Oslo Open was established to give artists an alternative venue to show and an opportunity to be discovered outside the established institutions. Enjoy this year’s festival next weekend, 16-17 April.
Oslo Open was established in 2000 by a collective of artists and art institutions in Oslo. The main goal of Oslo Open is to give the public the opportunity to interact with artists in a way they have never done before. They get to visit artists at their ateliers and studios to view their work in a whole new light. Guided tours are offered as well to provide extra information about the artists and their exhibitions. There are group exhibition, child friendly workshops, as well as solo exhibitions. There are also free concerts, films and lectures.Oslo Open is an unmediated event, which is what makes it as diversified and as varied as the artists themselves.
Gloves by Kirsten Opstad
Since 2014, the Oslo Open has been organizing an international study visit program, inviting gallerists, curators and collectors from all over the world to explore Oslo’s art scene.
Are we growing apart? by Jim Darbu
Oslo Open also hosts “art ambassadors” who come to Norway to represent their countries’ art and cultural development. The international visitors will have a viewing and a judging of their portfolios.
Author Lars Saabye Christensen, painting by Karen Aare
Oslo Open offers a unique and informal meetings between artists and the audience of artists’ own work. A mythical and otherwise closed room, in countless variations.
Poster from 2007
You find the artists, samples of their works and studio addresses here.
In 2015, the international program was expanded to include a “speed-dating” portfolio presentation. This year the speed dating will take place on 14 and 15 April, 12pm – 6pm both days.
The artist’s studio is usually an exclusive place, inaccessible to people outside the professional field of art. Oslo Open facilitates an unmediated meeting between a general audience and the professional artist. The festival is free and open for everyone.
Since its inception in 2000, there have been 8 editions of Oslo Open. The idea behind Oslo Open was introduced by Gavin Jantjes in 1998.
Spread your wings, bu Lirsti Aasheim
Several artists organize concerts, performances, exhibitions and other activities during Oslo Open. You can read more about these satellite events here.
“Unusual Hotels of the World” aims to recognize unique and exceptional hotels around the globe and nominated its first venue in Denmark: Copenhagen retro Hotel Alexandra. The hotel is filled with vintage furniture dedicated to such design legends as Arne Jacobsen.
The Danish retro hotel Alexandra has assembled a large collection of world-famous Danish mid-century vintage furniture and decorated the rooms with them. The rooms also have textiles, wallpapers and other gems that take you back in time to experience living like the design loving Danes did in the 50’s and 60’s, nearly 300 pieces of vintage furniture have been collected and displayed in the hotel.
Hotel Alexandra’s retro theme features the work of seven of the most renowned Danish designers, among them Finn Juhl, who made a career of reimagining the chair. Guests may also enjoy staying among gems made by Hans Wegener, Arne Jacobsen, Borge Mogensen, Nanna Ditzel and Verner Panton.
Hotel Alexandra lobby
Each suites and rooms showcase unique vintage furniture, which covers a decade of iconic Danish design, for example Finn Juhl’s long-limbed armchair, the outstretched arms of Hans Wegener’s Papa Bear armchair and Arne Jacobsen’s wooden Shaker seat and works by the eccentric designer Verner Panton. Panton is considered one of Denmark’s most influential 20th-century furniture and interior designers. During his career, he created innovative and futuristic designs in a variety of materials, especially plastics, and in vibrant and exotic colors. His style was very “1960s” but regained popularity at the end of the 20th century; as of 2004, Panton’s most well-known furniture models are still in production.
Arne Jacobsen suite
Hotel Alexandra was originally built as luxury apartments near Tivoli and the City Hall, but Alexandra has been a hotel since 1910. More than 100 years later it became Hotel Alexandra.
Unusual Hotel in Copenhagen, written by Tor Kjolberg
Spitsbergen is the largest and only permanently populated island of the Svalbard archipelago in Northern Norway. The island is served by Svalbard airport, which lies in the ‘capital’ Longyearbyen.
