Reykjavík Grapevine - 13.07.2018, Síða 32

BEST OF REYKJAVÍK
Best
Sports Bar
American Bar
Austurstræti 8-10
If sports is what you’re after,
what better place than the
namesake of the land that hon-
ours athletes like an Italian
grandma does the Pope. This
place is more “Everybody loves
Tom Petty, right?” than “Let’s
build a wall between Mexico!”
kind of American, so it’s quite
friendly and down to earth,
with their big screens all over
the place showing all kinds
of physical activities involv-
ing balls. They often have the
game schedule on the window
out front so there’s no reason
to miss a match. You gotta sup-
port the team.
Lebowski Bar
Laugavegur 20a
Another big huge place with
lots of screens showing lots of
games, this fully carpeted bar
honouring the “Lebowski” Leb-
owski (not The Dude, man,) is
another nice laid-back place to
just zone out with some good
sports. Totally unpretentious
and even graced with its own
mascot, Púki the cat, who
drinks virgin White Russians
in the front window.
Bjarni Fel
Austurstræti 20
An oldie but a goodie, Bjarni Fel
is one-hundred percent sports
bar from beginning to end.
Alcohol, screens, games, good
sight-lines, good match pro-
gramming. The only thing is
that it can be a wee bit cramped,
but if that’s how you like to en-
joy your sports, then cram in.
CITY GUIDE
Photo Galleries
Where to check out contemporary
photography in Reykjavík
Words: Noemi Ehrat
Photos: Art Bicnick
While Iceland is famous for its pho-
togenic landscapes (Volcanoes! Wa-
terfalls!), animals (Fluffy horses!
Cute puffins!) and even inhabit-
ants (uhm, have you ever been on
the streets of Reykjavik?), it all gets
kinda vague when it comes to ex-
hibition spaces for photography.
You might ask yourself if there are
any dedicated photo galleries at
all—and if so, where are they? Well,
photo-lovers, don’t despair, because
we’ve got you covered: The following
places are definitely worth a visit.

Ramskram
Njálsgata 49
Dedicated to contemporary
photography, Ramskram hosts
about seven shows a year featuring
both international and Icelandic
artists. The founder and owner of
the space is Bára Kristinsdóttir,
a photographer herself and one
of the founding members of The
Icelandic Contemporary Photog-
raphy Association. “We choose
current photographers such
Þórsteinn Cameron who is pres-
ently exhibiting his work and who
won this year’s Magnús Ólafsson
grant,” Bára explains. Ramskram
is the place for photography pur-
ists, since it’s a non-commercial
space where you won’t run the risk
of rubbing shoulders with tourists
looking for a cheesy souvenir.
What the place lacks in size it
definitely makes up for in quality,
so don’t miss out on this tucked-
away gem.
Ljósmyndasafn
Reykjavíkur
Grófarhús, Tryggvagata 15, top floor
Ljósmyndasafn Reykjavíkur, or the
Reykjavík Museum of Photography,
is everything you’d expect from
a proper photography museum.
It’s located on the top floor of the
Grófin Culture House and cur-
rently features two exhibitions,
one featuring photos from Iceland
and Greenland by the German
photographer Olaf Otto Becker,
and a smaller one on the Icelandic
black metal scene by Hafsteinn
Viðar Ársælsson. As a special treat,
the museum offers an extra space
which not only holds the Reykjavík
City Library’s section on photogra-
phy, but a bunch of negative sheets
that are accessible to anyone who’s
interested. For those who simply
cannot withstand an opportunity
to engage in some good old capital-
ism, there are also nice postcards
and other photo-related stuff to
buy.
Fótógrafí
Skólavörðustígur 22
Fótógrafí claims to have been the
one of the first photo galleries in
town. While its interior is tiny,
there’s a surprising number of pho-
tos to be found inside. The pictures
on display are mainly shot in Reykja-
vík or elsewhere in Iceland and all of
them have a slightly different, edgy
take on the island, instead of adding
to the abundance of touristy sub-
jects. Another highlight for any pho-
tophile are the numerous old cam-
eras, which, along with old records
playing in the background, give the
room a certain vintage vibe. If you’re
lucky, you might even encounter the
shop’s owner and creator of most of
the pictures, Ari Sigvaldason, and
bore him with your questions.
Arctic Photo Gallery
Laugavegur 50
This purely commercial gallery
is the most likely to attract tour-
ists: northern lights, puffins and
vibrantly coloured landscapes
decorate the walls in the back of a
regular tourist shop. However, don’t
write this place off immediately, as
Örvar Þorgeirsson, the photogra-
pher behind Arctic Photo Gallery,
has won several prizes for his pho-
tography, including the National
Geographic Traveller Photograph
of the year 2008 and European
Wildlife Photographer of the year
2011. Örvar even offers photo tours
around Iceland for those who want
to combine their visit with lessons
on photography. If you’re into stun-
ning and colourful landscape and
nature shots, this should be your
go-to.
32The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 12 — 2018Best of Reykjavík
Fótógrafí delivers.
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.