Iceland review - 2014, Qupperneq 44

42 ICELAND REVIEW
86), or perhaps the ásmundur Sveinsson Sculpture Museum
(1942–50)—that feels particularly noteworthy. The one excep-
tion is Harpa concert Hall (2007-2011), an award-winning
gem (it won the Mies van der rohe Award in 2013) and a stun-
ning vision of a 21st century arts complex. When viewed from a
boat out in the harbor, Harpa looks almost as if it is clad in fish
scales. The glass sides of the building reflect the light bouncing
up from the water and the building shimmers as though it has
just emerged fresh from the sea. it’s not hard to imagine how
reykjavík’s fishing boats might have inspired the design. The
rustic and worn ships floating along the pier, at first glance,
aren’t very interesting. But if you pay attention to the crisp
reflections—where the beautiful icelandic light dances across
the surface—the boats take on an artful, designed air that mir-
rors the concert hall. it’s not hard to imagine where the archi-
tects’ inspiration may have come from. At night the hall lights
By and large the artists are not well known outside their home
country and web searches for their names produce almost no
helpful results. What a crime this seems to me. And so i went
into the editing room and put together my footage of the show to
help remedy that problem. i published the video at Iceland Review
Online, hoping to add to the conversation about these artists.
But even beyond the art establishment, it became very apparent
to me during my time in iceland that art and design is a big part
of the culture. So much about the country is modern and clean
and has a very designed feel to it. There’s a distinct aesthetic about
the country.
Before i left on the trip, i asked an architecture-buff friend what
contemporary architecture i might want to check out. He sort of
shrugged and said, “There’s not really much there.” And at first
glance, it’s true. There are no skyscrapers to speak of and very
little architecture in general—apart from Hallgrímskirkja (1945-
deSign
“Icelanders know what they’ve got going for them. It’s a beautiful place.
Why over-stimulate the eye with unnecessary distraction?”
Harpa, the new concert and conference hall
by the reykjavík harbor.
abandoned old whaling boats at the reykjavík harbor.