Andri Snær Magnason's Blog, page 8
November 7, 2015
Press Conference – Björk and Andri Snær during Airwaves, Nov. 6th.
Björk calls for global action to prevent destruction of Iceland’s Highlands
“We ask for the world to support us.”
Björk and renowned writer and environmentalist Andri Snær Magnason are hosting a press conference at Iceland Airwaves, Reykjavik, on behalf of Gætum Garðsins (“Protect the Park”) highlighting the need for urgent action to protect Iceland’s Highlands from environmental destruction.
Launched in March of last year, Gætum Garðsins is a coalition aiming to raise awareness for the conservation of Iceland’s Highlands, which forms the largest area of untouched wilderness in Europe.
The Highlands are a big draw for nature lovers all over the world, with data from the Icelandic Tourist Board showing that around 80% of foreign visitors come to Iceland primarily to experience the country’s wilderness, and about half come specifically for the central highlands. Tourism is now Iceland’s largest revenue-generating sector.
The area, which currently only has limited protection, is currently under threat of extensive development, as outlined by the Icelandic government’s Master Plan for conservation of nature and utilisation of energy. Specifically, the Government has plans to pave roads, erect power lines and build power plants right through the center of Iceland, which would drastically alter the landscape and slice the highlands in half.
As part of the conference, Bjork has released this video message asking “the world to support us against our Government”
To prevent irreversible damage to the Highlands, Gætum Garðsins is proposing that a national park be created, an idea that the majority of Icelanders support, according to a Gallup poll.
The press conference comes one week after UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s visit to Iceland, when a new UK-Iceland Energy Task Force was announced to assess the possibility of laying the world’s longest sub-sea power cable (746 miles) to provide the UK with “long-term, renewable” energy.
Commenting on this plan in advance of the press conference, Andri Snær Magnason said:
“The concept of Iceland’s infinite energy of Iceland is on par with other myths from Iceland like elves and trolls. You cannot simply plug into a volcano. Iceland has already harnessed its nature for energy production close to the maximum and the only way this proposal could work would be to build more power plants. While energy for the cable does not seem available, about five factories are being discussed or planned – making it almost impossible to imagine where all the energy can come from without damaging something incredibly wild and fragile.”
“Some of the plans would bring grave environmental consequences – destroying nesting places of pink-footed geese and habitat for the great north atlantic salmon, as well as some of the greatest waterfalls in the wilderness of Iceland or simply the rare tranquility of untouched wilderness.”
Last year Gætum Garðsins hosted a special benefit event, including a special screening of the film ‘Noah’ and a concert with Björk, Patti Smith, Of Monsters and Men, Lykke Li and others – raising over 30 million ISK for the cause.
The organisation will continue to work toward its goal of creating a national park and at once debunk the myth that Iceland is a source of endless energy that should be harnessed at the cost of the country’s true national treasure—its nature.
www.facebook.com/gaetumgardsins
September 29, 2015
Grist writing about the Powerstation (Toppstöðin)
Incongruously placed at the center of the Elliðaárdalur valley in Reykjavík, Iceland, is a large, gloomy structure tucked between a crowding of trees along the banks of the Elliðaár River. I’m waiting by the building’s brick-lined door, under a large red sign with its name emblazoned across it — TOPPSTÖÐIN — when a tall, spectacled man glides up to me on his bicycle.
Upon meeting Andri Snær Magnason, writer, activist, and co-founder of Toppstöðin, one quickly gets the impression that he could talk anyone into embarking on an adventure with him. – Read more here on Grist.
September 28, 2015
In Aarhus, with Kaspar Colling Nielsen. Tuesday the 28th of Sept!
I have been reading this marvelous book Mt Copenhagen by Kaspar Colling Nielsen. The stories in this book all circulate around a huge 3500 meter high mountain that is built in the outskirts of Copenhagen, one of the greatest monuments and investments that mankind has made. Mr Copenhagen is already one of my favourite books, have not found anything like it since I was immersed in Calvino and the short stories of Primo Levi.
We have an event together Tuesday the 28th of September in Aarhus. I am currently the guest author in the Aarhus Godsbanen art center for a week as a part of the Fresh Eyes Series.
September 24, 2015
Litterär standup på isländskt manér
I am taking part in the Göteborg Bookfair. A wise man said – “Yes is More” – so when asked to do a 45 minute literary standup about my work in Swedish – of course I said yes.
So here is the information in Svenska:
Andri Snær Magnason är den ende författaren som fått Isländska litteraturpriset i alla tre kategorier: skönlitteratur, facklitteratur och barnlitteratur. Han har blivit känd för sitt stora engagemang för att bevara den isländska naturen och sin starka kritik mot etableringen av utländska industrier på Island, vilket han gav uttryck för i Draumalandið [Drömland]. I sina populära föreläsningar väver Magnason samman olika delar av sina böcker och visar hur konstnärerna är viktiga aktörer i samhället. Välkomna till en litterär standup-show om hur science fiction kan bli fakta och om hur idéer sprids – och dör.
Medverkande:
Andri Snær Magnason
Plats:
H1, H05:20
Arrangör:
Icelandic Literature Center
Typ:
Seminarium
Kod:
Fr1700.11
Språk:
skandinaviska
– See more at: http://www.bokmassan.se/en/programme/...
September 9, 2015
Reykjavík Literary Festival 2015 – Meet me September 11th.
The Reykjavík Literary Festival is starting, one of my favourite festivals. The festival is a real “stranded whale” for all literary lovers, tons of meat and blubber to survive, because winter is coming. Here I have seen Saramago, Atwood, Coupland, Grass and Murakami just to name a few and have participated twice myself and again this year.
