The conversion of the grain silo from 1935, which will house oil fund manager Nicolai Tangen’s art collection, has cost over NOK 700 million. The opening date has now been set. On 11 May, the public will be able to experience, among other things, the world’s largest private collection of Nordic modernist art. news was allowed to join the Kunstsiloen. Some work remains, but Director Reidar Fuglestad says everything we will be ready on 11 May 2024. Launched in London – It is a great pleasure to finally be able to reveal Kunstsilo’s opening date. On 11 May 2024 there will be a folk festival in Kristiansand, says the CEO of Kunstsilo, Reidar Fuglestad. The program and opening date for Kunstsilo was launched at the Norwegian Embassy’s residence in London on Thursday afternoon at 2pm Norwegian time. It’s not entirely random. Nicolai Tangen has lived and worked in London since 1992. Nicolai Tangen started buying art over 25 years ago, first works by Norwegian artists and then also Nordic ones. The collection primarily consists of Nordic art from 1920 to 1990. Photo: Håkon Eliassen / news – We have a collector who has spent many years there, and we have a Norwegian embassy in London that is very interested in this project and has given us the opportunity to to launch it there, says director Reidar Fuglestad to Aftenposten. This is the Kunstsilo case In 2015, the news came that financier, billionaire and Christian man Nicolai Tangen wanted to give away his art collection to his hometown. The Tangen collection consists of over 5,000 works, and is referred to as the largest and most important collection of Nordic modernist art from the period 1910–1990. Sørlandets Kunstsmuseum has acquired the collection through the Tangens AKO Art Foundation. (Read the agreement here) The gift from Tangen kicked off the idea of the Kunstsilo Museum on Odderøya in Kristiansand. As the public sector has taken a large part of the bill, the case has led to a heated debate in Kristiansand. Supporters believe the museum will have a major impact on social development and artistic life in the region. Opponents believe Tangen should have taken a larger part of the bill. A report from Oslo Economics concluded in 2019 that the Kunstsilo project entailed risk for the actors who finance the new museum. A month later, the historic decision to build Kunstsilo in Kristiansand was made. The art silo that has cost over 700 million opens on 12 May 2024 Culture editor reacts Karen Kristine Blågestad, culture editor at Fædrelandsvennen reacts to the fact that the home audience does not get the news first. – The opening date of the Kunstsilo itself is therefore the discerning, blasé and sophisticated art community that flies across continents and borders around the world who will be the first to know, writes Blågestad in a comment in Fædrelandsvennen. Karen Kristine Blågestad, culture editor in Fædrelandsvennen believes it is unwise not to put the launch of the opening date in Kristiansand. Photo: Geir Ingar Egeland / news She tells news that she believes the local people in Kristiansand deserved the launch of the opening date after all the turmoil the Art Silo has caused in the city. – When they launch such an important piece of news in London, it confirms something of the notion that many of the critics have had that this will be something for the elite and elite. Reidar Fuglestad does not recognize the criticism from the culture editor in Fædrelandsvennen. Photo: Geir Ingar Egeland / news Art silo director Reidar Fuglestad replies that he absolutely does not recognize himself in the criticism. – The local people in Kristiansand know us best. Therefore, the focus became to get Art Silo out into the world, and rather to give local media the opportunity to actually enter the silo – an opportunity that the international ones do not get. Ownership The foundation of the museum is the art collections belonging to the foundations Christianssands Biledgalleri, Kunstsilo and AKO art foundation. The latter owns Nicolai Tangen’s art collection, which consists of over 5,000 works. This is how the Art Silo is financed by the Ministry of Culture, NOK 175 million AKO Foundation, NOK 210 million Cultiva, NOK 100 million Loan, NOK 80 million Kristiansand Municipality, NOK 50 million Sale of existing premises, NOK 35 million (rate) Private players, sponsors (Sparebanken Sør, Sparebankstiftelsen Sparebanken Sør, etc.), NOK 30 million Vest-Agder County Municipality, NOK 25 million Aust-Agder County Municipality, NOK 5 million Total funding = NOK 710 million (SOURCE: kunstsilo.no) The works which until now have been in storage in Oslo, Stockholm and Finland, as well as at exhibitions are now in the process of being moved into the art silo. The museum will have perpetual right of disposition over the Tangen collection, but formal ownership will still remain with AKO Kunststiftelse. 200 events a year Altogether there are over 7,500 unique works that will find a new home in the converted grain silo. In the first instance, 600 of the works will go up on the wall. In addition to the art itself, the public will also be able to take part in 200 events a year. Book baths, lectures, concerts and discussions will be organised. – The new building will offer a full exhibition programme, a brasserie, bar and dining room on the top floor, a museum shop, a roof terrace with a view of the entrance and great communication rooms in a unique, architectural building, says a press release. Nordic passions The opening exhibition has been entitled “Nordic passions” and shows over 700 works from the Tangen collection. – That the art I have collected will be shown in Kristiansand has long been a dream. Kunstsilo will be a fantastic cultural arena with the ambition of making Nordic modernism accessible. I think the museum can become an important addition to the art world in the Nordics, says Tangen. A total of 7,500 works will go into the new building. 600 of them will go up on the wall. Here, work is being done on preparing the images. Photo: Siv Kristin Sællmann / news
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Controversial art silo opens in May – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
