Former Power - New Life. A Meeting Between Industrial Memories and Modern Times

Outdoor Exhibition, Rådhusplassen Oslo

1 July - 30 August

Photographer Bård Løken has travelled from Melbu in the north to Sjølingstad in the south using his camera to study and interpret ten decommissioned industrial sites.  He has given functional industrial equipment a new expression.  The relationship between large and small has been distorted, and small mechanical lids and fittings have been blown up to acquire human-like features.  Turbines, gear wheels and crank handles have been enhanced as geometric shapes.  Rust, timber and metal have become colours and surfaces.  The industrial power of the past has acquired new life through the eyes of the photographer.

This exhibition has been designed by the architect Julia Yran.  By using architectural materials from former industrial sites as her basis, she has created a space which serves to emphasise the historical process of change taking place in the field of industrial power.  The innovative technology of one age becomes redundant and is abandoned in the next.  She has therefore selected materials that will change during the course of the exhibition.  The wooden floor will become splintered and the frames around the pictures will rust.  Former Power - New Life shows how we live with loss and create new worlds from the footprints of the past.

Visit the Museums

All the ten factories are now run as museums. They are open all summer and worth a visit.  Follow the link below for information in English and a map showing all the locations.

http://loype.kulturminneaaret2009.no/kulturminneloyper/former-power-new-life.-a-meeting-between-industrial-memories-and-modern-times

The Ten Artists and Industrial Sites

Næs Ironworks and Kjell Erik Killi Olsen

Næs Ironworks was established in 1665.This ironworks produced wrought iron, beautiful stoves, tools, quality steel and the like.  There were many ironworks along the coast of south-eastern Norway. The Næs works had its own community of workers and their livestock, and included a school, a general store and a poor relief fund. Tvedestrand served as a port for the works, and charcoal was provided by local farmers. The young theologian Jacob Aall purchased Næs in 1799 and turned it into a model works. Work was hard and sometimes scorching hot. Wet sacking was the only protection available. The charcoal blast furnace was closed down in 1909.  Steel production continued in the traditional manner until the works’ dam was swept away by a flood in 1959. The Næs Ironworks Museum opened in 1992.

Kjell Erik Killi Olsen is a Norwegian painter, illustrator, graphic artist and sculptor.  He is particularly well-known for  his simple, but distinctive, sculptures and colourful paintings which often depict humanoid, grotesque and humorous fantasy figures inspired by contemporary design and exotic art.  Killi Olsen was educated at the National Academy of Art and the Polish Academy of Art and has held exhibitions all over the world.

Kjell Erik Killi Olsen visited the Næs Ironworks Museum during the spring and was inspired by the facility, the Aall family's park, the history of the works and not least by Madame Lovise Andrea Aall.  He has created a series of sculpture models, 20 of which were exhibited at the Næs Ironworks Museum in June. 

The Spillum Steam Sawmill and Planing Mill and "minor"

The mill was established in Namsos in 1884, at a time when the forestry industry was undergoing rapid development. This profitable mill was set up by timber merchant Peter Torkilsen in collaboration with forest owners to produce timber and prefabricated buildings, such as fishermen’s sheds and schools. Work at this fairly typical medium-sized mill was highly specialised and jobs were often passed down from father to son. Torkilsen took good care of his 20-45 employees and built a library and swimming pool which utilised hot water from the steam engine. The mill was gradually modernised after 1939 and started using electricity in 1947. Operations ceased in 1986, but were subsequently resumed when the Norwegian Sawmill Museum opened in 1991. 

The artist Eli Nordbø and Hans Otto Minge make out tha alias minor. Eli Nordbø is first and foremost a textile artist, educated at the SHKS (the Norwegian National Academy of Craft & Art Industry) in Oslo and the Polish Academy of Art.  She has gradually developed her field of specialisation to include several different techniques and materials.  During the last few years she had started using everyday textiles in order to become familiar with new contexts.  Hans Otto Minge is a qualified painter and graphic artist whose work also covers a broad range of disciplines, including collages and material pictures.  Minge and Nordbø live together and have been working together for many years. 

Their work has resulted in a cooperative project entitled "minor" which is exhibited every now and then following its debut at the Old Vicarage at Hå in 1996. 

minor has produced several wood carvings from Spillum which focus on people, products and the forest.  These sculptures will be exhibited at the Nord-Trøndelag County Art Gallery of Fine Arts throughout the month of August.

The Salhus Knitwear Factory and Maria Rodrigues  

This factory was established near Bergen in 1859 by a young entrepreneur from Slesvig. Knitted textiles were a product of the modern times, and Salhus was Norway’s first fully mechanised knitwear factory. Underwear, swimwear and socks bearing the Krone-Makko brand name were some of the products that were shipped out from the small fjord-side harbour. Salhus quickly grew to become a small commercial town, where the director’s residence had a prominent place. The owners exercised patriarchal authority over the small community, meting out equal measures of fear and care, and there were few labour conflicts. The factory withstood several crises, but by 1989 it had become unprofitable due to international competition. The Norwegian Knitting Industry Museum opened in 2001.

