ICELAND IS A WORK OF ART. - Listahátíð

ÍSLENSKA SIA.IS HBS 45672 03.2009
ICELAND IS A WORK OF ART.
To grasp the whole meaning of this sentence you have to
visit Iceland and Reykjavik. On the top of the largest glacier
in Europe and in the longest of Icelandic fjords you will see
sights that measure up to any masterful work of art. If that
isn’t enough then Reykjavik is brimming with museums and
small galleries that showcase cutting-edge art. And don’t
forget the Reykjavik Arts Festival held in mid May every year.
Visual arts at Reykjavík Arts Festival
Self-portrait in green
shoes / Louisa Matthíasdóttir
The Environmental Health Clinic: Reykjavík
Artist-scientist-activist Natalie Jeremijenko
sets up her Environmental Health Clinic in
Reykjavík at a pivotal time. From May16.
Gallery 100°, Reykjavik Pond, and elsewhere
throughout the city.
The House of Una and West 8th Street
A life career retrospective of the Icelandic
artists Louisa Matthíasdóttir and Nína
Tryggvadóttir, highligting their connection with
other artists, poets and writers in Iceland and
New York. From May 15.
The Reykjavík Art Museum, Kjarvalsstadir.
Hrafnkell Sigurdsson and
Kristján Gudmundsson
An exhibition of the work of two of Iceland’s
best-known artists. From May 15.
The National Gallery of Iceland.
The Modern in the 20th Century – modernism
in design and photography in Iceland
In collaboration with the Design and
Architecture Department of the Iceland
Academy of Arts. From May 16.
The Reykjavík Museum of Photography.
Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir
Also known by her alternative identity,
Shoplifter. From May 16. i8.
The Environmental Health Clinic:
Reykjavík / Natalie Jeremijenko
aimez vous avec ferveur 2008 /
Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir aka Shoplifter
and a.v.a.f. collaboration A window
installation for MoMA New York 2008
Two men, one woman and a monster from the sea /
Hulda Hákon / courtesy of the artist
Two men, one woman and a
monster from the sea
A unique survey of Hulda Hákon’s
imaginative output over the past two
decades. From May 16.
The Akureyri Art Museum
(North Iceland).
Klaas Kloosterboer – Pulp Machinerie
Works by Dutch artist Klaas Kloosterboer, exhibited in collaboration
with Galerie van Gelder (Amsterdam). From May 16.
Gallery Sudsudvestur (SouthbySouthWest on the Reykjanes Peninsula).
Olga Bergmann – The House of Pain
An installation of video works,
sculpture and found objects
exhibition. From May 16.
The Reykjanesbær Art Museum
(on the Reykjanes Peninsula).
House of Pain / Olga Bergmann
Art in The Making
Members of The Icelandic Printmakers Association demonstrate
printmaking or art in their preferred medium. From May 23.
Lækjartorg (Outdoor project).
Gudmunda’s Legacy
Exhibition of artists awarded recognition by the Gudmunda
S. Kristinsdóttir Fund for the Arts. Including: Ólöf Nordal, Finna Birna
Steinsson, Katrín Sigurdardóttir, Gabriela Fridriksdóttir,
Sara Björnsdóttir, Thóra Thórisdóttir, Gudrún Vera Hjartardóttir,
Hekla Dögg Jónsdóttir, Hulda Stefánsdóttir and more.
From May 28. The Reykjavík Art Museum, Harbour House.
Wednesday May 27
9 pm
Pop band Hjaltalín plus Chamber Orchestra
Pop band Hjaltalín hosts its grandest concert event to date with a
chamber orchestra conducted by Daníel Bjarnason, one of Iceland’s
youngest and most promising conductors and composers. In total, some
20 musicians will be performing Hjaltalín’s music.The Icelandic Opera.
Thursday May 28
7.30 pm
Gennady Rozhdestvensky
and the Iceland Symphony
Orchestra
Acclaimed as one of the
greatest conductors of today,
Gennady Rozhdestvensky,
together with pianist Viktoria
Postnikova, appear with the
Iceland Symphony Orchestra.
