Dispatches from Reykjavik: Netagerdin

Guest contributor post by Julie Pasila

My final post from Reykjavik will be about a great little shop I found down by the harbour, located inside the eye-catching building you see above.

Netagerdin translates to �net production� and references the history of the building and the area in which it sits.  The space is home to three brands, whose designers work and sell their wares here (they also host the independent record label, Kongo).

Each of the designers contributes something unique to this space.  BBolla is the brand of textile designer, Bryndis Bolladottir, who makes playful objects using Icelandic materials.  These textiles orbs, which can hang from a wall or sit atop a surface, would add great texture to any space.  They�re also available in a variety of colours if you need a little pop of something bright.

Stass is a collaboration between two architects, �rn� ��rarinsd�ttir and Helga G. Vilmundard�ttir.  Together, they design a line of lovely jewelry and home d�cor items, including these delightful powder-coated aluminum Fairytale Clocks.   

Volki is a line of beautiful textiles made from local materials.  I have to say, I�m head over heels for all of the amazing products made from Icelandic sheep�s wool (you may have noticed my enthusiasm in a previous post about V�k Prj�nsd�ttir).  Wool is a beautiful product all on its own, but the designers here really know how to add new dimensions by playing with colour and shape.

Iceland has completely reinvigorated me creatively.  The landscape alone is enough to inspire, but it�s the culture, the residents and the artists that are really something special.  I�d love to stay longer and send dispatches for each and every beautiful object I find, but it�s time to move onto Finland, home of some of the design world�s heavyweights.  Bye-bye, Reykjavik. Hello, Helsinki! 

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Julie Pasila is a Canadian multidisciplinary artist and writer. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Documentary Media from Ryerson University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art & English Literature from the University of Guelph. She is currently available for freelance assignments and exhibitions in Canada and abroad.

Dispatches from Reykjavik: V�k Prj�nsd�ttir

Guest contributor post by Julie Pasila

One of the most striking things about Iceland (besides the scenery) is the way in which myth and folklore are built into the culture of the country and the psyche of its people. One of my favourite examples of this is the idea of hulduf�lk, or hidden people.

From what I�ve been able to piece together so far, hulduf�lk are elf-like creatures who inhabit a parallel world. They live within the landscape, beneath the rocks and hills, remaining invisible to most.

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Dispatches from Reykjavik: Andrea Maack

Guest Contributor post by Julie Pasila

�Odors have a power of persuasion stronger than that of words, appearances, emotions, or will. The persuasive power of an odor cannot be fended off, it enters into us like breath into our lungs, it fills us up, imbues us totally. There is no remedy for it.� 

The above quotation was lifted from one of my favourite books, Patrick S�skind�s Perfume.  I don�t want to give anything away because this book is a truly great read; suffice to say, Perfume is a beautiful story about the incredible power of scent.  We all know this power: the way scent can influence moods, lure a memory out from hiding, set the tone of a space, etc.

Scent is an influential thing, yet we don�t hear too much about it in art or design.  That's why the work of one young Icelandic artist has caught my attention. 

Andrea Maack is a visual artist who has facilitated an amazing and unexpected collaboration between the visual and the olfactory realms.  In July 2010, Maack debuted a line of fragrances for an exhibition titled Eau de Parfum.  Each fragrance in the show began as a visual work; Maack created a series of intricate, delicate drawings in pencil and ink and handed these works off to perfumers as a kind of briefing.  The perfumers then created scents inspired by solely by these images.

Maack works closely with her perfumers while still allowing them to exercise their full creative talents as her collaborators, making this a really wonderful and true partnership.  I had the opportunity to smell of a few of the scents here in Reykjavik and they really are fantastic. It�s easy to see (or smell?) why this project has been such a great success since it's debut.   

Maack�s perfumes are currently available at a few select locations in Europe and North America.  Check out the store locator on her website for a retailer near you (she also has an online shop).  

All images courtesy of andreamaack.com. 

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Julie Pasila is a Canadian multidisciplinary artist & writer. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Documentary Media from Ryerson University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art & English Literature from the University of Guelph. She is currently available for freelance assignments and exhibitions in Canada and abroad.

Dispatches from Reykjavik: Spark Design Space

Guest contributor post by Julie Pasila

{Today we're welcoming  Canadian multidisciplinary artist & writer Julie Pasila to the blog who will be guest blogging for us this summer from Iceland and Finland!  Please join me in welcoming her here with her first post}!

Reykjavik is one of those cities that�s just artsy at heart.  Maybe it�s the landscape: volcanoes and fields of ancient, rock-hard lava ring the city on one side while boundless ocean creeps up on the other; the air is crisp and clean and carries scented waves of wildflowers and salt water; and then there�s the drama of summer�s midnight sun and winter�s endless nights.  Inspiration is built into the landscape and it�s easy to see why Reykjavik�s citizens have seemed to so effortlessly mimic this beauty in the handmade. 

My first few posts will be dedicated to some Icelandic artists and designers that I discovered at SPARK Design Space, Reykjavik�s only design gallery (to clarify, there are many shops and galleries in this city, but SPARK is the only design focused gallery with revolving shows and really exceptional curation). 

This is how SPARK Design Space works: the gallery provides a platform for design projects that are locally focused and that involve collaboration between designers and other professions.  Each exhibition lasts for two months; after that, SPARK stocks selected items from the show in their shop, a process that has allowed them to slowly build a collection of beautiful and truly unique works.  The owners refer to SPARK as a �slow shop,� and I think they�re onto something with this approach.

SPARK Design Space was founded in 2010 by Sigr��ur Sigurj�nsd�ttir, professor of product design at the Iceland Academy of Arts, and the gallery maintains a strong connection to the school, consistently supporting student work.  This is likely why the gallery is so fresh and unique. 

One of the most intriguing projects I found at SPARK was referred to as �food collaboration� by my tour guide.  Students enrolled in Product Design at the Iceland Academy of the Arts were paired with local farmers.  The goal was to develop products that could create economic benefit for farmers by using design to facilitate the creation of unique regional products with more widespread cultural appeal (you can read more about the project at www.designersandfarmers.com).

Below you'll find a few of these food collaborations and the interior of SPARK.  The first set of images is a confection � shaped like a cow�s udder - made of high quality Valrhona chocolate and filled with homemade skyr (a traditional Icelandic dish, similar to yogurt) from a local creamery (images courtesy of the Designers and Farmers Project). The second set of images is beautifully packaged ice cream, with flavours inspired by Icelandic food and packaging inspired by a traditional china pattern from Copenhagan (images courtesy of Bubot's facebook page).  The rest of the images were taken by yours truly.

Keep your eyes peeled for more amazing work from SPARK Design's artists - and from Iceland - in the coming weeks!

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Julie Pasila is a Canadian multidisciplinary artist & writer. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Documentary Media from Ryerson University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art & English Literature from the University of Guelph. She is currently available for freelance assignments and exhibitions in Canada and abroad.