Maria Rodrigues is a textile artist, educated at the Norwegian National Academy of Craft & Art Industry.  She grew up in Madeira.  She has written several unusual, rather racy books about recycling.  She creates installations and garments made from recycled objects and textiles.  Language forms an important aspect of her visual narrative style, along with flowers, lace, patterns and beautiful materials.  Maria is a lucid storyteller and a powerful communicator. 

At Salhus Maria has delved into the history of the facility by interviewing former workers and collecting clothes that have been manufactured at the factory. She has created several large installations that will be on permanent display at the Norwegian Knitting Industry Museum.

The Kistefos Pulp Mill and Hanne Tyrmi

This mill opened at Jevnaker in 1890, when the wood processing industry was undergoing rapid developments.The mill’s founder, Anders Sveaas, realised that this was an ideal location for a new pulp mill due to the area’s large spruce forests, log driving opportunities, the power from the Kistefoss waterfall, and the new Randsfjord Railway. It was not long before 70 families were living at the isolated mill. Although their work was heavy and hazardous, the pay was better than elsewhere and their jobs were safe. There were no labour conflicts until the 1930s, when major clashes occurred between strike-breakers and the trade unions. In 1953 production was farmed out to Follum Fabrikker. The Kistefos Museum, which is both an industrial museum and an art gallery, opened in 1996.

Hanne Tyrmi is an artist who expresses herself boldly by employing a diversity of visual languages.  Art critic Gavin Janetes has written the following about her: she is a visual polyglot who allows sculptures, installations, videos and photos to invade our feelings like a friendly virus.  Her work is infectious, prompting us to adopt a healthy resistance to modern-day discontent.

At Kistefos Hanne has worked with metaphors at micro level.  She discusses natural resources such as silver heirlooms and how people have used them by creating an installation consisting of silver pine needles and anthills. 

The Sjølingstad Woollen Mill and Bente Knudsen Sanden   

The mill was founded in 1894 by the Lutheran school teacher August Hoven. Hoven knew little about running a mill, but he succeeded in raising enough money to establish this small factory community in the uplands near Mandal. In 1893 the first girls arrived to join workers from the village in producing wool, rugs and textiles for the clothing industry. Hoven was a fatherly manager, and set up a local bank, a village shop, a post office, and a school. In its heyday the factory had 90 employees, around half of whom were women. The premises were pleasant enough, although the winters were cold, and the machinery was noisy. Operations were wound down in the 1960s due to fierce competition. The factory closed in 1986, but was reopened shortly afterwards as a museum factory. 

Bente Knudsen Sanden's artwork stems from a tradition dating back several thousand years and which still has plenty of room for innovative ideas and new forms of expression.  Her work is highlighted by her knowledge of textiles and techniques that enables her to develop reliefs and high-quality sculptures.  She explores the boundaries between various types of artistic techniques, moves along these boundaries and investigates the possibilities of exceeding them in order to expand her scope.

Bente Knudsen Sanden was educated at the Norwegian National Academy of Craft & Art Industry in Oslo in 1985.  She has participated in a number of group and collective exhibitions, and has also held separate exhibitions, undertaken decorative assignments, been involved in public procurement and received several grants.  At Sjølingstad she reflects on what is worth taking care of and what is worth remembering.

The Klevfos Cellulose and Paper Factory and Jørn Rønnau 

Founded in 1988, Klevfos was Norway’s smallest cellulose factory, but the first to process paper from cellulose. Making paper from wood fibre demanded new technology. The factory was well-known locally for its distinctive smell. Klevfos and the neighbouring iron foundry formed the backbone of the Ådalsbruk industrial site, which comprised active clubs, shops, cafés, a local Labour Party branch, and a book collection. Workers were often recruited from the active local Crofter’s Service. After 20 years of operations the original wooden building burned down. It was replaced by a new brick building where operations continued until the factory was closed down in 1976. The Klevfos Industrial Museum opened in 1986.

The Danish artist Jørn Rønnau is a sculptor and landscape artist.  He is an innovative, amusing and imaginative artist who works closely with nature and the landscape.  He has had several separate exhibitions and has been involved in a number of landscape projects, both as a participant and as a project manager.  During the last few years he has spent a lot of time working in Norway.  One of his main works was created in 2007 for the Sti for Øye outdoor art gallery in Fossum, and in 2008 he created five landscape sculptures for the Sculpture Path at Bru near Stavanger.  Jørn Rønnau has held numerous lectures on art and nature both at home and abroad.  At Klevfos Jørn has used paper as the material for his sculpture.  His heart-shaped case has been carved from a pile of sheets of paper; one sheet for each person who has worked at Klevfos.  It has been installed at Klevfos as a permanent decorative feature. 

