Exhibition

Passions of the North

Buy ticket
Franciska Clausen, Contrastes des formes, 1927. Tangen-samlingen. ©Franciska Clausen/BONO
Franciska Clausen, Contrastes des formes, 1927. Tangen-samlingen. ©Franciska Clausen/BONO
11 May 2024
2. etasje / 4. etasje
Ticket information

Entrance tickets gives you access to Kunstsilo and all of our exhibitions.

Passion's of the North is the very first exhibition in our unique and completely renovated silo. Kunstsilo houses the Tangen Collection, comprising over 5,000 works amassed over 25 years by Nicolai Tangen

Passions of the North showcases the richness of the Tangen Collection, presenting a wide variety of representative works that reflect the impact of modern art across the five Nordic countries. This exhibition, curated by Åsmund Thorkildsen, offers the largest display of the Tangen Collection under one roof, featuring over 600 works from the collection. The exhibition takes visitors on a diverse journey through 20th century Nordic art.

How is art influenced by society and the lives we live?

Nordic Modernism refers to the artistic movement that flourished in the Nordic region throughout the 20th century. In an era marked by significant changes in art, culture, and society, Nordic artists were influenced by global currents. They often explored the tension between modern urban life and the traditional, stable life back home in the Nordics.

The Outward Longing and The Way Back

For the modern artist in the 20th century, passion was a major driving force. They lived in a world of great change. A desire for exploration and the need for development led Nordic artists out into the world during Modernism. Experiences and insights were expressed through their art. In vibrant cities like Berlin, Munich, Paris, London, and New York, they engaged with the form and content of modern art.

Several artistic movements flourished in the Nordic region during the 20th century. In a period marked by radical change in art, culture, and society, many Nordic artists headed to Europe’s major metropolises to take part in international and experimental art movements. But despite this longing outward, many discovered a sense of wonder for their roots and identity, eventually returning to the traditional and stable ways of life in the countries they called home.

Interest in new technology and politics, along with major questions about humanity's and art's place in the new world, were central themes for Modernist artists - and perhaps feel just as relevant today?

“It’s hard to pinpoint why, but I like the universal abstract language in Concrete Art. It doesn’t tell you what you are looking at, or are meant to understand, but instead challenges you to think and feel.”

- Nicolai Tangen

“The Norwegian collection is, of course, leading in terms of the number of artworks, but the Swedish, Finnish, and Danish collections also have a representation that is unparalleled in museum collections in the Nordic countries. Kristiansand is fortunate to display the world’s foremost collection of Nordic art in Kunstsilo.”

- Bo Nilsson, curator, and artistic director of Artipelag, Stockholm

Kunstsilo opened on 11th May 2024, and Passions of the North is Kunstsilo's inaugural exhibition.

The exhibition is curated by Åsmund Thorkildsen, a renowned Norwegian museum leader, curator, and author with a background from Kunstnernes Hus, and former director of both the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art and The Museum of Drammen of Art and Cultural History.

Exhibition period

The exhibition is initially set across three floors, each to be dismantled at different times. The last date to experience the entire exhibition was Sunday, August 25.

“TIVOLI” in S-Lab will remain until November 3.

The rest of the second floor will mostly stay up until the end of the year, with the last chance to see the entire floor on January 2, 2025, before half of it is replaced by Mette Tronvoll’s “Analog” exhibition.

Half of the fourth floor will also be taken down on November 3, 2024, to make room for the Sparebanken Sør Art Prize, with the remainder staying until April 20, 2025.

Other exhibitions

Kunstsilo

Sjølystveien 8, 4610 Kristiansand Norway [email protected]

Phone: +47 38 07 49 00 calls are answered between 11 AM and 5 PM


Postal adress

Kunstsilo Sjølystveien 8 4610 Kristiansand NORWAY

Opening hours

Exhibitions and Shop Mon, Tue, Sat and Sun: 11am – 5 pm Wed, Thu and Fri: 11 am – 9 pm

Brasserie, Main floor Mon-Sat: 11 am - 10 pm Sunday: 11 am - 7 pm

Panorama, 9th floor Mon, Tue, Sat and Sun: 11 AM - 5 PM

Wed, Thu, Fri: 11 AM - 9 PM

Kunstsilo logo Tangen samlingen logo