsr
Laugardalur
tel: 553-8870
Reykjavík City Library
Mon-Thur 10:00-20:00, Fri. 11 – 19. Weekends
13 - 17
borgarbokasafn.is/displayer.asp?cat_id=14
Tryggvagata 15
tel: 563-1750
Reykjavík Electricity Museum
Sun 13:00-17:00
www.rafheimar.is
Rafstöðvarvegur
tel: 516 6790
Reykjavík Museum of Photography
Hot Spots
Mon-Fri 12:00-19:00, Sat&Sun 13:00-17:00.
Borgartún 1
Safn
Wed-Fri 14:00-18:00. Sat&Sun 14:00-17:00
www.safn.is
Laugavegur 37
tel: 551-4409
Saga Museum
12:00-17:00 every day.
www.sagamuseum.is/enska/english.html
Perlan Öskjuhlíð
tel: 511 1517
Sigurjón Ólafsson Museum
Acquisitions and Donations
Sat and Sun 14:00-17:00
www.lso.is/lso-e.htm
Laugarnestangi 70
tel: 553 2906
Teddi - Workshop
10:00-18:00 every day
: www.teddi.net/
Eskihlíð 18a
101
tel: 551 1279, Mobile: 696 5906
Telecommunications Museum
Tue,Thu & Sun 13:00-17:00
Loftskeytastöðin við Suðurgötu
tel: 5506410
The Living Art Museum
Skitsófrenía & Limbo
Wed. - Sun.13:00 - 18:00
www.nylo.is
Laugavegur 26
tel: 5514350
The Living Art Museum
Skitsófrenía & LIMBO
Wed. - Sun.13:00 - 18:00
www.nylo.is
Laugavegur 26
tel: 5514350
Volcano show: Red rock cinema
In March the Volcano Show is shown in English once
a day. Part One starts at 8 p.m. and Part Two starts
at 9 p.m.
Hellusund 6a
tel: 845-9548
OPENINGS
Openings—Good art goes best
with complimentary beverages.
Here are Grapevine’s picks for
April.
Compiled by Birgitta Jónsdóttir.
9 APRIL
14:00
RECULTIVATION
Jóhannes Dagsson: Mixed media
Hafnarborg ,Strandgata 34, 220
Hafnarfjörður, Ph# 555-0080
15:00
ISLAND OF THE SAGAS
Highlighting Art and Nature through the
last 150 years, through the eyes of Danish
and Icelandic artists
Hafnarborg, Strandgata 34, 220
Hafnarfjörður, Ph# 555-0080
17:00
HELGI ÞORGILS FRIÐJÓNSSON:
PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES
ASÍ museum (Listasafn ASÍ)
Freyjugata 41, 101 Reykjavík, Ph#511-
5353
14 APRIL
17:00
THE CANT OF REALITY
(Theo van Doesburg, Goya and others)
Helgi Þorgils Friðjónsson opens his second
exhibition today
101 gallery ,Hverfisgata 18a,
101 Reykjavík, Ph#511-6999
(Warning, K & B rarely serves beverages,
but the art makes up for it.)
AMERICA vs AMERICA
A Political Art Exhibition: Posters, flags,
magazines, comic books, video art and
documentaries, featuring; Kyle Goen,
Trygve Svensson and Christoph Fielder
Klink & Bank
Brautarholti, 105 Reykjavík, Ph# 822—
0402
16 APRIL
14:00
Mireya Samper:
ABSTRACT FANTASIES
Gallery YZT
Laugavegur 40, 101 Reykjavík, Ph# 552-
6000
PERFORMANCE WEEK
Installations and Performance Art, Music
and Dance, featuring the living art choir,
Ólafur Lárusson, Magnea Ásmundsdóttir
and Baldur Björnsson
The Living Art Museum (Nýlistasafnið)
Laugavegur 26, 101 Reykjavík, Ph# 551-
4350
ONGOING
Art Gallery S Har
Mon-Fri 13:00-18:00 Sat. 12:00-16:00
Skólavörðustígur 25a
tel: Tel: 568 0404, Mobile: 8940367
Atelier and Icelandic Art
Tue & Thu 15:00 – 18:00
www.icelandicart.is
Fálkagata 3
tel: Tel:552 3789, Mobile: 861 5693
Árbæjarsafn, Folk Museum
Winter: Guided tours scheduled on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays at 13:00.
www.arbaejarsafn.is
Kistuhyl 4
tel: 5771111
Ásmundarsafn, Sculpture museum
The Man and Material
13:00-16:00 every day
www.listasafnreykjavikur.is/Asmundarsafn/as-
mundarsafn.hvar.en.shtml
Sigtún
tel: 553-2155
Bad Taste Gallery
Lobster or Fame
Laugavegur 59
tel: 53403730
Culture House
Daily 11:00-17:00
www.thjodmenning.is/index_english.htm
Hverfisgata 15
tel: 545 1400
Einar Jónsson Sculpture Museum
Daily 14:00 - 17:00
www.skulptur.is/index.e.html
Njarðargata
tel: 551-3797
LISTINGS
Want to be seen in the listings? Send us
a mail to listings@grapevine.is and your
event will be announced in the next issue,
and the best thing is that being in the
listings is free!
Gallerí Lana Matusa Art Ceramic Studio
Skólavörðustíg 41
tel: 551 5799
Gallery Fold
Mon-Fri 10:0-18:30, Thu. 10:00-21:00, Sat 10:00-
18:00 Sun 13:00-17:00
www.myndlist.is
Kringlan Shopping Center
tel: 568 0400
Gallery Hnoss
Mon-Fri 12:00-18:00 Sat 11:00-16:00
hnoss.net/
Skólavörðustígur 3
tel: 561 8485
Gallery Hulduhólar
Sat 11:00-14:00
www.hulduholar.com
Mosfellsbæ
tel: 556-6194
Gallery i8
Hrafnkell Sigurðsson
Wed-Fri 11:00-17:00, 13:00-17:00 Sat.
www.i8.is
Klapparstígur 33
tel: 5513666 / 8963831
Gallery Kogga Ceramic-Studio
: Mon. - Fri. 09:00 - 18:00 & Sat. 10:00 - 14:00.
Vesturgata
tel: 552 6036
Gallery Kolbrún S. Kjarval
Open shopping hours
Skólavörðustígur 22
tel: 511 1197
Gallery Listvinahúsið
Skólavörðustígur 41-43
tel: 551 2850
Gallery of the Icelandic Printmakers Association
Tue-Sun 14:00-18:00
www.islenskgrafik.is
Tryggvagata 17
tel: 552 286
Gallery smíðar og skart
Sun-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat: 10:00-16:00
Skólavörðustígur 16a
tel: 561-4090
Gallerý Klink & Bank, April 14th to April 21st
America vs America,
POLITICAL ART EXHIBITION in Reykjavík,
Finally, an exhibition in Iceland with real political edge. According to the
gallery, America vs. America is a project built on a deep concern about the
political climate in the United States. It is an attempt to create dialogue and
constructive input in to the crucial debates of our times.
There will also be workshops on the issues of political art, history of grass-
root resistance and peace movements by the project managers, Trygve
Svensson and Christoph Fielder.
Gallerí I8, Ends April 30th
Hrafnkell Sigurðsson
Ritualised Logic
If you ever thought rubbish was both
useless and well disgusting you might
gain a new perspective by wandering
through this exhibition. It is a tribute
to the shell, a beautification of the
mundane and a bold look at the
repetitive patterns in our daily lives
we have ceased to notice. Hrafnkell’s
photographs of the tents are familiar
to all Icelanders: they dominate the
cover of the telephone books.
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