Scan Magazine
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Made in Norway
Photo: Nitja Centre for Contemporary Art
Gallery of the Month
Contemporary art’s new home In the Norwegian town of Lillestrøm, east of the capital Oslo, contemporary art in all its forms has found a home in the brand-new Nitja Centre for Contemporary Art. Here, you can explore, experience and enjoy the art on display in a bright and modern exhibition space. By Alyssa Nilsen
Visual art needs good surroundings to really shine. At the brand-new Nitja Centre for Contemporary Art in Lillestrøm, the architecture, interior and ambience are designed to make the art the main focus. Many years in the making, the art centre – previously called Akershus Kunstsenter (Akerhus Art Centre) – has finally found a new home. The building is designed by Haugen/Zohar Architects (HZA), a studio working at the intersection between architecture and art. Commissioned by Lillestrøm municipality and Viken county municipality, the centre opened its doors in 2021 with a new profile and name. “Many people think “Nitja? I’ve never heard of that!”. And that would be cor88 |
Issue 144
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July 2022
rect. But it is the reinvention and rebranding of the renowned Akershus Art Centre,” says director Rikke G. Komissar with a smile. “Nitja’s new profile is vibrant and pulsating, presenting contemporary artists, hosting talks and debates, as well as activities for children,” Komissar continues. “Nitja offers experiences for everyone and one can easily spend a couple of hours here.” Enjoy temporary exhibitions The name Nitja is inspired by the original Norse and local name of the river that runs through Lillestrøm, Nitelva. The word ‘nitja’ comes from the Norse verb ‘(h)nita’, meaning ‘to collide’, but is also linked to waves, refractions and
catching currents. Essentially, it’s a hub. The exhibitions are temporary, changing monthly, presenting both nationally and internationally renowned artists. In combination with pop up-exhibitions, side events and outdoor projects, Nitja is a vibrant and engaged institution. One upcoming exhibition is Norwegian contemporary artist John K. Raustein’s Tilrettelagte sannheter (den nye verden) (Facilitated truths (the new world)). Raustein transforms the exhibition space into an all-encompassing installation, filling the 230 square metres with his own distinctive visual world of colourful applications and textile pieces. In the exhibition at Nitja, Raustein connects memories from childhood with studies of a more contemporary and urban scene – namely, the construction site. For Raustein, there are links between stacks of building plastic, tarpaulin, pipe coils and memories of his moth-