Reykjavík Grapevine - 10.11.2017, Page 36

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A Brand New Life
120-year-old Iðnó theatre is reinvented as a
creative hub for the Reykjavík arts scene
Words: Alice Demurtas Photo: Art Bicnck
Iðnó
Vonarstræti 3
With its egg-white facade and
prime location on Reykjavík’s
Tjörnin pond, the 120-year-old
theatre Iðnó is one of those build-
ings that seems rather anonymous
from the outside but captures your
heart as soon as you set foot in-
side.
When I walk in to check out
the newly renovated space, I can’t
believe my eyes. In the entrance
hall, where before there were only
spinning saws and flecks of dust, a
brand new bar welcomes me, com-
plete with an old but faithful La
Marzocco coffee machine. Coffee
tables sit around the perimeter
of the adjacent rooms, decorated
with dainty roses a la Parisienne.
But it’s the grand hall that capti-
vates me most.
A grand project
It’s Airwaves week, and indie band
Hey Elbow are threatening to
bring down the house with their
fierce sound. Dimly lit by the stage
lights, the periwinkle blue walls
of the hall are stained with ev-
er-moving speckles of light. The
space is packed with audience
members standing against the
tall windows or sitting under the
white accents of the ceilings. In a
country like Iceland, with a pas-
sion for concrete and glass build-
ings, it’s refreshing to see that the
old-fashioned atmosphere of Iðnó
has been kept intact.
Striking a balance between past
and present has only been possible
thanks to a hard-working team of
individuals who put their entire
collective knowledge at the dis-
posal of this project. Earlier this
year Þórir Bergsson, from popular
bistro Bergsson Mathús, and René
Boonekamp, a long time contribu-
tor to the Icelandic art scene, won
a five-year lease for Iðnó, issued by
the City of Reykjavík.
Cherishing the history of Iðnó
was important, but looking at the
future felt crucial as well. Thus,
they set about creating a space
that could boost and support all
sorts of creative endeavours. “This
is primarily an events space, of
course,” says René. “There are go-
ing to be people who want to or-
ganise private parties here. Then
there are public events organised
by theatre or school groups, and
we’re going to organise our own
events to fill up the agenda every
month.”
A safe oasis
But there’s more to check out, and
René doesn’t leave any stone un-
turned. “I’ll show you upstairs,”
he smiles. At the end of a narrow
staircase, a completely different
space awaits me. A maze of rooms
with low ceilings, vast Moroc-
can-style rugs and dim lighting,
the second-floor attic works like a
well-oiled machine.
In its new incarnation, it serves
as a co-working hub, where free-
lancers and artists can find equip-
ment for recording, editing and
creating in a social environment
that fuels their creativity. “We
want to see this place as a crea-
tive space where things can drip
down from,” René explains. “We
are working on setting up a sound
recording studio on a subscription
base, for instance. So the equip-
ment will be here, and you will just
have to pay a monthly fee of sorts.”
In a city that’s experiencing a
shortage of apartments and stu-
dios on lease, Iðnó could then
become a much-needed oasis for
Icelandic artists. I leave in awe
at the dignity of this place. You
get the feeling that it might be
haunted, but however tangi-
ble the ghosts of the past might
be, there’s no doubt that Iðnó
has its eyes set on the future.
Iðnó is Reykjavík's oldest theatre
VISIT KÓPAVOGUR
CULTURE HOUSES
AND EXPERIENCE
Salurinn Concert Hall
Náttúrufræðistofa Kópavogs Natural History Museum of Kópavogur
Bókasafn Kópavogs Kópavogur Public Library
Sundlaug Kópavogs Kopavogur Thermal Pool
Kópavogskirkja Kopavogur Church
Hamraborg 4–6
Kópavogur
Bus 1, 2 & 4
A NEW
GEOLOGICAL
EXHIBITION
& MORE
EMPLACEMENT:
 &
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Kó
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A
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M
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Einar Garibaldi Eiríksson &
Kristján Steingrímur Jónsson
i8 Gallery
Tryggvagata 16
101 Reykjavík
info@i8.is
t: +354 551 3666
www.i8.is
EGILL SÆBJÖRNSSON
until 25 November 2017
Open 11:30-22:00
saegreif inn. is
Geirsgata 8 • 101 Reykjavík • Tel. 553 1500 • seabaron8@gmail.com
An absolute
must-try!
Saegreifinn restaurant (Sea Baron) is like none other
in Iceland; a world famous lobster soup and a diverse
fish selection.