Press release -
INPEX IDEMITSU NORGE CONTINUES ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH MUNCH, IN A NEW COMPREHENSIVE AGREEMENT
A new five-year agreement has been signed between INPEX Idemitsu Norge AS and MUNCH. INPEX Idemitsu has a long tradition of social commitment, and the partnership has a history that spans over 30 years.
With the new agreement, INPEX Idemitsu has contributed over 100 million NOK since the collaboration started in 1991. The company has been central to realizing several big projects. This includes the structural rehabilitation of the old museum, the conservation of the paintings The Scream and Madonna after the robbery of the paintings in 2004, and ambitious exhibitions with Edvard Munch in artist meetings with Van Gogh, Jasper Johns, and Robert Mapplethorpe. In 2019, five Japanese cherry trees were planted in front of the museum in Bjørvika to mark the partnership. The opening of the new MUNCH, with an extensive and varied program content, is also one of the highlights.
Formerly Idemitsu has a long history as a partner of MUNCH. In the early 1990s, the Munch Museum's director Alf Bøe, was looking for financial backers for the expansion of the museum building at Tøyen. During a trip to Japan, Bøe was introduced to the founder of Idemitsu, who had a special interest in art, with a great commitment to the artist, Edvard Munch.
- The fact that our contributions have helped to strengthen the exhibition program over the years and have made it possible for MUNCH to reach new audiences both in Norway and abroad, is fantastic to be part of. With the new MUNCH on Oslo's waterfront, Edvard Munch's art has finally gotten the place it deserves. MUNCH aims to provide opportunities for completely new cultural experiences and perspectives. On behalf of our employees and partners, we appreciate the opportunity to be inspired by one of Norway's greatest artists. Being able to contribute to preserving our cultural heritage is a privilege that we are grateful for, says Yuki Ikeda, Managing Director of INPEX Idemitsu Norge.
- We are honoured that the new company, INPEX Idemitsu Norge, will continue the long and good partnership with MUNCH. This helps us maintain a high level of activity, and an exhibition program that will benefit both the city's residents and visitors from all over the world. We are very much looking forward to working together in the coming years, says Tone Hansen, director at MUNCH.
INPEX Idemitsu Norge is a subsidiary of the INPEX Corporation, Japan's largest oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) company. INPEX Idemitsu started its operations in Norway in 1989 under the Idemitsu name, but last year INPEX Norge and Idemitsu Petroleum Norge (IPN) together became INPEX Idemitsu Norge, after INPEX acquired a share majority from IPN’s Japanese owners.
MUNCH is home to the world's largest collection of works by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. 22 October 2021, MUNCH will open in a brand new building on Oslo’s waterfront. The bespoke structure, designed by estudio Herreros, will house more than 26,000 works that Edvard Munch bequeathed to the City of Oslo. The museum also manages collections donated by Rolf Stenersen, Amaldus Nielsen and Ludvig Ravensberg.
The new museum will trace the artist’s profound influence both on modern art and on artists through to the present day. Alongside displays of iconic artworks from the renowned permanent collection, temporary exhibitions will show Edvard Munch’s lasting influence in his own contemporary society, as well as on today’s generation of artists.
Visitors will experience the highlights of Edvard Munch’s oeuvre, in parallel with a wide-ranging programme of cultural events and experiences for visitors of all ages. From its location in Bjørvika, with unparalleled views of the Oslo Fjord, the museum will offer an extensive program of art and cultural experiences across thirteen floors.