Programme: Mozart: Piano
Concerto in C minor, K.491 and
Shostakovich: Symphony
no.7 (Leningrad).
Háskólabíó, Concert Hall.
Friday May 29
9 pm
The Tiger Lillies
When this Brechtian Punk Cabaret trio was formed, the founders
immediately stood out with their distinctive sound and style.
The members are: Martyn Jaques, Adrian Huge and Adrian Stout.
The Icelandic Opera.
Saturday May 30
12 noon
Readings at Writers´ Homes
11 poets and writers hold At Home
Readings in their houses. Also on
May 31 from 12 pm. See furher info
at www.artfest.is
Sunday May 31
Further information on www.artfest.is
Box office: Lækjargata 3b
Open weekdays from 10 am to 2 pm
Tel (+354)552 8588
9 pm
Bob Mintzer and the
Reykjavík Big Band
The Reykjavík Big Band recently
commissioned jazz saxophonist Bob
Mintzer, one of the biggest stars on the Big
Band scene, to make arrangements from
nine old Icelandic folk tunes. Mintzer will
appear both as a conducter and soloist.
Fríkirkjan, Church. Second concert on May 31
at Ketilhúsid, Akureyri (North Iceland).
8 pm
Deborah Voigt’s recital
A programme of songs by Beach, Verdi,
Strauss, More, Respighi and Bernstein,
by Deborah Voigt, arguably the leading
dramatic soprano of our time.
Accompanist: Brian Zeger.
Háskólabíó, Concert Hall.
Tickets online at www.artfest.is and www.midi.is
The programme is subject to change
Front page picture: Katrín Ólína
Listahátíð Reykjavík
Lækjargata 3b/P.O. Box 88/121 Reykjavík
midasala@artfest.is www.artfest.is
PROGRAMME

Friday May 15
7 pm
Opening ceremony
Ms Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir, Major of Reykjavík, opens the Festival.
Opening of the exhibitions The House of Una and West 8th Street and
Icelandic design 2009, Reykjavík Big Band, preview of Stray Beacons,
performance by Strange Fruit and Campingwomen.
Reykjavík Art Museum, Kjarvalsstadir.
Saturday May 16
2 and 4 pm
Campingwomen -
Five large rolling sculptures
Functional caravans from the 60’s
and 70’s by Marit Benthe Norheim.
The torsos of each of the female
figures grow out of the roof so
that the caravans function as the
women’s skirts. Various sites in
Reykjavík, throughout the Festival.
2 and 4 pm
Strange Fruit
A Melbourne-based performing
arts company produces and
performs a remarkable style of
work that fuses theatre, dance and
circus, using a unique elevated
medium. Perched atop 4-metre
high flexible poles of original
design. Downtown Reykjavík.
4 pm
Stray Beacons – Reykjavík Arts
Festival in lighthouses around Iceland
An unconventional art exhibition in four
lighthouses, one in each quarter of the
island. Artist include: Ásdís Sif Gunnarsdóttir,
Curver Thoroddsen, The Icelandic Love
Corporation and Unnar Örn. The exhibitions,
which will be open to 3 August, are curated
by Markús T. Andrésson and Dorothée Kirch.
Further info on opening in each lighthouse at
www.artfest.is
A joint project with the Icelandic Maritime Administration,
lighthouse guards at each lighthouse and Cultural
Representatives from the communities in question.
8 pm
Orbis Terrae – ORA premiere
A performance based on “borders and bureaucracy” and a play about
“the culture of war” lead by artistic director and actress Margrét
Vilhjálmsdóttir, in collaboration with a group of 50 artists from all
genres. Other performances are May 17, 20, 23, 24, 26 at 8 pm.
The National Center for Cultural Heritage.
Sunday May 17
8 pm
Young Icelandic Virtuoso
Recital with acclaimed young Icelandic concert pianist Víkingur Heidar
Ólafsson. Programme includes works by Bach, Debussy, Ligeti, Bartók
and Schumann, as well as music by Icelandic composers transcribed by
the soloist himself. Háskólabíó, Concert Hall.
