Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.09.2018, Page 46

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Best of Reykjavík 2018
46
“There’s an extra space that holds a bunch
of negative sheets that are accessible to
anyone who’s interested.”
BEST OF GUIDE
Photo Galleries
Where to check out contemporary photography
in Reykjavík
Words: Noemi Ehrat Photos: Art Bicnick
While Iceland is famous for its
photogenic landscapes (Vol-
canoes! Waterfalls!), animals
(Fluffy horses! Cute puffins!)
and even inhabitants (uhm,
have you ever been on the
streets of Reykjavik?), it all gets
kinda vague when it comes to
exhibition spaces for photog-
raphy. 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.
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
photos to be found inside. The
pictures on display are mainly
shot in Reykjavík 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
photophile are the numerous
old cameras, which, along with
old records playing in the back-
ground, 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.
Ramskram
Njálsgata 49
Dedicated to contemporary pho-
tography, Ramskram hosts about
seven shows a year featuring both
international and Icelandic art-
ists. 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.
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 imme-
diately, as Örvar Þorgeirsson, the
photographer behind Arctic Pho-
to Gallery, has won several prizes
for his photography, 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 photogra-
phy. If you’re into stunning and
colourful landscape and nature
shots, this should be your go-to.
Ljósmyndasafn
Reykjavíkur
Tryggvagata 15, top floor
Ljósmyndasafn Reykjavíkur, or
the Reykjavík Museum of Pho-
tography, is everything you’d ex-
pect from a proper photography
museum. It’s located on the top
floor of the Grófin Culture House
and currently features two ex-
hibitions, 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 Li-
brary’s section on photography,
but a bunch of negative sheets
that are accessible to anyone
who’s interested. For those who
simply cannot withstand an op-
portunity to engage in some good
old capitalism, there are also nice
postcards and other photo-relat-
ed stuff to buy.
Fótógrafí serves up an edgy take on Iceland
INGÓLFSSTRÆTI 8
MI CASA SU CASA