Last weekend we visited friends in Kristiansand, Southern Norway (a 4-hour drive from Oslo) and had the opportunity to visit the amazing Kunstsilo – a former grain silo turned into an art/cultural museum.
It houses the largest art collection of Nordic Modernism, donated by Nicolai Tangen, head of the Norwegian Oil Fund, who is from Kristiansand. In addition to its own permanent collection. I enjoyed the art, but it was the majestic make-over plus scale of the silo that blew my mind. The 38 meters/41.55 yards ceiling height, makes it a cathedral of art in my opinion. At the top you see me, photographed by Michael, studying the concrete.
No wonder it has received a number of prizes, after having been open for only a year, among them: “52 Places to Go in 2025” – The New York Times
“How a Grain Silo in Norway Became a Global Modern Art Destination” – Bloomberg
“World’s Greatest Places 2024” – TIME.
I appreciated walking on the terrace on the top floor – 9th – with the open air above and a circular glass window to walk on, showing the interior down in the reception. It felt scary, but was impossible to capture on film due to the reflection. On the 9th floor you will also find the bar Panorama, with magnificent views of the fjord, archipelago, and the city. Do check out the video from the opening in May 2024, above.
It is actually hard to photograph the building up close, as it is located next to the harbour, but Michael captured this brilliant shot.
Staring up became quite addictive, during the visit. The contrast between all the concrete and the timber “art piece” called “Gjerdeløe“, a 17th-century wooden cabin (løe) by Marianne Heske, was inspiring.
Check out the geometric pattern, colours and materials used here.
On the 8th floor, there is an Art Terrace; Art in Gale, we just had to visit.
I photographed my friend Elin Jacobsen, capturing the art, while I just loved how her choice of outfit was colour co-ordinated with the terrace.
After walking around for several hours, we discovered that the Brasserie on the ground floor was busy, but an insider tip was the Fabriken Artisan Bakery, just across the bridge (in the building to the right in the video cover above). That is where we had a delightful light lunch. We enjoyed visiting the Kunstsilo as well as the hotel service our friends provided, so we will be back….