The best way to get around and see its unique arctic wildlife is by boat in summer, and there is plenty of opportunity to do so with adventure sailing and expedition cruises available. With just 29 miles if road, in summer ships are the best way to explore and in winter snow mobiles and dog sledding are used to get around.
Arctic tundra
The islands were named Spitsbergen, meaning pointed mountains, by the first ever European visitor. Although mainly populated by Norwegian and Russian settlements, it’s only one thousand and three hundred kilometers from the North Pole – providing an ideal starting point for many arctic explorers. It has a rich industrial history of coal mining particularly in the main town Longyearbyen, named after its most famous mining entrepreneur.
Between late November and the end of February there is 24 hour darkness because of its location, but visitors can enjoy short skidoo and sledging trips.
It’s during midsummer you have the opportunity to enjoy the incredible scenery under a midnight sun. With its incredible mountains, fjords and glaciers it’s the perfect place to partake in arctic voyages and sailing expeditions. For the more adventurous traveler, your ship-based voyage can be complimented by kayaking, snow shoe walking, end even polar diving to fully take in these amazing surroundings.
The landscape is made up of six national parks, which protects the fragile and untouched environment. With 3,000 polar bears, Spitsbergen is the only populated place in the world to have more Polar bears than people. The best time to see the wildlife is from June to September, when all are busy feeding, breeding and making the best of the summer.
Highlights include whales, seals, walrus, reindeer, arctic fox, together with millions of migratory seabirds.
Due to Spitsbergen’s northern location and clear remote skies, you have the rare opportunity to view the magical Northern Lights. The best chance to see them is during the polar night when it’s dark for 24 hours a day.
Denmark is a small country but with a wide selection of attractions and things-to-do. Why not experience a Land Rover safari among the many African animals living on the savannah in the Ree Park in Djursland on the peninsula if Jutland?
Ree park is the home of more than 800 animals of 80 species from 5 different continents. The popular tourist attraction offers its guests a comprehensive insight in the life and behavior of animals from Europe, Africa, North America, South America and Asia.
The Ebeltoft Safari is a special day out, close to the animal kingdom. In the park’s outstanding landscape, the animals coexist on almost their own terms without caging or high fences bit with lots of space in which to roam. There are open savannahs and expansive prairies, making you feel that you are in Africa, North America or Asia.
Continue the day with an entertaining bird show where the big birds fly right over your head. The animals will get even closer at feeding time. Here you will see Denmark’s only cheetahs chase their lunch or watch the many monkeys gather around for food.
Karsten Ree
The zoo was founded in 1991 by Frans Kilde Hansen and was named Ebeltoft Dyrepark. In 1993 the park was sold to Lars Thye and the name was changed to Ebeltoft Zoo. In 1998 Merete and Henrik Elsass bought the zoo and changed the name to Ebeltoft Zoo & Safari. In 2006 Karsten Ree bought the zoo and gave it the park’s present name.
Today you can experience the spotted cheetahs, the dangerous wild dogs, the big black bears, the arctic wolves, the impressive vultures and eagles, the mighty American bison, the cheeky skunks, the hot-tempered zebra, a curious ostrich – plus more than 100 different species from five continents.
Children warching lemures at Ree Park
Children will love a ride on one of the park’s big camels, and the playground is the opportunity for kids to burn off some extra energy, under the supervision of the striped Sumatra tigers, living next door. You can also get up close and touch the animals on the farm, play with the chickens, Swedish mini-pigs, goats and donkeys or watch the lemurs.
Welfare of wild animals in captivity is a key value in the vision of the park. This is why all the different species of the park live in surroundings tailored to meet their special needs and instinctive behavior.
Land Rover Safari in Denmark, compiled by Tor Kjolberg
Since the American illustrator Max Estes (38) packed his drawing gear and moved to Norway with his Norwegian wife in 2009, Norway has fascinated him and inspired him to make several children books and strips.
We have interviewed Max Estes on his fascinating life and work.
We understand that you moved to Norway in 2009. Please tell us a little about your background and how Norway has influenced your work?
