Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.06.2018, Page 34

The Reykjavík Arts Festival: Grapevine's Picks
Reykjav
,
Ik
Sunshine
So, it's been a rainy and cold spring. But fear not—Reykjavík Arts Festival opens
on the 1st of June to bring some long-awaited sunshine to all. If not literally, well
then at least to our hearts.
There’ll be large events on an international scale, a rich and exciting family
programme, and events involving public participation. A selection of non-tick-
eted events in public spaces is also one of the distinguishing features of this
year’s Reykjavík Arts Festival programme.
The atmospheric festival hub, based at the downtown branch of the Reykja-
vík Arts Museum, will be buzzing all-day-every-day with a wide selection of free
events, and food and drink at affordable prices.
Whoever you are and wherever you come from, I welcome you to Reykjavík
Arts Festival 2018!
Vigdís Jakobsdóttir
Artistic director of Reykjavík Arts Festival
Demoncrazy
Austurvöllur - June
1-15th - Free!
The central Reykjavík
square of Austurvöllur,
situated right
outside of Iceland's
parliament, has been
the site of many
protests over the
years—not least, the
iconic outpouring of
dissatisfaction that
followed the release
of the Panama Papers.
At the Reykjavík Arts
Festival, another
striking form of
resistance will
take place in the
form of Borghildur
Indriðadóttir's photos,
in which topless young
women stand defiantly
amongst dusty paintings
of besuited men. After
the gender wage gap
protests of recent
years, and the #MeToo
movement, it's a simple
but effective idea that
communicates the city's
feminist zeitgeist. JR
Iceland Symphony
Orchestra: Mahler’s
Resurrection Symphony
Harpa - June 1st -
19:30 - 2,500 to 7,500
ISK
Gustav Mahler was one
of those people—like
Trump, or Cher—who
preferred things
BIG. This ambitious
drive for tonal
apotheosis created
some of the most
ambitious, inimitably
idiosyncratic, and
existential orchestral
pieces of all time.
Nothing is more
representative of this
than his ‘Resurrection
Symphony.’ If you’re
into existential ennui
and that moment in
‘Se7en’ when Brad Pitt
asks “WHAT’S IN THE
BOX?”, then this is the
tune for you. While the
title sounds religious,
Mahler was kind of a
spiritually confused
guy, and the symphony
dives more into the
sheer unadulterated
pants-wetting terror
of it all. Relatable
content, right? HJC
Daniel Lismore - “Be
Yourself, Everyone Else
Is Already Taken”
Harpa - June 2nd-17th -
12:30-16:30 - 1,500 ISK
If you live in
Reykjavík and have
any connection to
the arts scene, you
may have first heard
of Daniel Lismore
when he added you on
Facebook and Instagram
recently as part of
his pre-exhibition
promo effort. But if
you’re interested in
queer culture, club
kids, the international
art scene or high
fashion, you probably
followed him long
ago. Lismore creates
autobiographical
sculptures that
chart his dramatic,
extravagant “looks,”
layered and collaged
using everything from
broken jewellery to
fine fabrics and found
objects, and from
high street clothing
to haute couture. The
resulting exhibition is
hypnotic, comprising
a collection of
sculptures clothed
in wildly creative
ensembles that express
a unique and inspiring
vision. JR
DJ Dominatricks
Hafnarhúsið - June 2nd
- 21:00 - Free!
Of all the young DJs on
the Reykjavík scene,
the audio-visual
duo DJ Dominatricks
are far and away
the most ambitious.
Melkorka Þorkelsdóttir
and Arna Beth mix
together a colourful,
glitching digital
backdrop that looks
like the internet’s
subconscious puking VR
dreams and nightmares
onto the screen; the
accompanying music
is a dizzying mash
of fresh, creative
electronica gleaned
from all over the genre
spectrum. Check them
out at the festival’s
opening party at the
Reykjavík Art Museum’s
downtown Hafnarhúsið
building. You won’t be
disappointed. JR
Robert Wilson / Det
Norske Teatret - “EDDA”
Reykjavík City Theatre
- June 8th & 9th -
20:00 - 7,500 ISK
The worldwide
famous avant-garde/
experimental theatre
director Robert Wilson
is bringing his newest
production, “EDDA,”
to Iceland. The Eddas
are two of the main
literary works of
Icelandic language
Norse mythology.
Wilson is known for
his original use of
language, movement
and lighting, and
it’s fair to say that
this will be unlike
anything Icelandic
theatre has ever
seen. You can expect
spectacular costumes
and scenography from
the play that won the
Norwegian Hedda Prize
for the theatrical
event of the year in
2017. Dive deeply
into Iceland’s and
the Nordic countries’
heritage with this
magical event, which
is part of a special
programme celebrating
the 2018 centennial of
Icelandic sovereignty.
PW
It’s A Block Party And
You’re Invited!
Asparfell 8 - June 9th
- 16:00 - Free!
Want to score some
bonus cool points as
a tourist and be able
to say that you've
been to an *actual*
Icelandic party in
Iceland?? Here is your
ultimate opportunity
to improve your
reputation. The block
party will be hosted
by the residents of
Asparfell 2-12 in the
Reykjavík neighbourhood
of Breiðholt. The
residents will be
graciously opening up
their apartments to
allow tourists and
Reykjavík residents
alike to experience an
Icelandic dance party.
Guests are invited to
wander from apartment
to apartment and meet
the inhabitants who
come from all walks
of life. In some
apartments, you will
find loud music and
large groups of people,
while at others you
will find a calmer
environment with fewer
people. You can take
Strætó (#12, #17) to
get there. Limited
availability. JIW
Bill Murray & The Cello
Guy
Harpa - June 14th -
20:00 - 6,900-12,900
ISK
There are a lot of
things people think
about when they hear
the name of larger-
than-life Hollywood
star Bill Murray,
but a cello concert
isn’t one of them.
The world famous
actor has charmed
generations with his
subtle, eccentric
humour, both in his
movies, and in real
life; his performances
for Wes Anderson have
practically made
him a living legend.
So it’s incredibly
thrilling for classical
nerds that he met
the unrivalled cello
player Jan Vogler in
an airplane a few
years ago, and hit it
off —classical style.
Iceland is one of few
countries in the world
where Vogler and Murray
will be performing
together. Violinist
Mira Wang and pianist
Vanessa Perez will also
perform—both of them
are outstanding. So,
eccentric humour and
world class classical
music the same night;
who you gonna call? VG