Press release -
MUNCH Commissions Exclusive New Performance Art Series
A musical exploration of queerness, intensity and the rapture of the dancefloor in March 2022 will be the first in a new series of specially commissioned performance art at MUNCH. The museum is launching a programme of four brand new commissioned works every year, featuring both Norwegian and international multidisciplinary artists. This ambitious project is designed to give visitors an exciting taste of the intersection of dance, music, sound and visual art.
MUNCH already has a long and proud history of showcasing live arts. But with this new series, the museum extends its commitment, treating performance as a separate discipline in its own right, rather than an accompaniment to existing exhibitions. As the series unfolds, it will provide international opportunities for Norwegian multidisciplinary artists, and open up the experience of performance art to wider audiences.
The first commission in 2022 is Not Yet by the adventurous saxophonist Bendik Giske. Inspired by the intensity of club culture and the rapture that can be generated on a crowded dancefloor, the piece explores the concept of queerness, asserting that it is a quality that belongs to everyone.
With his strenuous circular breathing technique, Bendik Giske is known for exploring the limits of his instrument and his body. Giske’s piece will transform MUNCH’s largest performance space, Festsal, into a reflective space, creating an immersive experience with light and sound. Giske uses saxophone, voice and breath to delve into different ideas of the future. Is it possible to imagine a form of universal queerness? ‘I approach music as if it were an object in a room that it is possible to move in and out of, where you decide for yourself how to engage – from feet planted firmly on the ground to exuberance,’ says Giske.
Other commissioned artists confirmed for 2022 include Canadian artist Brendan Fernandes and Swedish sound artist Catherine Christer Hennix (co-commissioned with Blank Forms gallery in New York). Each performance in the series will be accompanied by artist talks and video productions.
‘MUNCH’s new series of performance commissions builds a bridge between the live art productions in Munchmuseet’s past and the ambitious contemporary programme we are planning for all the different spaces in the fabulous new building in Bjørvika,’ says Tominga O’Donnell, Senior Curator of Contemporary Art.
‘These performances form a central part of our new extensive live programme,’ says Ingrid Moe, Head of MUNCH Live. ‘We look forward to working closely with artists ondeveloping new work and ensuring that these commissions also reach international audiences.’
Bendik Giske’s Not Yet has its world premiere at MUNCH in the museum’s Festsal on 3 and 4 March. Duration: approx. 60 minutes. Further information: here
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.