In the 2015 festival we have great authors like David Mitchell, Teju Cole and Dave Eggers to name a few again. My program is on friday at 12:00 with Kim Stanley Robinson. So if you are in Reykjavík – come and see us.
Science fiction is a genre that enjoys huge cult popularity, and its power as a political tool should not be underestimated. Renowned science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson (USA), named ‘Hero of the Environment’ by Time Magazine, depicts the colonization of Mars in the face of ecological disaster on Earth in his Mars trilogy. Icelandic author and environmental activist Andri Snær Magnason’s award-winning Dreamland examines the effects of heavy industry in Iceland. This panel will consider the role of literature in relation to the environmental issues that face all humans in current and future generations.
When: 12:00 – 12:45
Location: Norræna Húsið/Nordic House Reykjavík
May 8, 2015
BLUE PLANET paperback in the UK
The Blue Planet is now available as a paperback in English. It is a good book to read for your children, or your grandmother, or yourself. Published now in almost 30 languages.
Here is a review from The New York Times.
The Story of the Blue Planet has won the UKLA Award in the UK, A honor award from the Green Earth Book Award, The West Nordic Children’s Book Award and the Icelandic Literary Award.
You can find it here on Amazon but if you really want to make your town or city a great place to live in – go and buy it from a local bookstore. Here is a bookstore:
and here is a list of them:
May 6, 2015
Philip Glass and Dreamland in New York
Here is a musical trailer from Dreamland by Valgeir Sigurðsson. The music and visuals from the film will be performed in New York the 8th of May. More information here:
The NYU Symphony, the premier orchestral ensemble at NYU Steinhardt, will present a concert featuring Philip Glass’s Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra, Valgeir Sigurðsson’s Dreamland, and works by the 2015 NYU Steinhardt Composition Competition Winners Brian Haller and Brian Paul. The concert will be conducted by Andrew Cyr and will take place at the Peter Norton Symphony Space on Friday, May 8 at 8 p.m.
The event also features a 7:15 p.m. pre-concert panel discussion with Sigurðsson, Haller, and Paul.
Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra was written by Glass for Jonathan Haas, director of the NYU Steinhardt Percussion Program, who premiered it with the American Symphony Orchestra in Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in 2000. The performance will feature the 2015 NYU Steinhardt Percussion Competition winners Alex Appel and Zac Robason and will incorporate a total of 13 timpani.
Sigurðsson is an Icelandic composer, producer, and musician, most famous for his work as recording-artist Björk’s programmer and engineer. Dreamland is the score to Þorfinnur Guðnason and Andri Snær Magnason’s 2009 Icelandic documentary of the same name about politics, environmentalism and damming. While the score is being performed, the film will be projected above the orchestra.
Andrew Cyr is a Grammy-nominated conductor and leader in the contemporary music scene. He is the founder and Artistic Director of the lauded Metropolis Ensemble, which has commissioned over ninety new works since its inception in 2006 by a roster of composers whose awards include the Pulitzer Price, the Juno Award, the Rome Prize, and the Guggenheim Fellowship.
The Peter Norton Symphony Space located at 2537 Broadway at 95th St. The concert is free and open to the public. For additional show information call 212-864-5400 or visit here.
February 4, 2015
Two Blue Planet premiers in February: Chicago and Aalborg
I am happy to announce that two Blue Planet premiers are taking place in February. The US premier of the Blue Planet by Akvavit Theater in Chicago Friday the 13th of February and the Danish premier in Aalborg teater a week later – the 20th of February. Click the links or images for tickets and more information about the directors, actors and the theatre companies.
January 24, 2015
LoveStar published in France – by Zulma
I am happy to announce that LoveStar has now been published in France by Zulma in translation by Eric Boury. Here is some information in French and below some press and blog links.
LoveStar: Roman traduit de l’islandais par Éric Boury
« Peu de temps après que les mouches à miel eurent colonisé Chicago, les papillons monarques furent saisis d’un étrange comportement. […] Au lieu d’aller vers le sud rejoindre leurs quartiers d’hiver, ils se dirigèrent vers le nord. » C’est ainsi que s’ouvre le roman, fable imaginative et pourtant étrangement familière, tenant à la fois de Calvino et des Monty Python.
Face à la soudaine déroute de toutes sortes d’espèces volantes, le génial LoveStar, vibrionnant et énigmatique fondateur de l’entreprise du même nom, invente un mode de transmission des données inspiré des ondes des oiseaux, libérant d’un coup l’humanité, pour son plus grand bonheur, de l’universelle emprise de l’électronique. Et développant au passage quelques applications aussi consuméristes que liberticides… Avec des hommes et des femmes ultra connectés payés pour brailler des publicités à des passants ciblés, le système ReGret, qui permet « d’apurer le passé », ou le rembobinage des enfants qui filent un mauvais coton. Autre innovation, et pas des moindres, en faveur du bonheur humain : les âmes sœurs sont désormais identifiées en toute objectivité par simple calcul de leurs ondes respectives.
Quand Indriði et Sigríður, jeunes gens par trop naïfs et sûrs de leur amour, se retrouvent « calculés », ils tombent des nues : leur moitié est ailleurs. Les voilà partis, Roméo et Juliette postmodernes contrariés par la fatalité, pour une série de mésaventures cocasses et pathétiques, jusqu’à ce que leur route croise celle de LoveStar lui-même, en quête de son ultime invention…
Here is some recent press:
Article about Andri in La Vie.
Article about LoveStar in Le Monde.
A blog here: Blogs Mollat.
A blog here: Small Things:
