June at Oslo Kunstforening

Summer is approaching, and at Oslo Kunstforening, we are using the month of June to dive into our extensive archive, which we will make accessible and activate in connection with our 190th anniversary in 2026. At the same time, we invite you to a book launch with Lotte Konow Lund in collaboration with Kode Bergen, and a performance by young artists Frid Ding and Elias Elvegaard in collaboration with TekstLab. Read more about the events below.

Over nearly 190 years, artworks, printed materials, and other items have accumulated in drawers, cabinets, and attics at Rådmannsgården, the home of Oslo Kunstforening. In June, we are using the exhibition space as a workspace for all the historical material we’ve uncovered and continuing the process of systematizing and digitizing our archive. At the heart of this effort is our exhibition history, featuring hundreds of artist names. We’ve already made several exciting discoveries and look forward to sharing them with you soon.

At the same time, various questions arise. What responsibility do art institutions like Oslo Kunstforening have for the preservation, accessibility, and digitization of archival material? What has been preserved, and what do we choose to show? These reflections will be central as we prepare to exhibit our archive in a dedicated exhibition in 2026. Because what does 190 years of history really mean for an art association? What have we been, what are we now – and what lies ahead?

As a non-commercial venue for contemporary art and the oldest membership-based cultural association in Norway, our members form the foundation of our organization and enable us to continue offering an artistic program that emphasizes new productions, experimentation, and the dissemination of contemporary art. If you wish to support our work, we warmly welcome you as a member of Oslo Kunstforening. Together, we can ensure that Oslo Kunstforening remains a vital institution in the city of Oslo – for many years to come.

Book Launch and Conversation: Lotte Konow Lund – Det hun sa
Wednesday 25 June 18–19.30

Lotte Konow Lund has an ongoing collaboration with Oslo Kunstforening on the popular conversation series Kunst og litteratur, where she interviews visual artists and others about books and art. This time, we invite Konow Lund to be the one interviewed – about her critically acclaimed exhibition and the accompanying publication Det hun sa, which can be experienced at Kode until 24 August 2025.

Lotte Konow Lund has been a prominent voice in the Norwegian art scene since the beginning of her career over thirty years ago. The extensive exhibition Det hun sa presents her socially engaged artistic practice through drawing, painting, video, sculpture, and installations. The exhibition is accompanied by a publication featuring texts by, among others, the exhibition’s curator Ana María Bresciani, author Cecilie Løveid, and journalist and author Lena Lindgren. The book is designed by Plantas Studio by João Doria de Souza and published by Fagbokforlaget.

The conversation is organized in collaboration with Kode. More information will be available closer to the event.

Performance and Conversation: Frid Ding and Elias Elvegaard
Thursday 26 June 18–20

In connection with Oslo Pride, young artists Frid Ding and Elias Elvegaard from TekstLab Inkubator will share performance-based works in progress. Their pieces exist at the intersection of visual art, text, movement, and sound. The evening will conclude with a panel conversation featuring invited guests.

TekstLab is an interdisciplinary development platform and a resource center for creative artistic processes and new productions. Frid Ding and Elias Elvegaard are part of TekstLab Inkubator – a talent development program for young creative and performing artists working in the independent arts field. The event is part of Oslo Pride and Skeive Scener, and is presented this year in collaboration with TekstLab and Oslo Kunstforening.

More information about the panel conversation will be announced closer to the event.