Reykjavík Grapevine - 05.12.2008, Blaðsíða 30

30 | REYKJAVÍK GRAPEVINE | ISSUE 18—2008
destination — egIlsstaÐIr
It is midday when a Grapevine photographer
and journalist get on board a plane heading to
Egilsstaðir on the east coast of Iceland. The day’s
objective is a simple one. To visit the cultural cen-
tre Sláturhúsið (Slaughterhouse) and take part in
the Days of Darkness, a local art and culture festi-
val, celebrating the return of winter with an ambi-
tious program by both local and visiting artists.
Originally built in 1946 as a slaughterhouse
for sheep and cattle raised by the surrounding
farmers, Sláturhúsið closed its operations around
2000. In 2006, a group of ambitious people seized
the rather large empty building to house a produc-
tion by the local theatre group, in the sizeable
freezing room, where the meat used to be stored
until it was shipped off for production and pack-
aging. Subsequently, the municipality bought the
house, and it has since been used for cultural
events, art exhibitions, concerts, plays, an annual
shorts and video film festival, and other events of
culture. The house has also been used by the lo-
cal youth centre and is open every night for young
people with extensive programmes on a regular
basis. Inside, there is a recording studio and prac-
tice facility for musicians, and a fully equipped
studio for video production.
“The role of the house is to encourage cul-
tural life in the region,” says director Kristín Schev-
ing. “The building is ideal for this operation, there
are many spaces of different sizes that serve dif-
ferent opportunities, so it is just as easy to house
a small exhibition as it is as a bigger event in the
“Freezing Room.”
From the outside, the house looks very much
like a slaughterhouse or another industrial com-
plex, rather than a cultural centre. Inside, the
house has been extensively restored, but the raw
nature of an industrial building is inescapable.
The raw character of the building serves as a great
backdrop for the displays, but work still remains to
further restore the house to better accommodate
its current role.
We arrive in time to enjoy an exhibition
opening by the local photography club on the up-
per floor, just where I imagine the kill floor to have
been. In the adjoining space, the arts club is ex-
hibiting their works. The night’s programme also
includes a performance by the visiting metalcore
band Celestine from Reykjavík, joined by a local
hardcore band called Chino.
The concert is a great success. The pitch
darkness of the Freezing Room creates the per-
fect surroundings for the post-apocalyptic sounds
of Celestine, and local heroes Chino surprise the
visitors with a killer performance.
Daily flights to Egilsstaðir are
available from Air Iceland.
www.flugfelag.is
Slaughterhouse:
A Culture Centre
by sveInn bIrkIr bJörnsson
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