Reykjavík Grapevine - Jun 2023, Page 2

In This Issue
6
Unveiling the secrets
of Icelandic moss
12–14
Multiculturalism and art:
insights from four artists
of mixed heritage
16–17
We took a trip to NYC
to celebrate Iceland.
It was a success!
26
Rap veteran Emmsjé Gauti
is just getting started
28
Kayaking with a view
and a secret snack
38
Questioning our
existence in Reykjavík’s
many parking lots
Cover model Davíð Þór Katrínarson
is an actor and musician of Icelandic
and Gambian heritage. In the cover
feature, he and three other artists
– Dýrfinna Benita Basalan, María
Thelma Smáradóttir and Logi Pedro
Stefánsson – reflect on growing up
and making art in Iceland as people
of mixed racial descent .
On the Cover
Late night
dining
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until 23:00 on weekdays
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COVER & FEATURE
IMAGES
Kazuma Takigawa
MAKEUP
Kolbrún Anna
Vignisdóttir
ACCESSORIES
AURUM by Guðbjörg
Editorial Diversi-
fying Demo-
graphics
WORDS Catharine Fulton,
Editor in Chief
It’s a conundrum being “other”
in a country as small and tight-knit
as Iceland. It’s something I’m keenly
aware of being an immigrant in this
country and it’s something I’m mind -
ful of raising two children who are
both Icelandic and not. We are part
of the nearly 20% of Iceland’s popu-
lation comprised of first- and
second-generation immigrants.
When we set out to put together this
issue of the magazine, the fea ture
article was clear: a profile of four Ice-
landic artists of diverse back grounds
making their mark on the arts and
cultural spheres of this country and
reflecting on what their dual herit-
ages meant for them growing up in
Iceland (read that on Page 12-14).
But the concepts of race and Ice-
landicness came up unexpectedly
in other articles, as well – brilliantly
in Shruthi Basappa’s reflection on
the exhausting lack of respect and
technique Icelandic chefs and food
bloggers afford many international
cuisines (Page 32-33), and frustrat-
ingly in an article about film dubbing
(Page 18).
Iceland can do better. It’s time to
do better.
20% is no small number. The indi-
viduals counted within that percent-
age are Icelandic, whether born and
raised here or having adopted this is-
land as their new home and working
their way toward citizenship. Within
that 20% there is a beautiful diversity
of cultures, languages, skin colours
and traditions that can make Iceland
a better place to live – if the rest of
Iceland embraces the diversity with
respect and understanding.
Contributors
CATHERINE
MAGNÚS DÓTTIR
Catherine studies culture and
literature in Iceland and came to
the Grapevine for the internship
but ended up freelancing for the
magazine. When she’s not trying to
reconnect with her Icelandic roots,
she’s usually watching video essays
or attempting to finally come up
with that one good story idea that
she can actually finish writing.
JÓHANNES BJARKI
BJARKASON
Jóhannes Bjarki is a Reykjavík local,
straight out of Grafarvogur. Having
been active as the frontman of the
post-punk band Skoffín and in the
post-dreifing art collective, Jóhannes
is fascinated by the Icelandic music
scene. Among his interests are
politics, history and pop culture.
IRYNA ZUBENKO
Iryna is a Ukrainian journalist work-
ing at the cross-section of media
and technology for the past five
years. While still figuring out what
to do in life, Iryna’s love of travelling,
unspoiled nature and Scandi design
has brought her to Reykjavík. One
day she’ll write a non-fiction book.
REX BECKETT
Rex Beckett has been a fixture in
the Reykjavík culture scene for over
a decade as a longtime music/art
writer and as former synthpunk
diva Rex Pistols. They are current-
ly working on a series delving into
the influence of Garfield on queer
millennials.
SHRUTHI BASAPPA
Shruthi Basappa traded the warmth
of Indian summers for Arctic winds
of Iceland. She’s a food enthusiast
masquerading as an architect at Sei
Studio and loves obsessive atten-
tion to detail. When not leading our
Best of Reykjavík food panel, Shruthi
can be found trying to become a
Michelin restaurant inspector.