Category: Culture and Living

Svala, Mammút and Teitur Magnússon amongst artists at Aldrei fór ég suður

15 Feb The artists playing at this year's Aldrei fór ég suður festival in Ísafjörður have been announced. The festival takes place on April 19th and 20th.

Gorgeous 40's home up for grabs in central Reykjavik

14 Feb A family home in Skerjafjörður, a charming, quiet residential area in central Reykjavik is for sale.

This heart shaped lobster pizza at Essensia in Hverfisgata is a popular Valentines day treat.

Valentines Day increases in popularity in Iceland

14 Feb Just like "foreign" traditions such as Halloween, Valentines Day is now becoming popular in Iceland. Restaurants are particularly busy on this night.

Ýr Jóhannsdóttir knits under the name Ýrurari.

Icelandic "French Kiss" sweaters become an Instagram hit

13 Feb Ýr Jóhannsdóttir has knitted under the name Ýrurari for the past six years but last autumn her French Kiss, or "Sleikur" sweaters have become a sensation. They have been purchased, by the stylist of Miley Cyrus and Erykah Badu to name a few.

This is the Hedgehog, a pre fabricated summer cabin from Döðlur design studio.

Is this Iceland's coolest summer cabin?

6 Feb The Hedgehog is a summer cabin which people can purchase completely ready to place and use in their own land and it's designed by renowned design studio Döðlur.

Shooting of The Valhalla Murders has already begun in Iceland.

Netflix acquires rights for Icelandic crime series

1 Feb Netflix have bought the international rights to Icelandic TV crime drama The Valhalla Murders produced by True North and Mystery in cooperation with RÚV national television.

Palm Trees, an artwork by Karin Sander won the competition.

Palm tree artwork in new apartment complex in Reykjavik draws mixed reception

30 Jan Pálmatré, or palm trees, a proposal by German artist Karin Sander won a contest for an outdoor artwork in Vogabyggð, a new apartment complex in Reykjavik. The piece involves two palm trees inside two tower-like glass greenhouses to create warmth and light.

Kælan mikla in concert tomorrow night

24 Jan On Friday January 25th dark wave band Kælan mikla will perform at Gaukurinn to celebrate the release of their new album.

Let Me Fall tells the story of two women from youth to middle age and their descent into the hellish depths of substance abuse.

Let Me Fall wins main prize at Ramdam Belgian Film Festival

24 Jan Icelandic film Lof mér að falla, or Let me Fall won the main prize at the Belgian Ramdam Film Festival last night. The film is a drama about two women in the chains of drug addiction and the effect this has on their families.

Víkingur Heiðar Ólafsson is undoubtedly Iceland's biggest classical music star.

Víkingur Heiðar nominated for BBC Music Magazine award

23 Jan Icelandic pianist Víkingur Heiðar is nominated for the BBC Music Magazine Awards for his latest solo album where he performs works by Johann Sebastian Bach. The voting is open until February 19th.

Gunnlaugur Blöndal was Icelandic painter born in 1893.

Nudes by famous Icelandic painter causes a scandal

22 Jan The removal of two oil paintings by renowned Icelandic painter Gunnlaugur Blöndal was removed from the Central Bank of Iceland after one staff member complained. Blöndal painted most of his nudes in the 1930's and 1940's. The removal of the painting has caused some uproar as it only features a bare breasted woman and because Blöndal is one of Iceland's most celebrated artists.

Jensína Andrésdóttir holds the record for Iceland's oldest person.

Jensína becomes Iceland's oldest living Icelander

19 Jan Jensína Andrésdóttir became Iceland's oldest living person today at 109 years and 70 days old.

The 10 home trends shaking up Iceland

16 Jan In Iceland, trends tend to be more noticeable than abroad where the spectrum of the imagination seems wider. People often tend to jump on the same bandwagon when it comes to personal or home style and everything looks exactly the same. We took a light hearted look at the home trends shaking 2018/ 2019.

A turf church in Árbæjarsafn in Reykjavik.

Iceland's traditional turf houses

15 Jan Half of Iceland's population was still living in turf homes in 1910. Due to lack of trees in Iceland, building out of turf was a popular building material and thick turf walls were useful to ward off the cold.

Is the clock right in Iceland in relation to Iceland's position on the planet?

Icelanders support turning clock back one hour

15 Jan Most of those Icelanders who voice an opinion on a state forum on whether the clock should be turned back one hour in accordance with Iceland's global position are in favour of the change.