The Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is a large-scale celebration of the northern sea that has shaped Norway and made the country an international actor, but also critically examines human practices on and in the sea. The exhibition includes around 140 works and objects ranging from original maps from the 15th century to contemporary works. By examining themes such as mapping and extraction, work and leisure at sea, ecology, and migration, the exhibition conveys the importance of the sea for humans across time and space.

The exhibition is part of a series of interdisciplinary exhibitions in which Henie Onstad delves into current societal issues across culture and nature.

The exhibition shows well-known and central works on loan from international and Norwegian museums, and renowned contemporary artists are invited to create new works. Among the artists shown are Gösta Adrian-Nilsson, Betzy Akersloot-Berg, Peder Balke, Anna-Eva Bergman, Anna Boberg, John Constable, Matías Duville, Arne Ekeland, Nicolaus Germanus, Iver Jåks, Theodor Kittelsen, Christian Krohg, Per Krohg, Armin Linke, Olaus Magnus, Eline Mugaas, Edvard Munch, Joar Nango, Abraham Ortelius, Trevor Paglen, Jean Painlevé, Sondra Perry, Fin Serck-Hanssen, J.M.W. Turner, Susanne Winterling and David Zink Yi.

The exhibition includes loans from several national and international institutions and private collections, including the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Tate Britain in London, The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design in Oslo, Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, The National Library in Oslo, Stiftelsen Det Norske Veritas (DNV), Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum in Tromsø and Frac Bretagne in Rennes.

The exhibition is followed by a richly illustrated catalogue with newly commissioned texts. Catalogue editors are Susanne Østby Sæther, Stefanie Hessler and Knut Ljøgodt.

We are also grateful for the support provided specifically for this exhibition by Nadia og Jacob Stolt-Nielsen Veldedige Stiftelse, Formue, Bergesenstiftelsen, Blystad Group, Leif Høegh Stiftelse, Viking and Clarksons. The catalogue is supported by Stiftelsen Fritt Ord, and the educational programme is supported by The Norwegian UNESCO Commission and Fondet for dansk-norsk Samarbeid.

This exhibition is endorsed by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development as a Decade Activity.