News In Brief Early August
A whole new angle on the ever-brewing Ministry of the Interior scandal came to light when it was reported that Interior Minister Hanna Birna had contacted then-Commissioner of the
I CHOOSE TREASON
Editorial In Chief | Haukur S. MagnússonI just signed up to become a founding member of Fylkisflokkurinn (“The County-Party”), which has the stated purpose and sole platform o
A Summery Summary
It's Such A Peaceful Place Until You Speak The LanguageIn case you missed reports, while traveling or otherwise enjoying Iceland’s ten days of summer, here are the latest new
Bursting With Pride
Some Perspectives On This Year's ParadeWow! How awesome was Reykjavík Pride this year? I mean, did you see Páll Óskar’s glittering swan? A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. It is estimated that ov
Foreign Policy For Profit
Last week, the Russian government announced they would respond to Western sanctions over the situation in the Ukraine with some economic sanctions of their own—a full embargo on
So What’s This Unfair Treatment Of Young Employees I Keep Hearing About?
In Iceland, labour unions and employers’ organizations negotiate to establish parameters for pay and other benefits. Earlier this month, a 22-year-old new hire of Lebowski Ba
Hidden People: They’re Just Like Us (Kind Of)
When foreign media outlets report on Iceland and need to add a little local colour, they will invariably throw in a quick, ironical side note about the country’s pervasive belief
Hidden People Folktales
It is due to the efforts of two men, Jón Árnason (1819-1888) and Magnús Grímsson (1825-1860), that such a large body of 18th and 19th century Icelandic folktales exist today. [
Sour grapes & stuff: Issue 12, 2014
Say your piece, voice your opinion, send your letters to letters@grapevine.is Most Awesome Letter of the Issue ELVES! The headlines said the Iceland elves Played a big role in wher
“An Absurd Film Set In Reykjavík”
In September 1942 the inhabitants of Reykjavík had breakfast in a state of shock. They were reading an article in Morgunblaðið newspaper about a new Hollywood film set in their
Where’s Robert Barber?
The confounding case of the missing U.S. Ambassador to IcelandI recently attended the U.S. Embassy in Reykjavík’s annual American Independence Day celebration, a lively event wi
Gerður Goes To Iowa
Author Gerður Kristný was named International Writer-in-Residence at the University of IowaCome August, Gerður Kristný, one of Iceland’s most celebrated contemporary authors,
The Book Cellar’s Book Seller
Children's Books and Ancient Icelandic Porno at BókakjallarinnNarratives of Reykjavík’s used book culture often take the form of jeremiads—languorous laments for a bygone
Plastic, Not So Fantastic
Marine plastic pollution and what it means for IcelandOn June 28, the 5 Gyres Institute sailed into Reykjavík following a three-week expedition during which they collected marine
Poet Tattoos Demand That Minister Resigns
Bragi Páll Dedicated His Right Thigh To: 'Hanna Birna, Resign'Tuesday, August 12, 2014. Poet Bragi Páll Sigurðarson just disclosed his new tattoo. It is situated on his right th
Travelling Queer, There And Everywhere
Chatting to Iceland’s only queer-aimed travel group about turning Iceland’s greenery pinkIceland’s reputation as a haven for LGBTQIA people is well founded with same-sex marr
The ‘320 Icelanders’ Project
Varvara Lozenko is set on photographing 1/1000 of the populationFascinated with the Icelandic people after my first visit to the country in 2007, I decided to photograph 320 people
A Different Kind Of Summer School
Icelandic “work school” pays young teens to learn about the environment while doing manual labour tasks with their friendsIt is a beautiful Friday morning in Hljómskálagarðu
The Magnificent 7%
Making The Case For Art In The Time Of Need When I was 20 years old I decided to enter the Icelandic School of Arts and Crafts in Reykjavík. My […]
Páll Óskar: In The Name Of Love
Talking Pride with the king of the parade The front door is wide open. Giving a little tap on the wooden frame, I hear the boom of his instantly recognisable […]