Reykjavik, Iceland.
More specifically, 101: the infamous postal code harboring an overwhelming number of infamous and not-so-famous artists and musicians. It’s a freaking ball of creative energy and chaos in this zone, through the sun steady summers till the brooding winter darkness. A good guess, a very good guess, estimates more galleries per capita than a similar sized plot of land anywhere else in the world…

Outside of the Russian mafia, the Icelandic Artist wields a lot of power here. Artists, after all, are a major attraction for the tourist industry. Artists receive a fair amount of cash money from the Icelandic government for salaries, grants and flights abroad. Artists are a respected freak of society. And Artists are granted VIP status at bars and clubs, places which would otherwise entail standing in a long line in the snow in the winter for hours.

The ups and downs, the fire and ice, the light and dark. It’s an island that only began playing more than one film at the cinema a few decades ago, only legalized beer in the ‘89, and didn’t understand multiple-lane highways until a mere ten years ago. This rapid crash into modernity splintered a peculiar breed of contemporary art and artists who seemingly skip the influence of history, creating raw, mystifying works that find similiarities mainly amongst themselves and the eerie surrounding landscape.

For someone living an ocean away, Reykjavik can be an intimidating scene to break into. Human nature prefers what it already knows, and that is surprisingly true, even on an island. Generally speaking, galleries, museums, art spaces, and festivals exhibit over 90 percent Icelandic work. On the upside, there is less of a hierarchy about where an artist will show, as most spaces attract similar crowds and have hosted artists from all levels of experience. On the down side, this can limit dialogue or exchange with the international community. As a result, many established artists live dually in Berlin or New York or some other hip art locale. Because we all know being a big fish in a little pond only satisfies for so long. And as one painting by a local artist boldly states, “Americans want power, Icelanders want fame.”

Museums, Galleries, Project Spaces in Reykjavík
Just to make it clear: this list comprises the locations of contemporary craziness and sublimity. A few of my favorite energetic spaces also happen to be artist run: Kling & Bang, Dwarf Gallery, and Ibiza Bunker.

Kling & Bang has hosted exhibitions with just about every emerging artist in this town, as well as big names like Paul McCarthy. Their website has the most comprehensive and informative index of past shows and artists. After moving into an old sailor’s cafeteria last summer, they have kept things going with performance nights and monthly exhibitions.

Dwarf Gallery, one of the first home galleries in Reykjavik, is tucked in the dark basement of Birta Gudjonstdóttir, the up-and-coming curator who will soon be the main magic behind Gallery 101 as well. Music, performance, video, visual arts, installation – all midget-sized. Could you ask for more?!

Ibiza Bunker. You may think it’s the endtimes when you stumble into the Garden of Ibiza bunker with bands, glam goth performances, and rousing game of badminton fertilizing the green grass. Never fear; you can find shelter down a narrow flight of stairs in the bunker below, where the freshest range of artists who may be famous someday show their work. The space is run by artists Ragnheidur Káradóttir and Sigrídur T. Tulinius, who wished to create everything but a white cube. And they succeeded, generating a supernova exploding for a single night, twice every month.

Another point of interest is the artist-book venue Útúrdúr, directly translated as “off the point.” It operates both as a selling and exhibition space with regular business hours and special events for multiples, single editions, catalogs, and zines. And hey, Chicago – they are looking for submissions, so it’s your chance to double your dollar with the Icelandic krona, and get a new audience in the bargain!

Galleries in Reykjavik
Reykjavik Art Museum/ Hafnarhús
Reykjavík Art Museum/ Kjarvalsstadir
Reykjavík Museum of Photography
Living Art Museum/Nylo
National Gallery of Iceland www.listasafn.is
Ási Museum
The Nordic House www.nordice.is
Safn www.safn.is
i8 gallery  www.i8.is
Kling & Bang  www.this.is/klingandbang
Gallery Turpentine www.turpentine.is
101 gallery www.101hotel.is/101gallery
Gallery Áugust www.galleriagust.is
Anima Gallery www.animagalleri.is
Dwarf Gallery www.myspace.com/galleridvergur
Shooting Gallery www.myspace.com/jonpalmar
Lost Horse Gallery www.myspace.com/thelosthorse
Ibiza Bunker www.myspace.com/ibizabunker
útúrdúr www.uturdur.blogspot.com/

Galleries Outside of Reykjavík
sudsuðdvestur www.sudsudvestur.is
LA Iceland Art Museum www.listasafnarnesinga.is
Roni Horn Library of water www.libraryofwater.is
Akureyri Art Museum www.listasafn.akureyri.is
Gallery Box www.galleribox.is
Jónus Vidar Gallery wwwjvs.is
Kunstraum Wohnraum This email is hidden - JavaScript is required for viewing.
DaLí Gallery www.daligalleri.blogspot.com
Skaftfell www.skaftfell.is

Residencies
Skaftfell www.skaftfell.is
Association of Icelandic Artists www.sim.is
Díonysia www.myspace.com/dionysia2007

Festivals
Sequences www.sequences.is/
Reyjavík Art Festival www.artfest.is/

Artists
The obvious:
Olafur Eliasson

A spotlight selection of some others, a mere handful, in alphabetical order:
Ásdis Sif Gunnarsdóttir www.asdissifgunnarsdottir.com
Ásmundur Ásmundsson www.this.is/ausgot
Baldur Björnsson www.myspace.com/crayzor
Birta Guðjónsdóttir www.this.is/birta
Byargey Ólafsdóttir www.this.is/bjargey
David Örn Halldorsson www.myspace.com/davidorn
Egill Sæbjornsson www.eaglestuff.net
Finbogi Pétursson www.finnbogi.com
Gabriela Fridriksdottir www.gabriela.is
Hekla Dögg Jónsdóttir www.this.is/hekla
Hildigunnur Birgisdóttir www.myspace.com/vitleysingur
Hulda Rós Gudnadóttir www.spiderspoon.com
Katrín sigurðardóttir http://www.takesyou.to/katrin.sigurdardottir/
Kolbeinn Hugi Höskoldsson www.myspace.com/kolb1
Kristján Zaklinsky www.myspace.com/kristjanz
Gudmundur Thoroddson www.myspace.com/mummiart
Ólafur Ólafsson & Libia Castro www.libia-olafur.com
Ragnar Kjartansson www.this.is/rassi
Rúrí www.ruri.is
Ryan Parteka www.this.is/ryan
Sigga Björg Sigurðardóttir www.galerieadler.de
Sirra Sigrún Sigurðardóttir
Snorri Ásmundsson www.this.is/snorri
Steingrimur Eyfjörd www.this.is/endless
Sigtryggur Berg Sigmarsson www.helenscarsdale.com/siggi/
Unnar Örn Jónasson Auðarson www.unnarorn.net
Unnur Andrea www.myspace.com/liverlove

by Rebecca Moran