kunstsilo opens in southern norway as a converted grain silo

Kunstsilo, a new museum of Nordic Art in Southern Norway

A new museum of Nordic Art will open tomorrow to the public in Kristiansand, Southern Norway. Kunstsilo, an expansive three floor, 8,500 square-meter building, emerges on the waterfront in the peninsula of Odderøya, and integrates for the first time the Southern Norway Art Museum and the prestigious Tangen Collection of Nordic art, making it the largest of its kind in the region. Mestres Wåge Arquitectes, BAX, and Mendoza Partida have undertaken this extensive heritage preservation project which transforms the functionalist grain silo, designed in 1935 by architects Arne Korsmo and Sverre Aasland, into a cultural venue.

all images © Alan Williams, unless stated otherwise

converting a grain silo into an expansive art program

Offering panoramic views of the region’s coastline, the Kunstsilo museum showcases three art collections and digital art experiences, and will host a range of international touring exhibitions. The building’s focus remains the still visible 30 grain silos which act as a central navigation point for the visitor, creating a vast entrance hall and access to natural light throughout. On top of the museum, the teams at Mestres Wåge Arquitectes, BAX, and Mendoza Partida add a new glass covered bar and event spaces that provides views of the archipelago.

Kunstsilo is a new museum of Nordic Art in the peninsula of Odderøya

Kunstsilo’s inaugural exhibition ‘Passions of the North’, drawn exclusively from the Tangen Collection of Nordic art (closing Autumn 2024) is inspired by conceptual themes from literary giants such as Thomas Hardy and Virginia Woolf. Unfolding through 25 rooms, each adorned with distinctive moods and pastel colors, the exhibition includes over 600 works made between 1910 – 1990, emphasizing a multifaceted perspective on Modern Nordic art and its reflection of life in the rapidly changing 20th century. Additionally, Kunstsilo offers a dynamic programme of international touring exhibitions commencing with ‘Playing with Fire: Edmund de Waal and Axel Salto’ (26 September 2024 – 2 March 2025) an international collaboration between the English artist Edmund de Waal, Kunstsilo, and CLAY Museum of Ceramic Art Denmark. This will be followed by a solo exhibition of Norway’s leading photographic artist Mette Tronvoll (January 2025).

transforming a functionalist grain silo, designed in 1935

The museum is also committed to showcasing new technology, including an ambitious digital art experience titled ‘S-Lab’, an interactive and immersive environment which showcases work from the Kunstsilo collection, bringing each artwork to life for all visitors. For the opening the in-house innovation department have developed an interactive version of the painting ‘Tivoli’ (1935) by Norwegian artist Reidar Aulie. The digital experience moves and interacts turning a 2D artwork into a rich 3D content experience. Additionally, an augmented reality tour has been developed for ‘Passions of the North’ aimed at family audiences.

close up view of the converted grain silo