Thursday May 21
12 noon
Art can change the world, art can maintain the status quo
Panel discussion led by Hjálmar Sveinsson.
Reykjavík Art Museum, Kjarvalsstadir.
3 pm
art&love&art
Four days of art & love. A meeting place between
two equally important groups of people, who form
the conditions in which an art work installs itself
as an object of dialogue. Artists include: Egill
Sæbjörnsson, Jörgen Svenson, Petri Ala-Maunus,
Bård Ask, Hulda Hákon, “Hess is more“ and Einar
Már Gudmundsson. The Nordic House. 3 –10 pm.
May 22 and 23 12 – 5 pm. May 24 10 am – 8 pm.
Friday May 22
8 pm
The Madmans’s Garden – premiere
The first Faroese Opera on stage,
composed by Sunleif Rasmussen.
Thóra Einarsdóttir, soprano, Eyjólfur
Eyjólfsson, tenor, Bjarni Thor Kristinsson,
bass and the ensemble Aldubáran.
Director: Ria Tórgard. Conductor:
Bernhardur Wilkinson. Second
performance May 23 at 8 pm.
The National Theatre of Iceland.
8 pm
Women from the East
The Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra
performs works by four renowned
female composers, including
Sofia Gubaidulina and Frangis Ali-
Sade. Conductor: Vladimir Stoupel.
Soloists include, Rut Ingólfsdóttir,
violin. Langholtskirkja, Church.
4 pm
Living Room Concerts
Living Room Concerts in 25 homes from
Friday 22 to late Sunday 24. Outstanding
musicians and ensembles in classical
music, jazz, pop, rock, electro and other
music genres make music in unusually
intimate surroundings. In Reykjavík homes
spanning zip codes from 101 to 111. See
further info, also on Living Room Concert
in the countryside, at www.artfest.is
In collaboration with the
The National Stage of the Faroe Islands.
Saturday May 23
5 pm
Völuspá - premiere
A musical theatre work, created
and performed by Sten Sandell
and Sverrir Gudjonsson.
The Settlement Centre of Iceland
at Borgarnes (West Iceland).
1 pm
The Washerswomen’s Walk –
a stroll into history
The Start Art gallery invites you to a performance
installation commemorating the Reykjavík
women who washed their laundry in the hot
springs in Laugardalur in times past. Among
artists participating are Magnús Pálsson, Rúrí,
Ólöf Nordal, Daníel Magnússon, Adalheidur
Eysteinsdóttir, Hekla Dögg Jónsdóttir and Níels
Hafstein. The walk will start at Lækjartorg Square,
will progress up Laugavegur (“Hot Springs Road”)
and into Laugardalur (“Hot Springs Valley”),
ending at the old Washing Springs.
8 pm
The Opera Hel - premiere
A new Icelandic opera by composer
Sigurdur Sævarsson. Singers:
Ágúst Ólafsson, baritone, Jóhann
Smári Sævarsson, bass, Hulda
Björk Gardarsdóttir, soprano, and
the music ensemble Caput.
Produced by Hr Níels (Mr Niels).
Second perfomance May 24 at
8 pm. The Icelandic Opera.
Tuesday May 26
9 pm
Lhasa de Sela
The Mexican/American singer
Lhasa de Sela is one of the most
fascinating songwriters of her
generation, in concert with a band.
In April she was back with new
album, Lhasa. Club Nasa.
8 pm
Trio Nordica
With a wide ranging repertoire of piano trios, Trio Nordica’s members
are Audur Hafsteinsdóttir, violin, Bryndís Halla Gylfadóttir, cello and
Mona Kontra, piano. A romantic programme includes a new work by
Icelandic composer, Thordur Magnússon, the Icelandic premiere of
Piano Trio Op. 7 in E-Moll by Toivo Kuula, and more.
The National Gallery of Iceland.
www.icelandexpress.com
Iceland Express is
a proud sponsor of
Reykjavik Arts Festival
We fly to Iceland from various European cities,
including London, Copenhagen and Berlin.
Book your flight on www.icelandexpress.com
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