MUNCH announces 2027 exhibition programme

Highlights include:

• Internationally acclaimed Scottish writer Ali Smith curates an exhibition developed in dialogue with her forthcoming book on Edvard Munch;
• A major exhibition of Claude Monet, exploring his interpretations of wild landscapes alongside carefully cultivated gardens;
• An exhibition where the Norwegian musical artist girl in red’s music meets Edvard Munch’s vibrant paintings;
• A major installation by Oslo-based artist Damien Ajavon, as part of MUNCH’s SOLO OSLO series

Norwegian Summer

girl in red & Edvard Munch

05.02.2027 – 09.05.2027

Light summer evenings, sunbathers on smooth rocks and melancholic sunsets set the mood as girl in red’s music meets Edvard Munch’s vibrant paintings. Marie Ulven, better known as girl in red, has composed Norwegian Summerespecially for this exhibition. She was inspired by a selection of Munch paintings that appear, perhaps uncharacteristically, light and joyous ease. Discover Munch's paintings in an exhibition where light and darkness unite with sound and colour, in an extraordinary encounter with the music of girl in red.

The exhibition is curated in collaboration with Trine Otte Bak Nielsen, Senior Curator at MUNCH.

Monet - Wild and Tamed

19.02.2027 – 23.05.2027

Bringing together nearly 60 works by one of the defining figures of modern art, Monet – Wild and Tamed explores a central tension in the artist’s work: the relationship between so-called wild landscapes, and those shaped by human intervention. Focusing on the final four decades of Monet’s career, the exhibition traces his journeys along the mediterranean coastline, through Brittany, the Creuse Valley, and to wintry Norway; these rugged landscapes are contrasted with the carefully cultivated world of the garden he developed at Giverny, which became his principal subject from the mid-1890s onwards. Monet’s water lilies – among the most iconic images in modern art – are richly represented in the exhibition, which draws on major loans from museums and private collections across Europe and the United States.

The exhibition is presented in collaboration with Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris, which houses the world’s largest collection of Monet works, and is curated by Professor Richard Thomson, a leading specialist in Monet and 19^th century French art, in collaboration with Jon-Ove Steihaug, Senior Curator at MUNCH.

SOLO OSLO

Damien Ajavon

26.06.2027 - 24.10.2027

SOLO OSLO is a central part of MUNCH's commitment to contemporary art, focusing on the next generation of artists in Oslo. Previous editions have showcased emerging artists such as Sandra Mujinga, Constance Tenvik and Kim Hankyul. For the sixth edition, Damien Ajavon (b. 1990) takes over the exhibition space on the museum’s 10th floor with a new installation. Ajavon is celebrated for their textile works exploring personal and cultural narratives. Rooted in African and Western traditions and queer communities, Ajavon’s work bridges generations of African craftsmanship with diasporic and transoceanic perspectives. The exhibition is curated by Tominga O´Donnell, Senior Curator/Head of Contemporary Art at MUNCH.

Ali Smith on Edvard Munch – The Door of the Story

01.07.2027–10.10.2027

In The Door of the Story, Ali Smith brings her distinctive way of seeing to Edvard Munch’s work, uncovering unexpected connections and details – narratives that might otherwise remain unseen. Through her eyes, familiar works appear transformed, while lesser-known works open doors onto surprising and thought-provoking new stories. The Door of the Story features 83 works from MUNCH’s collection, including paintings, prints, drawings and watercolours, including several works on paper which have never previously been exhibited.

The exhibition is curated in collaboration with Trine Otte Bak Nielsen, Senior Curator at MUNCH. The book is published by MUNCH Publishing.

Notes to editors

For more information on all forthcoming exhibitions, visit MUNCH.