Leaving Iceland don't buy magnets. Buy true masterpieces

I try to avoid so-called “lundabúðar” — Puffin stores. That's how Icelanders call Souvenir shops. They are everywhere, sell the same stuff for the cosmic prices. Among other typical things, they are selling air, quite literally. Well, it is pure Icelandic air but essentially, is still just air.

In my humble opinion if you want to bring something memorable from Iceland you have to find something more exclusive, more artsy, something that creator makes with love and inspiration, something Icelandic by soul and nature. Replicated magnets and t-shirts are not on that list.

So what it may be? Handmade wool product? Clever, but typical. Jewelry with inlaid lava stone? Fancy, but pricey. Limited edition of Brennivin? Next morning good memories about Iceland will become bad memories.

I would prefer something that would become a centerpiece of my home, be the important part of my apartment and bring good memories from Iceland every time I look at it.

So, it could be art poster. I don't mean a rectangular piece of paper with a motivational nonsense of Captain Obvious. I mean something artsy and artisanal.

Below I collected Top-5 artists, creators, studios, stores or websites where you may see, download or buy a printed version of some great posters.

Islandskort

This is true Klondike for those who like both art and history. On Islandskort you may found plenty of maps of Iceland from XVI to XX cc. Most of the scans have a big resolution enough to print it and hang on the wall. And this is totally free!

Literal Streetart

Literal Streetart is a fancy, smart and creative alliance of UX design and modern art. Two Icelandic mates create a tool to let you make your own stylish map of any place in the world. Probably you have seen their samples in some design stores in Reykjavik. I love this idea so much, so still haven't chosen the city I want to print. Maybe Reykjavik? Or Selfoss? Hmm, Fjarðarbyggð!

Hugleikur Dagsson

Hugleikur Dagsson is an Icelandic artist who will lead you to the core of Icelandic humor. This is not a black humor yet, rather humor with the color of snowless winter in Iceland. Some of his art was born just to be hanged in your WC, loser.

ERRÓ

Erró is the biggest Icelandic artist of all time. No doubt! He is a pop-art icon, like Björk in music. I found his works marvelous. Maybe because of his collages of comic books. Marvelous, Marvel, aaah, nevermind.

Limited prints of Erró´s masterpieces are pricey enough but you may found ordinary prints for a reasonable price in the souvenir shop of Reykjavik Art Museum.

Landscape photography

Good picture of Icelandic landscape let you be as close to the Icelandic nature as it possible when you come back home from Iceland trip and want to keep well your memories.

There are plenty of high skilled landscape photographers in Iceland that do amazing pictures and sell the prints to let people enjoy Icelandic nature by photographer´s eyes.

For example, you see a lot of great pictures here on Guide to Iceland. They made by Iurie Belegurschi. His works are stunning and, without a doubt, one of them may become a centerpiece of your home.

What poster or an artist I reviewed you prefer the most? Write your opinion in the comments below.