If you’re and intrepid explorer, if you don’t care that curiosity might have been responsible for the cat’s demise, if you’re brave enough to venture beyond the beaten path and stray from the balmy comforts of Laugavegur, there are treats to be had and gems to be discovered!

One such gem is the new (and rather well concealed) Útúrdúr bookshop at number 14 Njálsgata. Hidden in the basement floor of a residential building, (which actually houses a couple of the bookstore’s founders) Útúrdúr is a special little shop, with rare pieces, rare affiliations and great ambitions. Opened in December 2007 by a group of artists and curators (several of whom form the brains behind Rafskinna, the excellent DVD Magazine.) Útúrdúr fills a gap in the Icelandic book market as well as serving as a hideaway for rarer artworks that navigate the perilous no-man’s land between published material and limited edition art piece.

Affiliated both with the respected i8 Gallery here in Reykjavik as well as with the renowned Torpedo bookshop in Amsterdam, Útúrdúr follows on from the tradition of similar stores in the US, UK, France, Holland and Canada. You don’t go to Útúrdúr for books on Van Gogh or Matisse however; this boutique serves as a platform for the fringes of the contemporary art world as well as a showcase for many Icelandic artists, from the up-and-coming to the more established. Útúrdúr sells (and is developing an ambitious publishing programme as well) art-related printed material of all kinds: books, magazines, posters, brochures, multiples and artworks—all on sale in the store. Housed in the former studio of the painter and rising star Davíd Örn Halldórsson, Útúrdúr boasts many of his brightly-coloured sketches and doodles adorning various walls and corners of the store. These details add a personal flavour to venue, which is one of its key factors.

This shop is a labour of love, the six friends who got together to make Útúrdúr happen, did so out of a love of their subject and belief in the need for a destination for those intrepid explorers curious to learn more about a scene that is rapidly becoming of major international interest. As this weekend’s release party for Benni Hemm Hemm’s 3rd LP album suggests, Útúrdúr is also a place for musical events, happenings, exhibitions & release parties among other things, and the sun-flooded flower garden out back is a perfect space to relax and soak in the atmosphere. Beyond the Benni Hemm Hemm event this weekend, Útúrdúr has also had release parties to celebrate the publication of The Palace of Illusions by Eirún Sigurðardóttir, Íslam med afslætti, published by Nýhil, and The God Book by Baldur Björnsson. A magical little treasure trove of rare objects, astonishing books, one-off pieces and advice, ideas and assistance from the charming staff, Útúrdúr is a place that deserves to be explored, so go on… let your curiosity get the better of you. And look out for the upcoming issue of Rafskinna, centering on the subject of Home and due out at the end of the month.

The bookstore/gallery’s opening times are Wednesday to Friday 14-18 and Saturday 14-17. For more information please contact the managers:
Útúrdúr
Njálsgata 14
101 Reykjavík
Tel: 6901379, 6958388, 6637922
E: uturdur@gmail.com

TM