The new Munch Museum opens in Oslo

date and location: 22 October, MUNCH, Bjørvika, Edvard Munchs plass 1, Oslo, Norway

Thirteen floors dedicated to exhibitions, performances, and installations: the new building that houses the museum dedicated to Norwegian expressionist artist Edward Munch (1863-1944) is called Munch, and its inauguration is scheduled this weekend with a wide range of exhibitions.

The shape of the building, which seems to extend towards the nearby opera house and the historic center of the city, evokes a welcoming gesture that invites visitors to enter at any time of the day. With a height of 57.4 meters above the coast, the building is five times larger than the original Munch museum (located in the Tøyen area of ​​the Norwegian capital).

«Welcoming people both day and night, Munch is a new landmark in the Oslo skyline, a place that offers residents and visitors an overview and orientation between the city, the surrounding mountains and the fjord», explained architect Juan Herreros.

The museum will house one of the two painted versions of Munch's 1893 Scream, along with a pastel version of the composition that was inspired by a sunset Munch had admired over one of the hills overlooking the Oslo Fjord.

The exhibition program starts with various shows dedicated to Munch, to the different periods of his work, from paintings to woodcuts, and to the Norwegian and international artists that were/are influenced by his work. There is also a focus on the Ekely villa, the house outside Oslo where the artist spent the last 30 years of his life. Demolished in 1960, it is reconstructed in the exhibition through a multimedia installation that uses lights, sounds and moving images to tell stories from Munch's life.