There is a building just across the way from Munch in Oslo that has a sort of flat roof and a ramp that leads up to it. It attracts lots of people who walk up the ramp and wander around on the roof, admiring the views. The roof is not, however, completely flat. It has sloping sections that go off in unexpected directions. Having had the misfortune of owning a flat roof, I think these maybe for drainage.
It’s not very high, the building, so the views wouldn’t be as good as some places, but it’s free, so I guess that’s something. It’s also somewhat unusual.
I took the photo above from the top floor of Munch, an art gallery almost completely devoted to Edvard Munch, the painter of The Scream. And a number of other things. Actually, I was a bit underwhelmed by the famous scream. It’s a bit like the Mona Lisa in that it is quite small and in a darkened room, crowded with people anxious to see it.
And, of course, it is so well known that it tends to disappoint.
I went to Munch because it’s an art gallery that Nicoline has visited and, obviously, I had to go as well in order to have something to talk about when I get back.
It’s a very impressive building. It opened in 2021 and houses quite a few Munch works over it’s many floors.
However, before I visited Munch, I stayed on the tram and went up the hill to Ekebergarden, a spot overlooking Oslo with sculpture dotted around. I found it by accident.
I was on a tram, heading for Munch but was an hour early so I decided to stay on it and, by sheer accident, three stops further on, I found the sculpture park.
There are various works by new artists as well as old. There are a few Rodins, a Dali and a rather raunchy Vigeland, for instance, dotted around as well as newer works like this one.
The statue above is larger than life and the shoes look totally real, right down to the laces going through the holes.
But the park isn’t just for the art. There are also views across Oslo. Sadly, today was a bit grim and gloomy and the view wasn’t that good. Though, for all the weather being ghastly, I wasn’t alone, there was a couple of Brits wandering round, and he had a rather professional looking camera.
He had his big lens on and was taking photos of a big cruise ship coming in. Reminded me of Nicktor. She, on the other hand, kept wandering away from him. That’s how I know they were Brits. She kept telling him, loudly, about the sculptures he wasn’t seeing, while he kept ignoring her.
I left them on top of the hill and wandered back to the tram stop for the short trip back.
So, back at Munch, I went through all the galleries. I was most impressed with the monumental works, in particular The Researchers which was described as being as big as a two-bedroom flat. Munch didn’t have a canvas big enough so he had two sewn together. It hung in the university for a while, to be replaced with another one of his instead.
I can’t imagine how anyone could paint such a massive picture. It boggles my mind.
Of course, there were lots of Munch paintings I liked very much but one stood out. It was of a fight he had with Ludvig Karsten, a fellow artist. The painting features Munch falling backwards down a hill outside his house and Karsten lying back with a bloodied face.
Apparently they argued a fair bit, but Karsten didn’t want that to interrupt their, so-called, friendship. After a while, Munch grew tired of the constant battles and they cut ties for good. And, ironically, on another floor, above the Munch galleries, there was an exhibition of Karsten’s work.
This I very much enjoyed given it’s an artist I’d never heard of before. And I really like his work. It was tough to pick a favourite as his style changed a bit throughout his career. But, eventually, I chose this one.
I like the way the brush strokes give movement to the woman’s arm and I really like the reflection in the mirror. I like the cluttered bureau and the general simplicity of the room. I particularly like the use of red.
Having had my visual full, I went down to the café to fill my tummy with some lunch at Munch. It was quite the exhausting morning, so I then headed back to the hotel for a rest before tackling my fourth and final Oslo art excursion.
The final visit on this whistle-stop tour was The Artists’ House, a gallery set up in 1930 by artists in order to show modern, contemporary art by new artists. It was a couple of trams away from the hotel but easily found. This was fortunate because the weather was drawing in, getting colder and threatening to rain.
The building is lovely and the mural on the ceiling as you go up the stairs is exquisite.
The current exhibition is made up of video pieces about women. I have no problem with an exhibition showcasing the issues with being a woman, but I am not that keen on a barrage of video screens showing pieces of varying lengths. Stand up, walk around, sit down, listen and watch, then repeat.
The final piece, on the ground floor, was a video medley which, I confess, was putting me to sleep. I hasten to add that it wasn’t the films that put me to sleep, it was a lack of coffee, something I rectified with a sort of half-time latte from the more than adequate bar in the entrance.
I would love to return to the gallery when they have a more diverse exhibition. Not that I’m saying that the videos weren’t very good, no, there were just too many of them for me.
But never mind, I was soon on my way back to the hotel and the joys of fitting everything back into my tiny suitcase, ahead of my trip home tomorrow morning.
Oh, I almost forgot. This image is especially for Nicoline.
This manhole cover was made by the same company that now makes the ones in Trosa, replacing the ones previously made in Tierp. I just know she’ll be thrilled.