I met my wife, a Norwegian writer, after she’d written a review of my first US picture book. She’d contacted me for a follow-up interview, and we simply kept talking. Not long after, we met, then we married, and I found myself living halfway around the world in Oslo.
I’d never imagined moving to Scandinavia, but was immediately taken by the rugged landscape and the traditional bright color palette of Norwegian houses. As an illustrator, the rugged and beautiful landscape was an immediate source of inspiration for me. Having grown up in the pan-flat American Midwest, Norway was a bold and exciting change of scenery.
Nusfjord, illustration by Max Estes
After living in Oslo for five years, my wife and I decided to spend some time in Lofoten. We’re presently living in a rorbu (fishermen’s shack) from the 1850’s, in the tiny fishing village of Nusfjord (population of 38). We’ve traded sidewalks, bookstores and cafes for fjords, quiet solitude, and mountains – at least until this coming June when we return south.
This time in Lofoten has been an immensely inspiring chapter in my life. Having been able to exploring this immense, bold landscape at length, has deepened my appreciation and respect for my new homeland.
You are writing books in the Norwegian tongue. How good is your Norwegian?
Since arriving in 2009, I have written and illustrated over 15 bildeboker (picture books) and tegneserier (strips) for the Norwegian market. For a relatively small country, Norway is widely known for its high caliber children’s literature. I credit Norway’s large public support for Arts. Without such support, an outsider like me may have never been given a shot to publish in his non-native tongue.
As for my language skills, after nearly seven years in Norway, my Norwegian is greatly lacking. It is a poor excuse for sure, but Norwegian’s overwhelming ability to speak English has greatly deflated my efforts to learn the language. In fact, my wife’s English grammar is probably more accurate than mine. I hope to tackle the language before I meet my 10 year mark. Oy!
Lucky for me, both my wife and my editor skillfully translate the text for my children’s books. I think and write in English, then work with Norwegians to find suitable translations.
What are you working on now? What are most important, images or words?
I’ve just completed a bildebok for my publisher Cappelen Damm, titled, Et brevs reise (Journey of a Letter). This picture book illustrates a posted letter’s journey from the United States to Norway. It’s a dizzyingly complex journey for a tiny letter to find its way from one side of the planet to another, and I thought that process would be great to illustrate. That book will be in stores in late August of 2016.
Cover illustration for ‘Journey of a Letter’
Words or images? I see them as collaborators. We SEE images and we READ text, so we experience both quite differently. Images are immediate, while text reveals its message gradually. It helps me to approach a book as a Storyteller, as opposed to an Author or an Illustrator. The story usually dictates what needs to be shown and what needs to be written as I go.
Do you have a favorite among your works?
I’m very pleased with Vi flyr Sørover (Flying South), my bildebok from 2015. In this book, I illustrated myrsniper (dunlins’) annual migration south from coastal Norway to Mauritania. For birds no larger than the human hand, this 5,000 kilometer journey is that much more impressive. I’m amazed at this extraordinary flight, and had a great time imagining what they saw and observed on their flight south.
Cover for ‘Flying South’
Who is your typical reader?
I write for children in the 3 to 7 age group.
You may see more illustrations by Max Estes here.
“Norway Fascinates Me”, Max Estes was interviewed by Tor Kjolberg
A Danish US partnership regarding water technology was launched in 4 April. The Danish company Ramboll participates in the partnership in order to help migrating water resource issues in California.
Droughts have always plagued California, but the UN Climate Panel and countless other scientists warn that climate change will worsen droughts in drought-prone regions, even rendering some areas permanently arid.
In order to avoid even more extensive problems related to the lack of water, a range of companies and utilities in both Denmark and the USA including Rambollhave formed a new forum for collaboration named Water Technology Alliance (WTA).
The alliance is formally inaugurated 4 April by Ulla Tørnæs, Danish Minister for Higher Education and Science, at the conference “Water /More for Less – Sharing knowledge and best practise from the US & Denmark”. The main purpose is to share knowledge and develop new solutions for the water-related problems caused by climate change.
