Finding Iceland in Los Angeles

We arrived in L.A. in time to enjoy an exhibit of photographs of Iceland by Fridgeir Helgason, on display at Gallery Skart through July 31! (We weren't in time for the gallery opening, which featured Icelandic food, music, and a screening of Heima.) We particularly liked the fact that each photo was linked to a pin on the map, so you could tell which part of Iceland it represented. (This was sadly lacking at the Eliasson Icelandic photo exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in Chicago.)


"Skart is an alternative space established in the art district of Santa Monica, owned and curated by award winning Icelandic architects Erla Dögg Ingjaldsdóttir and Tryggvi Thorsteinsson" [of the West Fjords and Heimaey, respectively). The display area is in the architectral offices of Minarc. We had a wonderful introduction to the show by architect Eduardo Manilla, who was gregarious and gracious with his time. Minarc designs environmentally friendly buildings that take advantage of green technology, and we enjoyed talking with Eduardo about their work, and seeing pictures of their projects. While talking with Eduardo we sipped on Icelandic water. ("If you take it home and put it in your freezer, you'll have an Icelandic glacier!")


Skart also incorporates a small gift shop with Icelandic books and handcrafted items.

Here is a review of the art show. It is in an intersting part of town, where industrial buildings have been converted to art space. This area, Bergamot Station ("Southern California's largest art gallery complex and cultural center"), includes the Santa Monica Museum of Art (which we'll have to fit in next time), and a lovely garden restaurant. To keep things interesting, the area is surrounded by waste disposal and recycling centers, which are embellished by murals and other art.

If you're in the L.A. area, stop by the exhibit soon--before August! If not, check out the Skartstore online.