Nýhil’s literary experiments and radical role in Icelandic writing circles

For nearly a decade, Nýhil brought fresh energy to Iceland’s literary world, standing out for its critical engagement and experimental approach. Beginning in the early 2000s as a collective of young writers, Nýhil quickly became recognised for its avant-garde activities and outspoken social commentary.

A collective of new voices

Nýhil was founded between 2001 and 2004 by authors Eiríkur Örn Norðdahl and Haukur Már Helgason, with Grímur Hákonarson soon joining their ranks. The group’s period of greatest activity spanned from 2004 to 2009, publishing over fifty volumes that covered poetry, fiction, and critical essays. Its members, many of whom went on to become leading figures in Icelandic writing, used these pages to tackle social and political issues, blending them with bold literary experimentation.

Their reputation for questioning norms was not limited to their published works. Nýhil hosted a regular schedule of public readings and was responsible for an international poetry festival that reached its seventh edition in 2010 at the Norræna húsið (Nordic House) in Reykjavík. Over 40 international poets and writers from abroad were invited to participate over the years, broadening the literary conversation in Iceland.

Poetry, protest and publishing

Not content with traditional publishing, Nýhil briefly operated a poetry bookshop at Bad Taste Records on Laugavegur, a lively street in central Reykjavík. This shop served as both a meeting place and a platform for contemporary poetry. The group’s influence also extended into broader Icelandic society, with their left-wing critical perspective playing a part in shaping debates and ideas that contributed to the 2009 “pots and pans revolution”, a wave of protests that followed the country’s financial crisis.

Nýhil’s catalogue is diverse. Notable fictional works published by the group include “Konur” by Steinar Bragi and “Eitur fyrir byrjendur” by Eiríkur Örn Norðdahl. Its non-fiction output includes titles such as “Íslensk menningarpólitík” by Bjarki Valtýsson and “Af marxisma,” the proceedings of a radical summerschool on Marxism held in 2009. These summerschools, linked to group members, continued even after Nýhil’s main publishing activities slowed.

In 2006, the group partnered with Landsbankinn to distribute its “Norrænar bókmenntir” (Nordic Literature) series to libraries across Iceland, ensuring that contemporary Nordic writing reached readers nationwide.

Nýhil’s influence gradually receded around 2011, as its leading members moved into the mainstream of Icelandic literature. The collective’s legacy, however, can still be traced in the energy it injected into Iceland’s cultural scene, fostering cross-border exchange and challenging conventional literary boundaries.

Topicsavant-gardeIcelandic literatureNýhilpoetryReykjavíksocial criticism