Ulla Tørnæs, Danish Minister for Higher Education and Science
Achieving more together
The Danish water sector is world-leading in sustainable water resource management and avoiding non-revenue water, and Karen Kubick, director of the Wastewater Enterprise Capital Improvement Program for the City and County of San Francisco’s Public utilities Commission (SFPUC) and member of the 2015-2016 Board of Trustees for the Water Environment Federation (WEF), has been looking forward to the collaboration:
Karen Kubick, director of the Wastewater Enterprise Capital Improvement Program for the City and County of San Francisco’s Public utilities Commission (SFPUC)
“I am looking forward to sharing San Francisco’s story with our colleagues from Denmark, and learning more about their one water approach at the WATER/MORE FOR LESS program on April 4. This type of in-person cultural knowledge exchange, while rare, allows the world’s most sustainable practices to be shared and implemented across the globe so we can achieve more together,” she says in her comment prior to the conference.
Max Halkjær, Global Service Line Leader for Water Resources in Ramboll Water, also looks forward to collaborating with the other WTA members on bringing innovative solutions to the market in the Western part of the US:
Max Halkjær, Global Service Line Leader for Water Resources in Ramboll Water
“Even at this very early stage we see the benefit from working closely together. We accelerate and share our insight in the market and we use the WTA to get access to potential clients as well as the innovative environment in California,” he says.
The WTA is part of the Consulate General of Denmark with offices in Chicago and San Francisco and supported by The Danish Industry Foundation. Besides Ramboll, it consists of the companies Kamstrup, Applied Biomimetec, Danfoss, Grundfos, Smith Innovation, Skytem, DHI, and Leif Koch A/S.
Danish Water Alliance Helps Solve California’s Water Challenges, written by Michael Rothenborg and Martin Zoffmann.
This article was written for Ramboll Water. We thank the company for their kind permission to republish the article.
Arctic surfing at Unstad on the island of Lofoten in Northern Norway attracts extreme surfers from all over the world.
Even in winter it’s become a unique experience for estreme sports enthusiasts. Every year more than 1,000 surfers are visiting the island.
The Gulf Stream ensures that the water stays ice-free all year round in this stunning landscape of fjords and snow-covered mountains. Even when the air temperature is around freezing, the Norwegian Sea is about five degrees Celsius.
In this unusual tourist destination there are no sharks, but seals and killer whales, and the surfers use full body suits 5mm to 7mm thick, with hoods, boots and gloves.
You can say what you want about surf camps, but one thing is certain. They are fun and social, and at Unstad they do their very best to give you a positive and meaningful experience.
The first surf camp this year is for beginners and intermediate surfers and takes place from June 23 – 25.
Extreme Surfing in Norway, written by Tor Kjolberg
Scandinavia is the most open-minded region in the world and it’s perfectly legal in Scandinavia for nudists to swim naked, or to sunbathe either topless or completely in the nude.
What is Nudism?
Nudism is the practice of going without clothing in mixed groups and for purposes of good health or personal comfort. Governed by a strict set of rules, nudism itself is purposely non-erotic and non-sexual. It is said that nudism aids both exercise and relaxation while promoting stress relief, a positive body image and increased self-esteem. Research indicates that children who have seen their parents nude do not grow up emotionally scarred, but instead are much more likely to be accepting of their own nude bodies, and more comfortable with their own sexuality.
Nudism in Scandinavia
In 1936 Soren Sorensen created a nudist holiday camp on an island near Copenmhagen and founded the first nudist club in Scandinavia, “Sunny Sports North”.
The Scandinavian naturist campings and resorts are owned or rented by naturist aorganizations, and membership in a club associated with the International Narurist Federation is usually required for access. However, you will be heartily welcomed to a short time “test visit”.
In Denmark, nudism is allowed on 4,500 kilometers of coastline and there are four “free beaches” dedicated to naturists only.
