Munch 150 – Munch Exhibition of the century in Oslo

On 2 June the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design and the Munch Museum are combining forces in Oslo to stage the most comprehensive Munch exhibition ever.

Apex of the Anniversary

Edvard Munch was born in 1863, and 2013 marks the Norwegian artist’s 150^th jubilee. The height of the celebration is the anniversary exhibition «Munch 150». The exhibition’s goal is to provide as complete unified and comprehensive presentation of Edvard Munch’s art and artistry as possible, with over 270 works displayed at the exhibition venues the National Gallery and the Munch Museum. Visitors will be treated to an array of Munch’s major works as well as less known treasures.

“Our main objective is to celebrate Edvard Munch, but we also want to expand knowledge, curiosity and enthusiasm for Munch’s life and art, locally, nationally and internationally,” says Munch Museum Director Stein Olav Henrichsen.

“Munch is solidly place in the canon of modernism with works like The Scream and The Sun.  We’ve taken a fresh look at his response to modernistic issues, such as the relationship between art and reality, the position of the individual in the world, the modern role of the artist and art’s impact on the public,” says Audun Eckhoff, the director of the National Museum.

Over 60 years of Munch’s art

The comprehensive perspective on Munch’s work is reflected in the exhibition’s structure. The works cover a period of over 60 years, from his debut as a 20-year-old in 1883 until he put his brushes down for good just before his death in 1944. The exhibition follows his art more or less chronologically and provides a running overview of his life’s work. The presentation is also thematically structured. A core theme is Munch’s changing depictions of himself and how he repeated and reworked certain motifs. Among the exhibition’s top works are his picture series The Frieze of Life from 1902 and The Reinhardt Frieze from 1906–07.

One exhibition, two venues

The exhibition emanates from long-term cooperation between the Munch Museum and the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design. The two museums have the world’s most extensive collections of Munch’s works and are in a league of their own for any presentation of this magnitude. This is also why the exhibition is necessarily divided between two sites. The period 1882–1903 is being exhibited at the National Gallery, while Munch’s works from 1904–1944 are represented at the Munch Museum. However, the exhibition would not be possible without loans of work from public and private owners the world over. 

Catalogue

The anniversary exhibition is accompanied by a well illustrated catalogue presenting new perspectives on Edvard Munch and his art. All the works in the exhibition are represented here. The catalogue features texts by Patricia Gray Berman, Øivind Storm Bjerke, Jay Clarke, Hans-Martin Frydenberg Flaatten, Mai Britt Guleng, Trine Nordkvelle, Nils Ohlsen, Ingeborg Owesen, Jon-Ove Steihaug and Øystein Ustvedt. Editors: Mai Britt Guleng, Birgitte Sauge and Jon-Ove Steihaug. The catalogue will be published in English, French, Italian, Norwegian and German. Publisher: Skira Editore S.p.A.

Curators: Nils Ohlsen (National Museum), Mai Britt Guleng (National Museum) and Jon-Ove Steihaug (Munch Museum). Ingebjørg Ydstie (Munch Museum) has contributed to the conceptual development of the exhibition.

Guided tours and other activities:

For guided tours and other activities in connection with the exhibition and the jubilee, see the calendar on the website www.munch150.no

In connection with the jubilee a number of films and TV productions are being released, including the documentary film Let the Scream be Heard by director Dheeraj Akolkar and a film about the exhibition Munch 150 by director Ben Harding, which will have its international premier at cinemas on 27 June.

For the Press:

Friday 31 May: Guided tour for the press
Saturday 1 June: Official opening
Sunday 2 June: Public opening

Contact information and press accreditation:

Accreditation to the press tour 31 May and the opening on 1 June: Charlotte Skogen, VisitOSLO: charlotte.skogen@visitoslo.com

Interviews, appointments, press enquiries, etc.: press@munch150.no

Photos: press photos can be downloaded from the press folder Press Photos

www.munch150.no

Munch 150 – a celebration of Edvard Munch’s works and impact

Munch 150 is a collaboration between Munch-museet and Nasjonalmuseet for kunst, arkitektur og design.

Sponsors: Statkraft, the Airport Express Train, Idemitsu Petroleum Norge and the DNB Savings Bank Foundation

Partners in cooperation: Oslo Airport OSL, The University of Oslo, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Norwegian Armed Forces.