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Tate Trip of a Lifetime to Norway
24 June 2024
From Finland, off I went on the amazing Tate Patrons trip to Norway. Our first stop is beautiful Bergen
Here we visit the renowned private museums and artist Hanne Friis shows us her wonderful work that rained down from the magnificent rotunda of a Norwegian historical building
We visit Kode Bergen which comprises four art museums and three composers homes. At Stenersen there was an incredible collection of indigenous artists thoughtfully curated by Abraham Cruvillegas. The show is about indigenous histories and I spot a beautiful work by Frida Kahlo “There hangs my dress” In it Kahlo expressed her heritage via depictions of Mexican craft and the traditional Huipil or Tehuana dress which originated among indigenous Zapotec women on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a stretch of land between the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz
We are lead to a special lunch at Permanenten, where collector Eriling Kagge gave us a talk on his collection exhibition “Left Hand” currently on show at the museum
Then we head to the beautiful Troldhaugen, home of composer Edvard Grieg, for a recital given by Christian Gravien. Afterwards Midge took a seat and swept us up in her dream of this romantic composer
Outside we had been given a dreamy introduction. I have subsequently been listening to Grieg’s music which feels so familiar and full of wonder
We were ushered to the next building for dinner at Michelin starred restaurant Lysverket, where Gregor gave a warm welcome speech to us all
Next day we headed to Boen Gard a boutique country hotel, where I felt very at home as it looks like Finland
Our big treat of the day was visiting the new and magnificent Kunstsilo where we are hosted for dinner by an absent Nicolai Tangen
Next day we are ushered to the incredible Kistefos where Christen Sveaas is also sadly absent but we were in awe and spot so many favourites. The magnificent “Free to Frolic” by Phillip King twisting and twirling embracing the nature
A wonderful Ida Ekblad also breathing in the nature with clashing aspects of design and hand painting
In contrast, the tense twisted metal of Carol Bove’s “Pasanasap”, fights and finally embraces, colour
We head into the in famous Twist pavilion and discover another world with a look at Hurvin Anderson’s “Barber Shop” works
A very happy curator, Kate Smith peeping through the Jeppe Hein
A beautiful scene with works by Jeppe Hein and Anish Kapoor
A wonderful work by Claes Oldenberg and van Bruggen ‘Tumbling Tacks’ rolling down the hill
Of course there has to be a Yayoi Kusama! An exemplarily sculpture “Shine of Life”
Also it would not be the same without a Jeppe Hein Bench
But what is this! A teddy bear?! Not as cute as you think! “Teddy - Beast of the Hedonic Treadmill by Fredrik Raddum
We loved the Henie Onstad museum
Where there were so many lovely sculptures as we walked along the water
Our highlight of this trip was the visit to Mellemholmen Island which is as magical as our Sarvisalo
It was lovely to catch up with Ida Ekblad and Matias Faldbakken
At the end of our trip delightful hostess Paulina Rider Wilhelmsen generously hosted us with drinks and a dinner to remember
In the meantime in the Zeppelin Museum the LuYang NETINETI ARCADE continues to tour and reaching new audiences