Norway has over 20 clothes-free beaches, and Sweden offers about 60 clothes optional beaches for nudists. Signs are often used to inform beach visitors about nude-only or CO beaches.
The nude beaches are public areas where nudity is accepted, either officially or by practice. Everybody have access to these beaches.
Denmark The Danes have what may be the world’s most liberal policy regarding nudity at the beach. There are just a few beaches in the country where nudity is specifically prohibited. There are also just a few beaches that are specifically set aside for naturists.
Danish naturists by and large are circumspect about choosing where to be naked. Almost all nude bathing occurs on beaches with strong naturists traditions or on remote or peripheral areas of other beaches.
Strandguide.dkdescribes about 100 naturist places in Denmark. Almost all pages of the website are available in Danish, English and German. Of the places described, a handful are naturist camping establishments, while the rest are beaches, and the sites range from lightly visited beaches with naturist potential to popular and well established beaches.
Norway While just about any beach in Denmark can theoretically be considered a nude beach, Norway and Sweden follow a more usual model of having some beaches specifically designated for nudity and others where nudity is unofficially tolerated.
Nudism in Norway is not uncommon and widely accepted. There are about 20 declared nude beaches (“free beaches”) along Norway’s coastline and fjords at the moment. However, besides those official beaches, nudists in Norway have unlimited possibilities all over the country to take a swim in the nude without being embarrassed or embarrassing anybody. And the long coast line helps to find a private bathing spot at any time.
Norway’s offerings include five nude beaches that are in or in the immediate vicinity of the capital city of Oslo, and Huk Beach—located about 7 kilometers west of the city center—is the most popular nude beach in Norway.
Sweden In Sweden over 70 beaches are detailed (just under half are described as official nude beaches) along with eleven naturist camping establishments. Sweden has a bigger selection of nude beaches which are roughly evenly divided between coastal locations and interior lakeshore locations. There are about a dozen nude beaches within a 50 kilometer radius of the capital city of Stockholm, including several that are within the city proper.
For the first time, a European Concert of the Berliner Philharmoniker will take place in Norway, or more precisely: in a beautiful Baroque church in the mining town of Røros, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Berlin Phiharmonic Orchestra’s enthusiasm about the German-Norwegian mining history has resulted in a tailor made symphonic festive day in the Norwegian mountains.
Simon Rattle will conduct the orchestra, playing works by Edvard Grieg, Felix Mendelssohn and Ludvig van Beethoven. The soloist in Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor will be the young Norwegian Vilde Frang, who is not only a wonderful virtuoso, but also “has the knack of breathing life into every note” (BBC Music Magazine).
Vilde Frang Photo: Marco Borggreve
The event will take place on May 1 and unfortunately there are no tickets left. However, music lovers all over the world can experience the concerts via television.
May 1 is considered the birthday of the Berlin Philharmoniker. On that day in 1882 the musicians revolted against an autocratic owner and took responsibility for the operation and musical development of the orchestra.
The capasity of Bergstaden Ziir, is about 850 seats
Last year the birthday event was a concert in Acropolis, Athens.
Sensational Concert in Norway, written by Tor Kjolberg
Beneath the cool, sophisticated exterior, the Swede harbors a deep and heartfelt passion for the nature, tradition and schnapps.
Swedes have a reputation for being dry, somber and painfully serious. It is true that the average Swede is quite quiet and reserved, and that instant gushing friendliness is not commonly witnessed. But contrary to popular opinion, Swedes do have a sense of humor – one that is as elusive as Garbo and as fleeting as a Swedish summer. Swedes may seem calm and collected on the outside, but they’re every bit as prone to ribald fits of laughter as the next person, even if they do recover their solemn faces much more quickly. So remember that appearances can be deceptive: underneath that composed exterior, you’ll usually find a warm, friendly individual. And once a Swede has decided to let their guard down and befriend you, they will be a friend for life.
