Reykjavík Grapevine - mar. 2020, Síða 2

First 06: Reykjavík Is Officially Trash08: Elves Are Real, We Promise 10: CORONAVIRUS!!!!! 15: 'Polishing Iceland' Is Not-To-Miss16: The Return of JFDR18: Fun Thigns Too Do Whne Ur Drnuk Af
So, here we
are in history,
with another
global health
crisis on our
h a n d s . I t ’s
not the first
time we have faced a quickly-
spreading new virus, and it’s
not the worst that the world has
seen. Well, hopefully.
T h e b u b o n i c p l a g u e i s
believed to have killed up to
200 million people in the 14th
century. HIV has killed 36
million since 1981. You have to
go back to the Spanish flu in
1918 to find a higher death rate
from a 20th century pandemic.
The death toll then was from
20 to 50 million over a two year
period. What’s alarming is that
COVID-19, is eerily similar to the
Spanish flu. Both were Corona-
viruses, and in both cases the
resulting pneumonia was often
the killer.
Then again, that’s specula-
tion. For there is one thing that
separates historic pandemics
from the Wuhan coronavirus:
we have never had so much
science on our side. Techni-
cally, we are always as good as
we can be in science when a
new outbreak pops up. So that
alone is not gonna save the day.
Far from it. We also have to
rely on responsible politicians,
and count on other members
of the general public to do the
right thing and heed the latest
warnings from the Directorate
of Health and the World Health
Organisation.
The global spread of COVID-
19 is made even more fright-
ening by the misinformation
circulating as fake news on
social media. Leaders, like in
the USA as well as in Iceland, are
trying to use the virus as a polit-
ical weapon. They will not be the
only ones. And the saddest thing
is that it will be utilised at the
cost of human lives.
What's more, outbreaks like
this unveil a country’s short-
comings, like their broken
health care system and the
true state of their democracy.
Or does anyone truly believe
that only six individuals have
contracted COVID-19 in Russia,
which shares a not insignificant
lang border with China? Does
anybody truly believe that citi-
zens of the US, or other coun-
tries with a privatised health
care system, will go to a doctor to
confirm if they have the virus at
the cost of thousands of dollars?
Will those infected get paid to
be home on sick leave? These are
simple yet significant questions
and an important moment for
people to self-reflect. Because
the answer could determine just
how long this virus is able to
spread. It’s time for responsible
politics again. VG
The True Impact
Of Coronavirus
Elín Elísabet is an illus-
trator and cartoonist
born and raised in
Borgarnes. At the
tender age of 15, Elín
moved to Reykjavík
and hasn’t looked
back, except for the
annual springtime
impulse to move
someplace quiet
and keep chickens.
Elín likes folk music,
stationery, seal vid-
eos, the country of
Ireland, and eggs.
Hannah Jane Cohen is
based out of Iceland
by way of New York.
She's known for her
love of Willa Ford,
David Foster Wallace,
and other such
"intellectuals." Her
visionary work is
known for expand-
ing the definitions of
emotion, introspec-
tion, and above all
else, taste. Hannah is
also the current Drag
King of Iceland, Hans.
Alexander Jean
Edvard Le Sage
de Fontenay is a
Reykjavík-born part-
time DJ (under the
pseudonym Bervit),
event-planner and
lover of art, creation
and aesthetics. Most
recent endeavors in-
clude co-producing
The Grapevine’s own
Grassroots concerts
at Húrra and LungA
Art Festival’s busy
event schedule.
Ragnar Egilsson is
a writer, transla-
tor and massive
foodie. He's been
reviewing for the
Grapevine for many
years. Ragnar is from
Hafnar#ör!ur but is
currently studying
food science in an
Italian town with the
exact same number
of inhabitants.
Sveinbjörn Pálsson
is our Art Director.
He's responsible for
the design of the
magazine and the
cover photography.
When he's not work-
ing here, he DJs as
Terrordisco, hosts
the Funk$átturinn
radio show, or sits at
a table in a Laugarda-
lur café, drinking
copious amounts of
co%ee and thinking
about fonts.
Samuel O'Donnell
Sam is an English
major from The
United States. He
has his Bachelor’s
Degree, and keeps
telling himself that
this is the year he
will begin pursuing
his Master’s. In his
spare time, he enjoys
playing video games,
writing short horror
stories, listening to
all kinds of metal,
and reading.
Andie Sophia Fontaine
has lived in Iceland
since 1999 and has
been reporting since
2003. They were the
first foreign-born
member of the
Icelandic Parliament,
an experience they
recommend for
anyone who wants
to experience a
workplace where
colleagues work tire-
lessly to undermine
each other.
Rex Beckett has
been a fixture in the
Reykjavík culture
scene for over a
decade. A longtime
music/art journalist
for the Grapevine,
she's also known for
her music project,
Rex Pistols, as well
as her generally cool
hair, cat photos, and
aging goth realness.
She's also weirdly
into glitter.
Josie Gaitens is a
freelance arts project
coordinator, musician
and writer from the
Scottish Highlands.
She was once errone-
ously referred to as
the Queen of Scotland
by a Malaysian news-
paper and has been
falsely using that title
ever since.
COVER PHOTO:
Rut Sigur!ardóttir
ART DIRECTION:
Sveinbjörn Pálsson
ABOUT THE COVER:
Hrönn Sveinsdóttir, the
managing director of
Bíó Paradís, is facing the
fight of her career as she
leads the crusade to save
this Reykjavík cultural
landmark.
The cover is based on a
faint, faded recollection
of the Casablanca movie
poster, and the effects of
time and light on printed
objects, such as movie
posters.
EDITORIAL
36: Reykjanes Via Car,
Very Nice
35: Eiriksson Brasserie Is
Fancy And So Are We
38: Horror-Scopes
For more information and bookings:
www.thelavatunnel.is
+354 519 1616 +354 760 1000
info@thelavatunnel.is
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