The Munch Museum, a new leaning landmark of Oslo
In October 2021, the new Munch Museum opened up in Oslo. One of the largest single-artist museums in the world. A new landmark.
Munch, the building
Oslo comune spent many years of discussions on whether to expand and keep the old Munch Museum where it was or build a new building more central in Oslo. Eventually, they landed on Bjørvika, next to The Opera House. The winning architecture called the building “Lambda”; however, this name disappeared during the process. Also, the finished look of the house changed a lot from the first design they showed us.
Here we see Munch lit up in Ukrainian colors. Unfortunately, the yellow did not read well in my picture. The Munch Museum has become a distinctive Oslo landmark with recycled, perforated, partially translucent aluminum panels and its characteristic leaning top section. The critics have been divided on whether it is a nice building or not, both externally and internally.
Munch, Edvard
Edvard Munch is Norway’s most well-known painter and graphic artist ever. He was born in 1863and died in 1944. Death and illness overshadowed much of his childhood. He lived a bohemian life and started painting his emotional and psychological state early. From this emerged his distinctive style. He began to travel and met many artists that influenced him, like Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, especially their use of color.
I am not an art critic and shall not pretend I know art. However, I appreciate art and have visited many large European museums. Therefore, this blog is mainly about the museum and the joy it is to have my job place next door to this fabulous building. After the restrictions on corona were lifted, we could see more tourists and locals steeming past our windows to the museum.
The Scream
The Scream is Munch’s most famous work and one of the most recognizable paintings in all art. Widely interpreted as representing the universal anxiety of modern man. The Scream exists in many versions: two pastels and two paintings. There are also several lithographs of The Scream. Currently, the museum has one room showing three versions of The Scream, one painting, one drawing, and one print. One is always in view while the others rest in darkness.
Edvard Munch in Oslo
Even though the Munch museum has the most extensive collection of Edvard Munch’s work, you can find it in many places around Oslo. Like in the University’s auditorium. In the great hall in Oslo City Hall. In the canteen of the late Freia chocolate factories. And last but not least, in the new National Museum that I will write about later.
It has been many critical voices about the new museum. It isn’t lovely, too overpowering by the seaside, and the entrance and cafe look like an airport. I agree that the escalator glass hall is cold and maybe not too welcoming, but you have the city’s most beautiful view when you travel up the stairs. Not to forget the fantastic view of The Opera House, which is a reason by itself to visit Munch.
Therefore, you can not come to Oslo and miss this museum. For me, the best part is that even though the entrance is cold, the rooms with Munch’s pictures are painted in warm dark colors, so his paintings speak out to you from the warmth.
