Art silo, Kvinesdal | From Kvinesdal to giga project in Kristiansand: – It’s fun to be noticed internationally

Kvinesdal’s cultural circle probably remembers Torill Haugen as head of Utsikten Kunstsenter and her commitment to art and technology. Today, she is the head of a separate department in Kunstsilo – and here she works in particular with digital communication and development. One of the projects that will be ready for opening is a unique purpose-built room that has been named S-Lab. Here, art and artistry will be conveyed to the public in a new way.

– In collaboration with Sparebanken Sør, we have been given the opportunity to create a room that will give guests a completely new understanding of art through digital storytelling. We begin by conveying one of the artist Reidar Aulie’s most famous paintings, Tivoli, with live animation and a strong soundscape that we hope gives visitors an aha experience. When the guests come out of the room, they get to see the original painting, says Haugen.

Showcasing Nordic art

S-Lab will be part of the new museum’s exhibition space, which is over 3,500 square meters.

– The room is made possible with funds from Sparebanken Sør, the Cultural Council and the cultural foundation Cultiva. When Kunstsilo opens, visitors will be able to see over 600 works from oil fund manager Nicolai Tangen’s art collection. Today, it is considered the world’s largest collection of Nordic modernism.

– We want to take the guests on a journey through Nordic art from the 20th century onwards. The exhibition has been entitled Nordic Passions and shows a time where major changes in art, culture and society unfolded. The artworks are in many ways the story about ourselves, and how the society we live in has come about – seen from the artists’ eyes, says Haugen.

From conflict to sensation

In Kristiansand, over several years there has been much discussion and debate about the future museum building. But internationally, Kunstsilo has garnered sensational media coverage. News giants such as CNN, the Financial Times and Forbes Magazine believe that Kunstsilo is worth a visit in 2024, both to see the art collection and to experience the unique architecture. The museum’s communications adviser, Sunniva Rognmo Thakre, thinks it’s great.

– It is very fun to see that Kunstsilo, and not least Sørlandet, is being noticed internationally. We have been working towards this for a long time, and now we are beginning to see the results of the strategic work that has been put in. It will be very exciting to see what effect this has going forward, she says.

Carefully selected

The managing director of Kunstsilo, Reidar Fuglestad, is very pleased with the appointment of the two female directors, and says that both have played important roles in establishing the new museum.

– Torill has a unique ability to think big and innovatively, while at the same time she has managed to attract a wide network within art and technology. Many of the digital projects we are working on in Kunstsilo are definitely ground-breaking in the museum industry, and we can thank Torill for that!

– Sunniva was more or less picked up from the school desk at UiA after I read an exam paper she wrote about the media debate around Kunstsilo in 2018. Since then she has been a permanent fixture with us, and I am very happy about that.

Sold out

Furthermore, Fuglestad is looking forward to the opening itself, which will take place on 11 May. Before Easter, 5,500 free tickets were put out and these disappeared at breakneck speed. He hopes to see people from all over the country.

– Kunstsilo has created a lot of engagement and debate in Southern Norway since the project was launched in 2015. Now I’m looking forward to the public getting to experience both the art and the building. Then I hope that people from the western part of Agder will also make the trip!

About Kunstsilo

Kunstsilo is an award-winning, former grain silo on Odderøya in Kristiansand that is currently being transformed into a powerhouse for art and cultural experiences. The museum will house the Tangen collection, the world’s largest collection of Nordic modernism, as well as the Sørland collection and Christianssand’s Picture Gallery. In addition, there will be international digital contemporary art, temporary exhibitions, and an expanded offer with lectures, concerts, dining experiences, workshops, function rooms and events.