Blond or blue-eyed? When it comes to Sweden, popular misconceptions are rife. Think “Swede” and an image of a blue-eyed bond, no doubt sitting at the wheel of a Volvo, may well spring to mind. But only a proportion of native Swedes fit the old stereotype: Sweden today is a country of growing cultural and social diversity. In 2010 over one million of Sweden’s 9.4 million inhabitants were born abroad, the majority in Finland, the former Yugoslavia and Iraq.
However, Sweden’s traditionally tolerant outlook has been called into questions recently. The high standard of living, strong economy and cradle-to-grave welfare system enjoyed by the Swedes has come under increasing pressure, particularly following the 2008 global financial crash. Far-right groups who place the blame on immigrants have made political headway: for the first time, the anti-immigrations Sweden Democrats won 49 of the 349 parliamentary seats – nearly13 percent of the vote – in the September 2014 elections.
Children of nature It’s no exaggeration to say that Swedes are potty about nature. It’s somehow a part of the Swedish soul. They are quick to wax lyrical about the grassy plains of Skåne, expound the virtues of lakeside Dalarna and remind you that theirs is the only true wilderness left in Europe. Ask any Swede to recount tales of their childhood and they’ll dreamily recall summers spent in the country with a noticeable softening of facial expression and a faraway look in their eye.
From Lapland
Nowadays the little red cottage is Sweden’s most enduring image, and there’s nothing Swedes like better than to take off to their stuga, where they can kick off their shoes, swim naked and bond with nature.
Swedish stuga
Life in Sweden is intrinsically linked to the changing seasons. Swedish winters are famous for their darkness, longevity and Arctic temperatures. But Swedes have learnt how to make the most of it, and winter sports are popular with Swedes of all ages. They eagerly await the spring and the return of sunlight with all the excited anticipation of children at Christmas. Like hibernating animals re-emerging after winter, sun-starved Swedes are wont to stand on street corners, at crossings, in traffic lights and any other spot with a south-facing aspect, soaking up the first warming rays of spring.
This deep-rooted love of nature means that environmental concerns are a high priority in Sweden. The country plans to wean itself off oil by 2020, and car manufacturers Saab and Volvo have been forerunners in developing vehicles that run on biofuels. Sweden’s best restaurants inevitably are part of the international “slow food” movement, focusing on organic local produce and local culinary culture.
Sweden National Culinary Olympic Champions 2012
Cosmopolitan citizens of the world Despite such closeness to the countryside, Sweden is no nation of bumpkins. Its people are a true blend of the provincial and the cosmopolitan, every but at home in the concrete jungle as going barefoot at their place in the country – 85 percent of the country’s inhabitants live in an urban area.
From Gothenburg
Friendships are often sealed over schnapps. Delicately flavored with fruits or spices, schnapps is a perennial favorite and every Swede can name his or her tipple.
Swedes have a reputation for forward thinking, with Sweden deemed to be Europe’s most innovative country in 2008. Biotechnology and pharmaceuticals are a major export, and IT companies thrive: one of Skype’s two co-founders is Swedish, and the online music service Spotify is a Swedish creation.
Hans Blix
Swedes also have a strong international perspective and many of Sweden’s most (in) famous people (Dag Hammarskjöld; Olof Palme; Dr. Hans Blix, who lead the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq 2003) have loomed large in the world stage. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, in 2010 Sweden was the world’s most charitable country.
National pride Swedes have a high opinion of their country and like nothing more than to talk about Sweden itself. This is not to say that Swedes are braggarts; a more humble, self-depreciating tyribe you’d be gard pushed to find. But their modesty is merely a thin veil, and all young Swedes are well versed in the achievements of their countrymen, be it Alfred Nobel or August Strindberg. And perhaps this universal satisfaction is not so misplaced; after all, in recent times the rest of the world has come to appreciate various Swedish exports. IKEA sells Swedish homeware in 39 countries, and it is said that one in 10 Europeans was conceived in an IKEA bed!
IKEA bedroom
Culturally, Stieg Larsson’s thriller The Girl with the Dragon tattoo, The Girl who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest have sold over 50 million copies since the first book was published posthumously in 2005.
