Iceland review - 2016, Page 6

4 ICELAND REVIEW
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ISSN 0019-1094. Iceland Review (ISSN:0019-1094) is published six
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Iceland’s Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð
Gunnlaugsson was the world’s first big
casualty of the Panama Papers scandal. In
the spotlight of the world’s media, he lasted
just 44 hours after RÚV (the national
broadcaster) blew the whistle on his
connections to an offshore company, located
in a mailbox somewhere on the Caribbean
paradise island of Tortola.
Zoë Robert (page 40) talks to journalist
Jóhannes Kr. Kristjánsson, the man credited
with taking him down. He worked for months
with SVT, the Swedish state-owned
broadcasting company, piling through the
Panama Papers in which 600 Icelandic
names were found. Another journalist, Sigrún
Davíðsdóttir, attempts to make sense of an
unprecedented week in Icelandic politics, in
which the Panama Papers’ revelations forced
the PM out (page 34).
The more I try to follow Icelandic politics,
the less I understand. Like why President
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson has decided to run
for office for the sixth time. He honestly
believes that no one here in Iceland can take
over his job during difficult times in the
Republic. That’s ridiculous… but more on the
June presidential election in our next issue.
The creative art scene is another matter
altogether—and far easier to understand. We
meet Bjarni Sigurðursson, the ceramicist (page
18), the young pop musician Glowie (page 14),
the frontman of the band Kaleo, Jökull Júlíusson
(page 72), and visit visual artist Finnbogi
Pétursson’s latest exhibition (page 88).
We also feature the Press Photographs of the
Year (page 55) and rewind to the first part of last
century to take a look at Vigfús Sigurgeirsson’s
brilliant photographs (page 50).
We go on the road to explore the volcanic
colors of Iceland (page 24) and visit the West
Fjords (page 80). But traveling in and around
Iceland, as rugged and beautiful as it is, we
should do with utmost care, and not feed the
lion, as Zoë explains (page 44) in her article
about travel safety.
People visit Iceland to enjoy the country’s
nature and culture. I guarantee that no one
comes to this North Atlantic rock to learn about
the lack of good politics for which we have been
receiving so much attention.
Páll Stefánsson
ps@icelandreview.com
Head Office
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EDITOR
Páll Stefánsson
DEPUTY & WEB EDITORS
Eygló Svala Arnarsdóttir (on leave)
Zoë Robert
DESIGN & PRODUCTION
Erlingur Páll Ingvarsson
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Alëx Elliott
Edward Hancox
Elliott Brandsma
Halldór Lárusson
Inga Hlín Pálsdóttir
Jenna Gottlieb
Rachel Mercer
Sigrún Davíðsdóttir
Vala Hafstað
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Aran Goyoaga
Áslaug Snorradóttir
Eggert Jóhannesson
Eyþór Árnason
Finnbogi Marinósson
Geir Ólafsson
Gréta S. Guðjónsdóttir
Guðrún Kristjánsdóttir
Haraldur Þór Stefánsson
Heiða Helgadóttir
Hörður Freyr
Kristinn Magnússon
Kristján Guðmundsson
Magnús H. Jóhannsson
Páll Kjartansson
Sturla Brandt Grøvlen
Vigfús Sigurgeirsson
COPY EDITOR
Alëx Elliott
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Vala Hafstað
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Páll Kjartansson
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