Harpa is a large cultural building on the shore in the centre of Reykjavik. It contains shops, cafes, exhibition spaces and a large concert hall. After my morning tour of the city, this was where I wanted to spend the afternoon. The building was designed by Icelandic-Danish artist
Ólafur Elíasson, who has exhibited in London at Tate Modern. I find his work very engaging and was interested to explore this building. It was especially pleasurable to wander round by myself, not on a tour, not with a group, and to be able to enjoy the changing play of light on the glass of the building.
Outside, the building proclaims itself a concert hall: the statue, by Icelandic sculptor
Ólöf Pálsdóttir, is of the late Danish cellist
Erling Blöndal Bengtsson.
And its shapes and angles play with the sky:
From inside, it colors and frames the views, including sight-lines over the small-boats harbour:
And the glass cells of the construction play constantly with the shifting light and reflections:
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