Snøhetta concieve 'Mapplethorpe + Munch' at the Munch Museum

The similarities between the Norwegian expressionist painter Edvard Munch and the American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe come under scrutiny at via the Munch Museum’s latest exhibition and catalogue, designed by Snøhetta.

(Image credit: Calle Huth)

The unexpected and previously unexplored parallels between the work of Edvard Munch and Robert Mapplethorpe are the subject matter of a new exhibition – ’Mapplethorpe + Munch’ – at Oslo’s Munch Museum, designed by international architecture and brand design firm Snøhetta.

The fourth in an ambitious series of six ’+ Munch’ exhibitions at the Norwegian museum, this latest installments marks perhaps the most surprising – if not most ‘contemporary’ – pairing yet (previous ’+ Munch’ dialogues have featured the work of Munch-era artists like Van Gogh and Vigeland). But despite their many differences, similarities arise between the Norwegian expressionist painter and the American photographer, due in great part to the medium in which they are presented.

Both the exhibition and the catalogue follow the flow of curator Jon-Ove Steihaug’s essay, which compares and contrasts the two artists. To begin the exhibition, Snøhetta have created a cleansing threshold of large-scale, shredded banners. Emblazoned with the exhibition’s title, the banner’s graphic, bold black and white lettering plays with perspective as you pass through, making the once clear title an abstract and near indistinguishable start. ‘The transition from ordinary life into the fictitious world of art thus becomes both a sensory and mind-cleansing experience,’ explains the design firm.

Colour plays an active role throughout the exhibition itself; not in the traditional sense of the art (most all of the 141 photographs of Mapplethorpe’s on show are in black and white, with only a sparing few of Munch’s 95 pieces employing colour) but in the walls on which it hangs. A deep blueish-grey tint serves as the main canvas, contrasted sharply by the fleshy pink hue of the first room and exit. Partition walls running parallel with the longest walls of the museum are painted white, in sharp juxtaposition with the sombre black walls that accommodate the most controversial images on show.

Also responsible for the design of an accompanying catalogue, Snøhetta have devised a concept that mirrors the exhibition’s bold colour choices, most readily on the cover. The same pink tint of the entrance features here, balanced with the shredded banner’s graphic font in debased black foil and double portrait. The inner layout features images gravitating towards the bottom of the pages, with generous space above allowing the contrasts in both artists’ work to stand clear. Technical information at the back of the book gains a new, textural dimension with the use of matte paper.

Exhibition hall — Both the exhibition and the catalogue follow the flow of an essay by curator Jon-Ove Steihaug, which compares and contrasts the two artists.

Wall of various different black and white fonts — To begin the exhibition, Snøhetta have created a cleansing threshold of large-scale, shredded banners. ‘The transition from ordinary life into the fictitious world of art thus becomes both a sensory and mind-cleansing experience,’ they explain.

3 pieces of art work on the wall — Colour plays an active role throughout; not in the traditional sense of the art, but in the walls on which it hangs. A deep blueish-grey walls serve as the main canvas of the exhibition, contrasted sharply by the fleshy pink hue of the first room and exit.

Open art book — The inner layout of the accompanying catalogue features images gravitating towards the bottom of the pages, with technical information at the back of the book gaining a new, textural dimension with the use of matte paper.

Exhibition hall with various sized paintings on the wall — This is the first time the work of Munch and Mapplethorpe have been displayed in this way.

Art book, open with female drawings — Also responsible for the design of an accompanying catalogue, Snøhetta have devised a concept that mirrors the exhibition’s bold colour choices.

Exhibition wall with 3 various sized photo frames — Partition walls running parallel with the longest walls of the museum are painted white.

Three paintings hanging on a wall — These sit in sharp juxtaposition with the sombre black walls that accommodate the most controversial images.

INFORMATION

’Mapplethorpe + Munch’ is on view until 29 May. For more information, visit the Munch Museum’s website

ADDRESS

Munch Museum
Tøyengata 53
0578 Oslo