Nordic Nature binders gathering in Reykjavik 23rd to 25th of April 2025 by Pii Topio
The Nordic Nature exhibition opening was held 23rd of April 2025. The Icelandic bookbinders, JAM group, had organised activities for three days in connection with the opening. There were 15 guests from other countries, of which 11 were participants of the exhibition. Together with the Icelandic binders we had some wonderful days together and made new friends.
We want to thank the whole JAM group and the people at the library for all your work, your warm hospitality and the great company!
Tuesday 22nd April
The board had a meeting, that took all day. Linda Allard Forsman, education manager of bookbinding from Folk Highschool in Leksand, Sweden and Stephen Hannah, bookbinder at National and University Library in Reykjavik also visited the meeting.
Wednesday 23rd April
The group gathered to meet in the lobby at the National Library.
Then we went for a tour, including the manuscript and conservation departments, bookbindery and the archives. So much to see.
Afterwards we visited the Edda Museum, an exhibit which started from the beginning of the world and ended in the end of the world from the old Icelandic view. We saw and heard history of Icelandic people, old manuscripts, about bookbinding in the old days and more. We could have spent there a lot more time, but unfortunately the time was limited.
After that was the opening of the exhibition, short speeches, drinks, light refreshments and of course the 59 books. But about that in the blog text written by Kristine Novika.
Thursday, 24th April
In the morning, we had a two hours city walk where we saw many well-known and not so well-known sights in downtown Reykjavik. We had a nice guide, who had answers to our many questions.
In the afternoon, after the walk we went to Harpa the Reykjavik Concert Hall and Conference Centre, for Volcano Express, a cinematic experience that flew us over and into the volcanoes in moving chairs that made you feel like you were flying.
Afterwards we went to a show and tell which was hosted by Ragnar and Guðlaug Ragnarsson. There we so many bindings by Ragnarssons and of course our exhibitors. So many ideas, so many friends.
Then there was of course our dinner, all of us together. It was in a Viking restaurant a bit from city centre. We had great Icelandic lamb and even got to taste fermented shark. There was a troubadour who even sang our own songs in our own languages. And a wedding too! Who would have guessed.
Friday, 25th April
In the morning we met at Iðan, Educational Centre for Gillian Stewart’s lecture and our show and tell. I think all of us got new tips and tricks; for example how to colour leather in variable ways. The lecture was a huge success, and we thank the Icelandic JAM group for arranging this very inspiring teacher to come and teach us.
Later that evening we had a meeting in a bar to enjoy each other’s company yet for a while and say longing goodbyes. Hope we will meet again soon!
Iceland, what a strange and beautiful country. It gave us it’s best, just sunshine every day. And then all the wonderful people we met. Everybody was very friendly, always ready to help, kind and had a sense of humour. Thank you for all your hospitality, we couldn’t have asked for more.
We fell in love with it and hope to return soon!
- by Pii Topio