Kunstsilo opens 2026 with Munch – as you’ve never seen him before

When Kunstsilo opens its doors to a new exhibition year on 5 February 2026, it will be with one of Norway’s greatest artists at the centre: Edvard Munch. The exhibition Edvard Munch – Portraits offers the public a rare entry point into Munch’s artistic practice, shedding light on little-known aspects of the legendary artist.

Edvard Munch – Portraits is an adapted version of the National Portrait Gallery’s critically acclaimed exhibition, developed for Kunstsilo in close collaboration with curator Alison Smith. The exhibition is organised by the National Portrait Gallery, London, and presented by Kuntstilo. It includes several works not shown in London, among them significant pieces from Kunstsilo’s own collections.

A major event
“Kunstsilo is meant to be a place where audiences both recognise and discover something new. This exhibition provides a different and intriguing insight into Edvard Munch’s artistic output – a part of his practice that has previously been under-communicated. Being able to show so many of his portraits together, including works never before exhibited in Norway, is a major event,” says Maria Mediaas Jørstad, Director of Kunstsilo.

The exhibition presents Munch as a professional and in-demand portraitist with a rich network of family, friends, intellectuals, and artists in Norway, the Nordic region, and Germany. In contrast to the myth of the isolated genius, Munch emerges as a social and experimental artist with a profound interest in human expression, relationships, and psychological presence.

“Munch’s portraits reveal an important but often overlooked side of his art,” says curator Alison Smith. “By focusing on the artist’s portraits of family, friends, and patrons, the exhibition provides insight into the role his sitters played in shaping Munch’s art and his reputation. Many of the works are relatively unknown and will allow audiences to appreciate the social side of Munch’s practice as well as his achievements as a portrait artist,” Smith explains.

Celebrated from the very beginning – also among critics
Munch portrayed both the Kristiania Bohemian circle—friends and supporters—as well as members of the bourgeoisie, art collectors, patrons, and affluent private individuals. Among the works displayed in the exhibition are Portrait of Klemens Stang(1885-86) and the graphic work Self-Portrait with Wine (1930). Both are significant examples of Munch’s work as a portraitist. The pieces were originally acquired for Christianssands Billedgalleri, now part of Kunstsilo’s collections.

“This part of Munch’s artistic practice has often previously been treated as something secondary,” says Else-Brit Kroneberg, Head of Collections at Kunstsilo. “However, when looking at Munch’s oeuvre as a whole, it has in recent years become clear that the portraits stand out as one of his major and thoroughly explored areas of interest. His portraits attracted attention and enthusiasm from the very beginning, even among those who viewed Munch’s art with scepticism,” Kroneberg says.

Exhibition period: 5 February – 10 May 2026

Press Preview: 5 February 11 AM