Why are we still here? - By Lóa Hjálmtýsdóttir
If you're a regular Grapevine reader, you might well know the wry and hilarious work of our much-loved illustrator (and part-time pop star in FM Belfast) Lóa Hlín Hjálmtýsdóttir. Her sharply observed drawings gather awkward moments and everyday situations into a chronicle of Icelandic life that's in turn melancholic and laugh-out-loud funny.
Rather than standing on a glacier hoping to see the northern lights, Lóa's work reveals another side of Iceland in which people binge drink, walk the streets endlessly, watch the country's political mayhem unfold, and suffer seasonal depression. It's a tale of long winters spent watching American TV shows and eating junk food until, finally, the summer arrives.
All of her work has been translated into English, opening Lóa's witty and insightful view on Icelandic life to a brand new audience.