Iceland review - 2015, Qupperneq 17

ICELAND REVIEW 15
2. Does Icelandic cultural heritage appear in your work in
any way?
SSE: Yes, definitely. ... Rap, or rímur [epic rhymed Icelandic
poems], have followed Icelanders from the beginning. Writing
poems and stories is our national hobby. I define myself as a sto-
ryteller. My reality isn’t ‘from the hood.’ I tell stories with rap—or
rhyme—and attitude.
ÓEE: Unavoidably, I think. As a kid I read many of the sagas, my
grandfather actually gave me 10 krónur for each chapter in the
Icelandic sagas that I read and afterwards he questioned me about
it. To me the sagas are excellent studies of human behavior. Even
though they’re 700-800 years old, they make us see clearly that
people then were just the same as today.
HH: I use the Icelandic cultural heritage a lot. While growing
up I spent much time with my grandparents who fed me with
poems and stories. Especially one of my grandmothers, Kristín
Margrét Jósefína Björnson, who was of the turn-of-the-century
generation, made an impression on me. … She traveled to the US
in 1919 … returning, inspired by the fight for women’s rights and
a deep dislike for war. That’s the indoctrination I got.
Eygló Svala Arnarsdóttir poses the same ten questions
to four artists of different genres and varying ages.
PHOTOS BY PÁLL STEFÁNSSON.
Hulda Hákon (born 1956) is among the foremost Icelandic visual
artists, known for her sculptures, paintings and reliefs focusing on
human relations, nature and mythology, among other subjects.
Texts also play an important part in her work. Hulda’s art has
been exhibited and acquired by galleries and private collectors
worldwide.
Sigurður Pálsson (born 1948) is a firmly established poet,
playwright and author—celebrating his 40th writer’s anniversary
this year. His books have been translated into a multitude of
languages. Sigurður earned the Icelandic Literary Award for his
autobiography Minnisbók in 2007, and has also been honored
in France.
10Q