Dispatches From Reykjavik: Vík Prjónsdóttir

Guest contributor postal service past times Julie Pasila

One of the most striking things nearly Republic of Iceland (besides the scenery) is the agency inwards which myth too folklore are built into the civilization of the province too the brain of its people. One of my favourite examples of this is the stance of huldufólk, or hidden people.

From what I’ve been able to slice together too thus far, huldufólk are elf-like creatures who inhabit a parallel world. They alive inside the landscape, beneath the rocks too hills, remaining invisible to most.

There is a small-scale pct of the Icelandic population who believe that the huldufólk genuinely be (somewhere or too thus the 8 percent mark), but upwards to one-half the population, when surveyed, would non deny their existence. Interestingly, this possibility of their presence seems to guide the nation, at to the lowest degree occasionally. For example, novel edifice projects volition ofttimes get got into consideration potential huldufólk habitats using the guidance of a medium or mystic. If a detail house is determined to live on the habitat of the hidden people, roads may live on diverted or novel structure relocated.

Icelandic belief inwards the huldufólk may live on over exaggerated past times visitors (like myself) who honor the notion mysterious too whimsical. What’s non exaggerated, however, is the Icelandic connection to nature, which seems to manifest itself inwards the beautiful stance that something (or someone) of import inhabits the rocks too hills too mountains, too that this presence should non live on disturbed without some stance too consultation.

The storey of the huldufólk provides a wonderful event of the inclusion of myth inwards a thoroughly modern field too it also provides a fine introduction to a beautiful business of products that push clitoris upon some of the myths too stories of Iceland.

Vík Prjónsdóttir is a ready that produces incredible products from Icelandic sheep’s wool (a highly sustainable fabric here). The business is a collaboration betwixt designers Brynhildur Pálsdóttir, Gudfinna Mjöll Magnúsdóttir, Thuríður Sigurþórsdóttir too Iceland’s oldest knitting factory, Víkurprjón. Below are a few examples of the magnificent pieces too a brief description of their source stories. More extensive descriptions, too to a greater extent than products, tin live on constitute on Vík’s website (all production images are courtesy of Vík Prjónsdóttir).

Hidden World (shown amongst the Healing Hands scarf) is a visual representation of the hidden world, only discussed above, too a dedication to the magical people who tin communicate amongst these mysterious spaces too their inhabitants.

The Sealpelt Blanket is inspired past times an ancient Icelandic myth from the due south shore of the country, which describes a seal who sheds her pare on land, lives every bit a human (becoming both a married adult woman too mother), too afterwards returns to the sea. It’s a lovely (slightly heartbreaking) story.

The Seablanket is i of my personal favourites. It’s dedicated to “the currents of the ocean,” too to the fisherman of Republic of Iceland who opportunity their lives to “bring habitation the catch.”

You tin buy Vík’s operate directly from SPARK Design Space if you lot come about to live on inwards Reykjavik or – await for it – you lot tin social club straight from Vík's website. They transportation internationally and, improve yet, they offering FREE transportation to Europe, the Unites U.S. too Canada!

I visited the hamlet of Vík (the place of Iceland’s oldest knitting factory, where these beautiful products are produced) too I wanted to larn out you lot all amongst some images of the incredible landscape or too thus this tiny town.

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