Varied
family programme on the last Sunday of Advent
21 December 2008
 The
Culture House offered a varied family programme on Sunday 21 December.
The programme was in Icelandic and started at 2 pm with the puppet
show Baby Jesus, based on a Christmas fairy tale by the Russian
author Leo Tolstoy. At 3 pm the illustrator Jón Baldur Hlíðberg
gave a guided tour of the exhibition of his drawings of weird and
wonderful beasts from Icelandic folk tales. And finally, at 4 pm,
Marion Herrera played Christmas songs on the harp, filling the house
with the festive sound.
The cafeteria served hot chocolate and waffles.
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The
New-Quartet performed classical Christmas songs
20 December 2008
 The
tenor Gissur Páll Gissurarson and the musicians Hjörleifur
Valsson, violin, Örnólfur Kristjánsson, cello,
and Árni Heiðar Karlsson, piano, performed classical
Christmas songs from their new album Fegursta rósin
in concert here at the Culture House on Saturday 20 December. The
concert was held to celebrate the issue of the album and there was
no admission fee. They enthralled the audience with their excellent
performance.
The New-Quartet has a profile on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nyi-Kvartettinn/46111088078
where songs from the album can be listened to.
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Paul
Hawken lectured in the Library Room
13 December 2008
 One
of the most preeminent researcher and entrepreneur in the field
of sustainability; Paul Hawken, gave a lecture in the Culture House
on Iceland’s stand in current affairs. Mr. Hawken was invited
to Iceland by musician Björk Guðmundsdóttir, along
with another renowned environmental consultant, John Picard. They
were here to discuss possibilities for businesses and start-ups
in Iceland and give counsel in support of a greener society and
economy.
The lecture was open to all and after the talk Mr. Hawken took questions
from guests resulting in a lively discussion on Iceland’s
situation. Mr. Hawken also appeared in Icelandic media during his
stay.
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Two
puppet shows staged in the Library Room
7 December 2008
 On
Sunday December 7th a one-man theatre company from Ísafjörður
town in the West Fjords came to the Culture House with two puppet
shows for kids. The shows were based on Icelandic tales. The first
will one on stage was based on the story Dimmalimm, about
a princess who meets a prince under a witch’s spell. The second
show told of various things we perhaps didn’t know about the
Icelandic prankster Yule Lads and the trolls, their parents.
There was no entry fee to the shows which was well appreciated by
the many families enjoying the event.
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Percussion
concert in the concert series the Crystal
22 November 2008
 The
second concert in the chamber concert series the Crystal
was held on Saturday 22 November. Six percussionists from the Iceland
Symphony Orchestra; Árni Áskelsson, Eggert Pálsson,
Frank Aarnink, Kjartan Guðnason, Pétur Grétarsson
and Steef van Oosterhout, performed music inspired by Aztec tunes.
The works on the programme were Toccata for percussion
by the Mexican composer Carlos Chaves (1899 - 1978), and three pieces
by the American Lou Harrison (1917 – 2003); Canticle no.
3, Suite for percussion and Song of Quetzalcoatl.
The works and the performance both had fine nuances and forceful
power and the sound filled the building. The concert was sold out.
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16
November was Icelandic Language Day; free entry and programme
16 November 2008
 In
celebration of the Icelandic Language Day the Culture House offered
free entry to exhibitions all day on Sunday 16 November. In addition
there was a standing programme from 1 to 5 pm with guided tours
and lectures and talks. It revolved around two characters; Jónas
Hallgrímsson, the 19th century poet and nature scientist,
and Lárus Pálsson, a 20th century actor, renowned
for his skill at performing on stage and reading poetry and prose
for the National Broadcasting Service.
The open house and programme was well received by the many guests
that came over the afternoon.
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Weird
and Wonderful Beasts from Icelandic Folklore, an exhibition
of illustrations by Jón Baldur Hlíðberg
14 November 2008
 The
latest exhibition in the art exhibition series at the Culture House
shop and cafeteria presents illustrations of Weird and Wonderful
Beasts from Icelandic Folklore by Jón Baldur Hlíðberg
(b. 1957). The illustrations were printed in the book Meeting
with Monsters, an illustrated Guide to the Beasts of Iceland,
recently published by Forlagið. The book deals in an
interesting and entertaining manner with the natural science of
strange creatures from Icelandic folklore, animals which, for centuries,
our ancestors assumed to be within the domain of reality. Ethnologist
Sigurður Ægisson wrote the text. Examples of beasts Jón
Baldur Hlíðberg vitalizes in his illustrations are; mouse-whale,
shell-whale, shadow baldur, skate mother and horse-whale.
