New Nordic art museum Kunstsilo is unveiled in Kristiansand, Norway

On May 8th 2024, a new museum of Nordic Art was unveiled in Kristiansand, Southern Norway. Kunstsilo, an expansive three floor, 8,500 square meter building will open to the public this Saturday, 11 May 2024, integrating for the first time the Southern Norway Art Museum and the prestigious Tangen Collection of Nordic art. Located on the waterfront in the picturesque peninsula of Odderøya, Kunstsilo will be the largest museum in Southern Norway and house the world’s largest private collection of Nordic art.

Mestres Wåge Arquitectes, BAX and Mendoza Partida have undertaken this extensive heritage preservation project which transforms the functionalist grain silo, designed in 1935 by architects Arne Korsmo and Sverre Aasland, into a world-class cultural venue. Offering panoramic views of the region's spectacular coastline, this innovative cultural centre showcases three art collections, digital art experiences and will host a range of international touring exhibitions. The building’s focus remains the still visible 30 grain silos which act as a central navigation point for the visitor creating a vast entrance hall and access to natural light throughout. On top of the building, a new glass covered bar and event spaces provides views of the archipelago.

Kunstsilo's inaugural exhibition ‘Passions of the North’, drawn exclusively from the Tangen Collection of Nordic art (Closing Autumn 2024) is inspired by conceptual themes from literary giants such as Thomas Hardy and Virginia Woolf. Unfolding through 25 rooms, each adorned with distinctive moods and pastel colours, the exhibition includes over 600 works made between 1910 - 1990, emphasising a multifaceted perspective on Modern Nordic art and its reflection of life in the rapidly changing 20^th century.

Nicolai Tangen says, ‘This cathedral of art in Kristiansand provides the perfect home for the Tangen Collection. I wanted to give the art to a place that is important to me and seeing it across the walls of Kunstsilo in my home city is a wonderful experience. I love the art and I love the town, so this is like a heart transplant. I hope the Tangen Collection at Kunstsilo is enjoyed by visitors for decades to come.'

Kunstsilo also offers a dynamic programme of international touring exhibitions commencing with ‘Playing with Fire: Edmund de Waal and Axel Salto’ (26 September 2024 – 2 March 2025) an international collaboration between the English artist Edmund de Waal, Kunstsilo, and CLAY Museum of Ceramic Art Denmark. This will be followed by a solo exhibition of Norway's leading photographic artist Mette Tronvoll (January 2025).

The museum is also committed to showcasing new technology, including an ambitious digital art experience titled ‘S-Lab’. ‘S-Lab’ is an interactive and immersive environment which showcases work from the Kunstsilo collection bringing each artwork to life for visitors of all ages. For the opening the in-house innovation department have developed an interactive version of the painting ‘Tivoli’ (1935) by Norwegian artist Reidar Aulie. The digital experience moves and interacts turning a 2D artwork into a rich 3D content experience. Additionally, an augmented reality tour has been developed for ‘Passions of the North’ aimed at family audiences. 

Reidar Fuglestad, CEO of Kunstsilo comments, ‘Kunstsilo is a beacon on the coastline in Southern Norway and a new home for international art in the Nordic region. Together the Tangen Collection, Southern Norway Art Collection and works from the Christianssands Picture Gallery provide new appreciation for Nordic art in this incredible building.’

Tickets to Kunstsilo can be booked via www.kunstsilo.no/en/tickets

For further information on Kunstsilo please visit https://www.kunstsilo.no/no.

See more photos here: https://egnyte.suttoncomms.com/fl/aBlHAaWNlE#folder-link/Press%20Kit/Images