Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Norwegian Must-See Museums
The museum building. Photo: Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum.
Artworks: Rose-Marie Huuva – Grandmother’s 448 Treasures, and in the background og Iona (1997) and og Niono (1989). Photo: Marius Fiskum.
A ground-breaking museum with art that makes you think and feel Through a unique mix of innovative exhibitions of both traditional and contemporary art, Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum in Tromsø brings remarkable art up north. Presenting everything from artworks related to the north, by both regional and national artists, to internationally renowned names such as British David Hockney and Norwegian Edvard Munch, the collection is bound to make visitors both think and feel. By Åsa Hedvig Aaberge
“We might be a small museum, but we are an extraordinary one too,” says museum director Jérémie McGowan. With a constantly evolving selection, the museum collection consists of over 2,000 artworks that date back to the romantic period in the early 19th century and all the way up until today. Work by Norwegian artists including Peder Balke, Anna-Eva Bergman, Olav Christopher Jenssen and Adolph Tidemand adorn the walls next to videos, sculptures and historic Sámi artworks. In addition, the museum puts on temporary exhibitions ranging from retrospectives to group shows, thematic exhibitions and contemporary art by present-day artists.
nature of the north. “The museum exhibits a range of great art and focuses on displaying art from, or related to, northern Norway, but also to make art a natural part of life in northern Norway by being a regional centre of art,” says McGowan.
Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum displays its collection in innovative, thoughtprovoking and creative ways, with a focus on the idea that art moves. Emotions, ideas, politics, knowledge and society go hand in hand, and art is presented with a northern perspective, much of it inspired by the lively society, wild landscape and
Located in the centre of Tromsø, in a former police station and telegraph from 1917, the museum is an accessible art destination for people of all ages and nationalities. This year, it is 30 years since the museum first opened its doors. Throughout the years, the collection has grown, yet the vision remains
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The collection is presented thematically and is not curated in a chronological, traditional way. “One room is about people, one about stories, and one about places. Art from different areas and artists is mixed. Paintings inspired by the same scenery, but with 150 years between them, are placed next to each other,” McGowan explains.
the same: to always display art in new and creative ways. For its forward-thinking and national importance in arts and culture in Norway, Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum has earned prestigious awards. In 2017, the museum received the prestigious prize as Museum of the Year in Norway, as well as the Norwegian art critics’ award for the museum performance Sámi Dáddamusea, a project the jury described as groundbreaking. The same year, they also won the Audiences Norway award in the category of Next Practice. Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum is a stronghold for art in northern Norway, with international quality, ambitions and perspectives. Thanks to active and constructive programming, the museum is enjoying international collaborations with places ranging from Anchorage to Japan and Russia. The museum is also present in Longyearbyen on Svalbard, where they run the satellite Kunsthall Svalbard, focused on bringing art and artists even further north. Web: www.nnkm.no Instagram: @nordnorskkunstmuseum Twitter: @NNKunstmuseum