Jón Baldur Hlíðberg combines his interest in natural
history with a gift for illustration in his artistic presentations.
He studied at the Reykjavík School of Visual Arts and the
Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts 1982-1985. As soon as he had
completed his studies, Jón Baldur Hlíðberg began
working on visual representations, together with other forms of
occupation. In recent years, however, he has devoted himself solely
to professional drawing and sketching.
Jón Baldur Hlíðberg has illustrated numerous books,
and his drawings and watercolours have appeared in a variety of
formats, such as brochures, educational posters, stamps, textbooks,
magazines and web pages. Books illustrated by Jón Baldur
Hlíðberg have received numerous nominations and awards.
On Jón Baldur Hlíðberg’s website www.fauna.is
it is possible to access a collection of his pictures.
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Pink
October
14 October 2008
 October
is international breast cancer awareness month. It has been held
here in Iceland since 1999. A pink ribbon is the symbol of support
for the many women who have been affected by breast cancer globally.
Since 2000 various buildings around the world have been lit pink
during October. Here in Iceland the number of buildings lit each
year has been growing and this year the Culture House is lit pink
for the second time.
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Reykjavík
Chamber Orchestra’s concert
14 October 2008
 The
Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra began its 35th season with a
concert entitled The Awakening of National Consciousness, held in
the Culture House Library Room. The orchestra’s theme this
season is the Czech Republic and the repertoire consisted of works
by the two leading Czech composers in the latter half of the 19th
century:
Bedrich Smetana String Quartet nr. 1 in c-moll,
From my life
Antonin Dvorak Serenade for 10 brass instruments,
cello og contrabass in d-moll op. 44
Smetana and Dvorak both returned to their homeland after years of
fame in other countries and participated in building the Czech music
scene. Civil wars had reigned in Europe with a growing sense of
national identity and the resurrection of national heritage within
the arts.
The concert sold out and the musicians received a heartfelt applause
from the thankful audience.
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New
art exhibition in the shop and café
10 October 2008
 No
Title Artworks is the heading of Ólafur Lárusson’s
(b. 1951) exhibition in the Culture House shop and café.
The pieces are painted in the past 2-3 years using mixed media on
paper. No Title Artworks is the sixth exhibition in a series
of art exhibitions held at the Culture House shop and now for the
first time also at the café next to it.
Ólafur Lárusson studied art in the years 1971-1976,
at first here in Iceland and then in Holland. He has held numerous
private exhibitions in Iceland and abroad ever since 1974 and has
all along participated in many group exhibitions. Information about
buying Ólafur Lárusson’s artwork is provided
by Davíð Óskar Ólafsson, tel. 696-7642,
david@mystery.is.
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Kristallinn,
the Crystal – Chamber Concert Series
27 September 2008
 The
Iceland Symphony Orchestra’s chamber concert series, the
Crystal, commenced with a brass concert on Saturday 27 september.
The concert was entitled American brass as all the works
had something to do with the United States, although the composers
were also Icelandic and Polish. The musicians Eiríkur Örn
Pálsson, trumpet, Einar St. Jónsson, trumpet, Emil
Friðfinnsson, horn, Sigurður Þorbergsson, trombone
and Tim Buzbee, tube, played the varied programme that cast a light
on the possibilities of these instruments together.
The programme consisted of these works: Mini Overture by
Witold Lutoslawski, Music for Brass Quintett written by
Áskell Másson specially for this quintet, Scherzo
by Jon Cheetham, brass quintet by James Grant and Exhibition
by Fisher Tull. The final piece was the classic Gershwin tune, An
American in Paris, arranged for brass instruments.
The Crystal Concert Series got a flying start with this powerful
and well-attended concert.
The next concert in the series will be held on 22 November and the
theme will be Native Americans.
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Nordic
Affect Winter Chamber Concert Series has started
24 September 2008
 The
Iceland based period ensemble Nordic Affect started their winter
concert series at The Culture House on Wednesday evening 24 September.
This season’s opening concert featured works from the baroque
era as well as modern compositions; the premiere of two new commissions
by the Icelandic composer Gunnar Andreas Kristinsson (b. 1976).
The members of NoA are Halla Steinunn Stefánsdóttir,
baroque violin, Georgia Browne, traveros, Guðrún Hrund
Harðardóttir, baroque viola, Hanna Loftsdóttir,
baroque cello, Karl Nyhlin, theorbo and Guðrún Óskarsdóttir,
harpsichord.
Further information on the period ensemble Nordic Affect and its
members is available in English on the webpage: www.nordicaffect.com.
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Lyrical
concert at noon
25 August 2008
 Júlía
Traustadóttir soprano and Birna Hallgrímsdóttir
pianist held a concert in the Library Room on Monday 25 August during
lunch hour. The repertoire consisted of lyrical songs; Frauenliebe
und Leben op. 42 by Robert Schumann (1810 – 1856) and Six
songs op. 48 by Edvard Grieg (1843 – 1907). The young artists
were applauded by the audience as their musical performance was
eloquent. The concert was recorded for radio.
Júlía and Birna are both students at the Royal College
of Music in London.
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Dog
Day festival on Culture Night, sweepstakes winners
23 August 2008
 The
Culture House participated in Culture Night on Saturday 23 August.
Exhibitions, the Culture Shop and the Café were open from
11 am until 11 pm. In celebration of the last day of the dies canicularis
or dog days the theme at the Culture House was dogs.
The dog theme wove through the exhibitions with information sheets,
pictures and sweepstakes. Many visitors came throughout the day
but in the evening the Library Room, which served at the concert
hall for the two performances by the band Hundur í óskilum
(Dog missing), overfilled with people coming to hear this band’s
strange and funny recycling of well-known songs. Judging from the
reception they received, the audience got what they expected, if
not more than that!
Winners have been found in the sweepstakes held on Culture Night
at Ari Sigvaldason’s exhibition of photographs from Reykjavík
City Centre. Those that spotted the dogs in the photographs and
got the answer right were included in the draw but three lucky winners
received the CD with Hundur í óskilum.
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Photographs
by Ari Sigvaldason on view in the Culture Shop
11 July 2008
 The
current exhibition in the art exhibition series in the Culture Shop
features photographs by Ari Sigvaldason. The pictures are all taken
in Reykjavík City Centre over the past four years. They show
life in the streets and in public places. The photographer seeks
to capture small moments that tell a story. He usually shoots the
pictures without the awareness of the people in them so that they
will not have a chance to pose.
The photographs are enlarged on fibre paper using the old-fashioned
method. They are for sale and cost each ISK 20.000. If interested
please turn to the gallery Fótógrafí,
Skólavörðustígur 4, or call Ari Sigvaldason
on +354 821 5600.
The art exhibition series is arranged by artist Helga Egilsdóttir
who also works as an attendant here at the Culture House.
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Concerts
in July
1, 3, 8 and 15 July 2008
 Four
concerts were held in the Library Room in July with support from
the youth centre Hitt húsið that subsidises
cultural events held by young people in Reykjavík. On one
hand the trio Glingur gave three midday concerts on the
1, 8 and 15 of July. The members of the trio are Sólborg
Valdimarsdóttir on piano, Karl Jóhann Bjarnason on
cello and María Konráðsdóttir who plays
the clarinet and sings. On the other hand flutist Hafdís
Vigfúsdóttir played at tea-time on Thursday 3 July.
Admission was free and all welcome.
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Solstice
Concert - Páll Óskar and Monika
21 June 2008
 Singer
Páll Óskar and harp player Monika Abendroth held their
annual solstice concert at the Culture House on 21 June at 10 pm.
Their solstice concert series commenced in 2001 but this was the
first time this popular concert is held at the Culture House. The
midnight sun shone through the windows of the hall and the sound
of the harp and voice filled the house, creating a unique atmosphere.
The programme was varied and included songs by the Icelandic composers
Hreiðar Ingi Þorsteinsson and Magnús Þór
and the singer´s favourite composer; Burt Bacharach. A few
songs from Páll Oskar's latest album Allt fyrir ástina
have been arranged for harp and were performed by the duo at the
concert.
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The
Late View – Halldór Laxness’ private photographs
– the exhibition opened
17 June 2008
 The
Late View - photographs from the legacy of Nobel Laureate in Literature
and cosmopolitan Halldór Laxness – is the title
of a new exhibition on the second floor of the Culture House. It
was opened with due ceremony by the President of Iceland, Mr. Ólafur
Ragnar Grímsson, on Iceland’s National Holiday, 17
June.
Halldór Laxness (1902 – 1998) is first and foremost
known for his writing. His novels have been translated into numerous
languages and he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature by the
Swedish Academy in 1955 “for his vivid epic power which has
renewed the great narrative art of Iceland”.
The photographs in the exhibition are snapshots taken by the voyager,
the husband, the father and friend Halldór Laxness. They
are private photographs that bear witness to a life’s story
that entailed interrelations between family life, political life
and a career as a novelist.
The exhibition will be on view until 16 February 2009. It was first
on view in Cologne, Germany, 2007. Curator: Matthias Wagner K
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The
Culture Shop art exhibition series continues with works by Ásta
Ólafsdóttir
23 May 2008
 Paintings
and a bronze statue by Ásta Ólafsdóttir (b.1948)
are on view in the Culture Shop until the end of June.
The paintings are gouache and aquarelle-wash on paper and are thought
as an adventure of shapes and colours. They were completed in 2003
and have been displayed before in Denmark and Iceland. The bronze
statue of the sun was completed in 2006 and has not been on display
before.
Ásta Ólafsdóttir studied art at the Icelandic
College of Arts and Crafts and the Jan van Eyck Akademie in Holland.
She uses various media in her artwork. Her art has been displayed
in galleries here in Iceland and abroad. See further information
on Ásta (Ástríður) Ólafsdóttir’s
career on the website www.umm.is under her first name.
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T.R.H.
the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Denmark visit the Manuscripts
exhibition
5 May 2008
 From
5 to 8 May Denmark’s Crown-Prince Couple were in Iceland for
an official visit. On the visit’s first day T.R.H. Frederik
and Mary along their hosts in Iceland, the president Ólafur
Ragnar Grímsson and his wife Mrs. Dorrit Moussaieff, saw
the medieval manuscripts of Iceland on display here at the Culture
House. The director of the Árni Magnússon Institute
in Iceland, Dr. Vésteinn Ólason, gave the distinguished
guests a tour of the exhibit. The acting director of the Culture
House, Guðrún Garðarsdóttir, received the
eminent company at their arrival at the building and gave an introduction
of the Culture House’s history which by now spans an entire
century.
During their stay in Iceland the Crown-Prince Couple visited various
places formerly visited by the Crown Prince’s ancestors and
the Culture House is namely one such place. The photograph shows
Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary view a photo taken
at the Culture House in 1933 of the then Crown Prince of Denmark,
later to become King Frederik IX. Dr. Vésteinn Ólason,
director of the Árni Magnússon Institute stands between
the couple.
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The
Culture Shop art exhibition series continues with works by Húbert
Nói
17 March 2008
 As
of 17 March and through the month of April Húbert Nói
Jóhannesson (b. 1961) displays his works at the Culture Shop.
These are paintings of landscapes and cityscapes and the medium
is oil and charcoal on paper. They are all completed in 1988 but
have, however, never been on display before.
As an artist, Húbert Nói is influenced by his background
in natural sciences. Landscape is his usual subject matter. His
expression fuses rationalism and emotion; he lets nature affect
the emotions but applies scientific tools as well. Húbert
Nói studied art from 1982 – 1987 and has taken part
in many exhibitions and mounted numerous solo exhibitions ever since
1986.
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Icelandic
Chess Federation’s special programme in Fischer’s honour
9 March 2008
 On
Sunday 9 March Bobby Fischer would have turned 65 had he lived and
on that occasion the Icelandic Chess Federation held a special programme
here at the Culture House. Renowned grandmasters and friends of
Fischer visited Iceland to commemorate the late genius, among them
Boris Spassky former World Champion of Chess and William Lombardy,
Fischer’s assistant during the World Championship Match in
Reykjavík in 1972, at which Fischer won the title. Iceland’s
Prime Minister, Geir H. Haarde, gave a speech recalling the match
in 1972 and the positive effect it had for Iceland and its people.
The grandmasters Lajos Portisch, Pal Benko, Vlastimil Hort and Friðrik
Ólafsson attended the programme and addressed the gathering.
They participated in a special commemorative tournament at Reykjavík
City Hall on 10 March, where Spassky and Lombardy explained the
matches. Simultaneously the final round of an international chess
tournament, dedicated to the memory of Bobby Fischer, took place
at a different venue.
