The power of art

Are you a beginner in the art world?

See how art can move you – and get 4 useful tips for how to take your art experience to the next level!

Art moves .
Photo: Torbjørn Sundal Holen / ONZONZ

Art Moves .
Photo: Torbjørn Sundal Holen / ONZONZ

Euphoria ...

The power of art - "The Sun" by Edvard Munch .
Photo: Torbjørn Sundal Holen / ONZONZ "The Sun" by Edvard Munch

... reflection ...

Henrik - art moves .
Photo: Torbjørn Sundal Holen / ONZONZ

... surprise!

The National Museum - Art moves .
Photo: Torbjørn Sundal Holen / ONZONZ

Art affects us in different ways ...

Tani - art moves .
Photo: Torbjørn Sundal Holen / ONZONZ

"It really comes down to: Be open, and then see what happens."

Tani

Tani - art moves .
Photo: Torbjørn Sundal Holen / ONZONZ, "The Sun" by Edvard Munch

Tani - art moves .
Photo: Torbjørn Sundal Holen / ONZONZ "The Sun" by Edvard Munch

"It’s a true depiction of nature. Unadorned. It’s so beautiful."

Veronica

Veronica - Art Moves .
Photo: Torbjørn Sundal Holen / ONZONZ, "Summer Night" by Eilif Peterssen (1886)

Veronica_visitnorway_artmoves_mobile .
Photo: Torbjørn Sundal Holen / ONZONZ, "Summer Night" by Eilif Peterssen (1886)

"Everything we do and all our anxiety become trivial when confronted with the power of nature.“

Henrik

Henrik - Art moves .
Photo: Torbjørn Sundal Holen / ONZONZ, "The Grindelwald Glacier" by Thomas Fearnley (1838)

Art evokes feelings. Excitement. Happiness. Anger. Revulsion.

You can feel so included. So estranged. It opens you up, and closes you down. You can see yourself mirrored in the strangest elements. A stranger’s face. A bird. An empty chair. The radiating sun …

See the artworks that touched Tani, who had hardly visited an art gallery in his life:

Art can also have a healing power. It can give you comfort. Inspiration. Energy! Or even a whole new perspective on the world and your daily life. Sometimes, art can even provide respite in tough times...

See which artworks moved Henrik, who suffers from anxiety:

Art can broaden your horizons. Make you think differently. Reflect. Associate.

Art can change how you see the challenges of society, politics, consumerism. Make you see our lives and how we live them from other angles, including the its struggles... Life. Death. Hope. Decay.

See the artworks that moved Veronica, a retired woman that needed some new impulses in her life:

Art – your free space

The world can sometimes be overwhelming. So many different things are screaming out for our attention. Art grants us a quiet and unique space, where we can immerse ourselves in a world of thoughts and feelings.

But one still needs to do half the work.

Some artworks hit you in the gut immediately. While you might pass by other works with a shrug – at least if you don’t take the time and effort to engage with it. First, you have to take a moment to really look at it. Ask open questions. The answers might surprise you.

4 steps to approaching art in a new way

Take some time and really look. The colors, the mood, the subject or anything else you notice. And really think about it.

Do you want to learn how to approach art in a more interesting way, and maybe have a more exciting experience?

Here are 4 different methods that might help you, according to Norwegian researchers interviewed by Forskning.no.

1. Take the time to feel it

Art can affect you instantly, making you feel angry, happy, sad, or even energetic. But have you ever tried to really take the time to study an artwork? You might discover new and interesting details. Maybe there’s more to the artwork than you first thought.

Take a look .
Photo: Marc Schulte / Unsplash

2. Think like a designer

Try approaching art like a designer. Focus on the materials. Try to imagine what the artist wanted to achieve by using exactly those materials in that particular way. What’s the story behind it?

Texture .
Photo: Steve Johnson / Unsplash

3. Learn the context

Knowing the cultural and historical context of an artwork can change your perspective completely. Sometimes it’s crucial to understand the context, especially when it comes to contemporary art and conceptual art.

For some art, the idea behind it could be just as important as the work itself. Be curious about the artist as well, as most artist have a very special language or 'universe' that you can learn to understand and decode.

"Hymn of Life" by Yayoi Kusama at Henie Onstad art museum .
Photo: Henie Onstad Kunstsenter

4. Have a dialogue with the artwork

Ask yourself open questions about what you perceive in the artwork. Don ́t ask: 'what is this?', rather: What am I seeing here? Then let your associations flow freely without judgement, and let your imagination lead you down unexpected paths. Don ́t ask whether it's 'good' or 'bad', or try to determine the quality of the work. That ́s a job for the pros! Simply observe the thoughts and feelings the art inspires in you.

Art in Bergen Kunsthall .
Photo: Thor Brødreskift / Bergen Kunsthall

Norway – a world class art destination

Several new art museums have opened in Oslo, including MUNCH, one of the world's biggest museums dedicated to a single artist, Edvard Munch, on 22 October 2021, and the new National Museum, which opened in June 2022. Oslo is rapidly becoming a world class art destination and THE place to go for sophisticated art lovers.

Here are some of the most amazing art experiences in Oslo:

Be sure to check out even more spectacular art museums, art galleries, sculpture parks and fascinating street art in both Oslo, and the rest of Norway.