The Neptun Herring Oil Factory and Kalle Grude

Neptun was built in 1910 in Melbu, an important fisheries centre in northern Norway.  This extensive modern facility occupied the whole island of Svinøya.  The factory, which produced herring oil and fish meal, had between 40 and 60 employees.  The characteristic smell emitted by the plant was called the “money smell”.  Much of the facility was destroyed by fire in 1946 and processing was subsequently carried out in the open air.  During the 1970s herring stocks were almost wiped out due to overfishing.  The factory then switched over to capelin-based production, but when capelin stocks also became depleted the factory closed down in 1986.  The equipment was sold to Morocco for the production of fish meal.  The Norwegian Fishing Industry Museum opened in 1991.

Kalle Grude is a sculptor educated at the Oslo School of Architecture and the National Academy of Art.  He work derives from a conceptual tradition and he employs various media.  He has been actively involved in art circles since the end of the 1980s.  During the last few years he has undertaken work that is closely associated with architecture, e.g. he has been involved in designing the marble roof of the new Opera Hall in Bjørvika.  Since 2004 he has been a Professor of Art at the Bergen School of Architecture.  At Neptun, Grune has focused on northern swearing.  With his installation at Neptun he is hoping to reinstate one important aspect that is lacking at the site: the workers and their language. 

The Fetsund Log Booms and Morten Juvet 

The log booms extend 2.5 km downstream along the River Glomma and were a key feature of the log driving industry in eastern Norway for 125 years. The site comprises houses, workshops, boats and log booms.  Timber has been transported along the River Glomma for at least 500 years. The Fetsund Log Booms were built in 1861 following growth in forestry-associated industries.  During the record season in 1917 almost 15 million logs passed through the booms, guided by 300 log drivers.  This seasonal work, which was often hereditary, constituted an important source of income for the area’s smallholders. The youngest boys were just 10-11 years old.  The last drive took place in 1985. The site was scheduled as an ancient monument in 1985 and the logging museum opened the following year.

Morten Juvet is a Norwegian painter, graphic artist, performing artist and wood sculptor. He is well-known for his colourful naive and slightly surreal animal and nature motives.  He likes his work to present a good story, an amusing point or a strange event. In the birch forest at the Fetsund Log Booms he has installed eleven birch trunks with swan heads.  This work is entitled “Birds Living in the Trees”.

The Folldal Mines and Trine Pettersen 

These mines were built in 1906 in order to extract iron pyrite from a decommissioned copper works. Pyrites were in high demand in the fertiliser and paper industries.  A young engineer, Worm Lund, rapidly developed a highly advanced and ambitious plant which included a power station, hoisting plant and a 35 km long cableway running to Alvdal Station.  Good quality accommodation and a school were built for the workers, but Lund was a hard taskmaster and the mines suffered from the longest strikes and greatest class differences in Norwegian history.  Production was moved several times, but by the 1990s the mines had been worked out.  When the Hjerkinn Mine was closed down in 1993 a trust was set up to ensure conservation of the buildings and develop the museum at the Folldal Works. 

Trine Pettersen has been educated at the Trondheim Academy of Art and the University of the West of England, Bristol.  Her ideas derive from her longstanding interest in quantum theory and are all about understanding reality.  Her work portrays reality as being ambiguous, with physical and mental space being intertwined.  She works with photography and 3D animation, involving both still and moving pictures which range from purely abstract and sculptural compositions to distinctive photo-realistic expressions.  She has recently visited the Folldal Mines and is looking at the opportunities available for creating art in the mine’s galleries.

The Tyssedal Power Plant and Erik Selmer  

Tyssedal opened in 1908 in the inner reaches of Sørfjorden in Hardanger.  The Tysso 1 power plant, built using Swedish capital and Norwegian engineering expertise, supplied electricity to two factories in Odda along 7 km cables.  This ambitious, pioneering project took 12 years to complete and employed 500 men.  One notable feature was a pipe trench which runs 730 metres down the steep mountainside.  In just 20 years the tiny village of Tyssedal, with 39 inhabitants, was transformed into an industrial town with almost 1,400 permanent residents.  The power station was built and is still owned by Aktieselskapet Tyssefaldene.  Production ceased in 1989.  In the year 2000, Tysso 1 was scheduled as an ancient monument and is now run by the Norwegian Museum of Hydropower & Industry. 

Light designer and architect Erik Selmer is working with light design at Tysso 1. He has taught at the Norwegian University of Technology and headed lighting design workshops. Erik Selmer was awarded the ¨Norwegian Lighting Design Award 2001¨, and the ¨Nordic Lighting Design Award 2002¨ for his lighting design of the world’s longest tunnel: The Lærdal tunnel in Norway. He also won the ¨Norwegian Lighting Design Award 2003¨ for the lighting design at the Munkholmen castle in Trondheim, Norway.