(Photograph: Gunnar Finnlaugsson;
Guðrún Garðarsdóttir deputy director of the
Culture House and Sæmundur Pálssons's brother flanked
by Mr. and Mrs. Boris Spassky)
In addition to the above the programme entailed a musical performance
and items and photographs from the World Championship match in 1972
were on view, among them the chess table especially made here in
Iceland for the occasion. The table will be on view at the Culture
House for an indefinite period of time. (See photo).
The friends, former opponents and other admirers of Fischer enjoyed
the festive atmosphere under the programme here at the Culture House,
wrapped up with refreshments served on behalf of the Icelandic Chess
Federation.
(Grandmasters Pal Benko,
William Lombardy and Wlastimil Hort)
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Weekend
of Chamber music
16 - 17 February 2008
 This
winter, two Chamber music series are held in the Culture House Library
Room and concerts were held in both series this weekend. Members
of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra played pieces by Debussy, Prokofiev
and Ravel in a concert they called French-Russian Chamber Circus.
The pieces played were two master pieces by the initiators of the
French impressionism and a rarely heard quintet by Prokofiev, originally
intended to accompany circus ballet. The next concert in the Iceland
Symphony Orchestra Chamber Series will be held on 15 March at 5
pm. The photo shows the audience waiting for the concert to begin.
The other concert was called Subscription in London, held
by the chamber group Nordic Affect. The music was inspired by a
concert series arranged by the musicians Abel and J. C. Bach in
London in the late 18th century. The members of the chamber group
have all specialised in performing on original baroque instruments.
They have performed here in Iceland and in several neighbouring
countries and been well received.
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Memorial
book for Robert J. Fischer
12 February 2008
 A
memorial book for the recently diseased former World Champion of
Chess, Robert J. Fischer, has been placed in the lobby of the Culture
House. For the duration of two weeks, or until 26 February, anyone
wishing to pay respect to the late genius can come by the Culture
House and sign the book. The so called Rights-, Justice and Freedom
Campaign Group, composed of Fischer’s friends and supporters,
arranged to have the memorial book set up and on Saturday 16 February
the group holds a public memorial service at Laugardælakirkja
in South Iceland, where Robert J. Fischer has been laid to rest.
That day the book will not be here at the Culture House but at the
service.
The photo shows Sæmundur
Pálsson, a long standing friend of R. J. F., by the memorial
book. |
Brass
Quintet in concert
10 February 2008
 The
Brass Quintet Sönglúðrar played pieces
by contemporary Icelandic composers in concert here at the Culture
House on Sunday 10 February. The concert was well attended and well
received.
The members of the quintet are all well known musicians in Iceland,
playing with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, as well as various
chamber groups and at the Icelandic Opera. The musicians are: Eiríkur
Örn Pálsson trumpet, Einar Jónsson trumpet, Emil
Friðfinnsson horn, Sigurður Þorbergsson trombone and
Tim Buzbee tube.
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Museum
Night / sweepstakes winner
8 February 2008
 Museum
Night was held on Friday night 8 February in spite of a grave weather
forecast. The weather finally outweighed the festival which was
cancelled at 10 pm instead of one after midnight. Quite a few fans
of the museums did though show up for the programme even though
the police had urged people to stay home.
Here at the Culture House the exhibitions came alive and gained
an added dimension as planned: The artist Brynhildur Þorgeirsdóttir
showed her volcanoes and fire hoppers across the street at 101 Gallery,
Svanhildur Gunnarsdóttir kept the scriptorium inside the
Manuscripts exhibition open, the voices of Helgi Hálfdanarson
and the actor Arnar Jónsson sounded through the loudspeakers
at the exhibitions on Hálfdanarson’s translations and
on Jónas Hallgrímsson’s life and work. Last
but not least the sweepstakes based on artist’s Erla Þórarinsdóttir
works was held and the winner is Jónína Lárusdóttir.
The price is the catalogue the Icelandic Manuscripts, a figurine
of the Culture House, a book on Þórarinsdóttir’s
carrier and a gift certificate for lunch for four people at the
Culture House Café.
The Culture House thanks everyone who ventured out of their houses
to visit the exhibitions that evening and participated in the events.
The photo shows two brothers writing with a quill at the scriptorium
inside the Manuscripts exhibition.
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