Oslo 0194
Norway
Next year, MUNCH invites you to explore a programme ranging from Nordic icons to today’s most daring contemporary artists. Discover large installations, unexpected retrospectives and interactive experiences with art that both moves and inspires.
Paula Rego: Dance Among Thorns
April 24–August 2, 2026
Power and vulnerability, desire and anger – Paula Rego, influential political artist and feminist icon, explored these themes with a striking mix of humour and gravity. For the first time in the Nordic region, discover her vividly coloured, wildly imaginative figurative paintings in this captivating exhibition.
The Portuguese-British artist Paula Rego (1935–2022) receives her first ever large scale exhibition in the Nordic region. Her inspiration from Edvard Munch (1863–1944) is clearly visible in her colour-rich, wildly imaginative figurative paintings.
Edvard Munch and the Chocolate Factory
May 22–October 11, 2026
From the canteen at Freia, Norway’s most iconic chocolate brand, to MUNCH – step inside Edvard Munch’s historic decoration for the chocolate factory and explore the labour movement and women’s emancipation in his time. This exhibition offers a rare chance to see these vibrant works up close.
Taking the frieze of paintings Munch created for Freia as a starting point, the exhibition explores his interest in making art for public spaces, as well as the project’s broader social context. At the time, Freia both then and now – was seen as a progressive company which prioritised the wellbeing, health and welfare of its employees. Two thirds of Freia’s staff were women, and the exhibition highlights women’s campaign for rights, as both employees and human beings.
John Savio
Decemter 4, 2026–March 14, 2027
John Savio (1902–38) was a groundbreaking Sámi artist who was active in the 1920s and 30s. He is especially known for his expressive woodcuts and paintings, which depicted Sámi culture and everyday life as he knew it.
Through his art, Savio challenged stereotypical and racist images of Sámi culture, and called for resistance against the discrimination and state-imposed “Norwegianisation” policies of his age. This made him an important voice in the wider political movement for Sámi independence.
MUNCH will also host an exciting set of exhibitions that expand the museum’s perspectives this season. Kim Hankyul unveils a large-scale, technologically intricate installation in his SOLO OSLO exhibition. In Munch’s drawings, you can let your imagination flow as artificial intelligence connects your digital drawings with Edvard Munch’s archival works, opening a playful and unexpected bridge between past and present. And Katharina Grosse invites visitors to think anew through her vibrant spray-painting practice.
