Welcome to the new year at Galleri F 15

In 2020, the Municipality of Moss will increase in size when it merges with Rygge and Østfold County ceases to exist with the establishment of Viken. Signals from both our owners indicate that everything will continue as before for Galleri F 15. We are very pleased with this, but we are also looking forward to Rygge becoming part of Moss and to establishing closer ties to institutions and audiences in Viken.

At the Annual General Meeting of Punkt Ø, it was decided that Punkt Ø will change its name. From now on, we will be known as Galleri F 15. The Punkt Ø name has been with us from 2006 to 2019 but loses its roots when Østfold County becomes part of Viken. Our roots will not be changing geographically though, and our aim is to continue to provide exciting arts experiences in the eastern part of this new administrative area.

With the name change, it is important to us to bring back the fabled name Galleri F 15. The name has an exceptional reputation both in and outside Scandinavia – and our location on Jeløy outside Moss is known far and wide. As Galleri F 15 provided some of the incentive for the Momentum Biennial in 1998, these two art institutions were merged into Punkt Ø in 2006.

The Momentum Biennial will involve new ventures from 2021. The agreement to lease what was once Moss Brewery in Møllebyen has expired, and Momentum will have its main venue at Galleri F 15 from now on. The Momentum Biennial will also be taking place at smaller venues in the centre of Moss and in this way continue the tradition of exhibiting art in public spaces in both urban and rural landscapes. We are pleased already now to have in place partnerships with Moss Art Association, House of Foundation and other venues in the centre of Moss. This means that the close historic ties that exist between Galleri F 15 and Moss, set up by Biørn Biønstad, can continue. His donation to the municipality in the early 1960s has provided a great knock-on effect that we are still benefiting from, nurturing and developing. It is especially interesting that his art collection is owned by Moss Art Association, while Alby Gård was given to the Municipality of Moss which, in turn, chose to let Galleri F 15 move in.

We have realised that when three levels of government work together, the result is an excellent offering for the public and productive continuity for the institutions involved. We are especially pleased that the Norwegian Ministry of Culture has assured us that it will remain a contributor of ours.

First artist out in 2020 is Gunhild Mathea Olaussen with her exhibition Sounding Matter. The exhibition focuses on sound, and Olaussen’s works form part of her PhD at the Norwegian Theatre Academy.

The second exhbition is Tendenser 2020: Earth, Wind, Fire, Water which is the 44th version of the exhibition series at Galleri F 15. Tendenser is one of the most important arenas for crafts in the Nordic countries and this years curator is Randi Grov Berger.

In 2020, the town of Moss will be celebrating its 300th anniversary, and Galleri F 15’s contribution to the anniversary celebrations will be the exhibition Noe Må Gjøres featuring Charlotte Thiis-Evensen. The exhibition will be showing new and old works focusing on labour and the industrial history of the town.

The final exhibition of the year will be the third in an exploratory series of exhibitions about Edvard Munch, his work and the people around him. After highlighting the years he lived in Moss and his work from that period in Edvard Munch in Moss – Art, War and Capital on Jeløy 1913-16 in 2014 and Fertile Ground – Munch in Moss – 1913-16 in 2016, this time it is the longer period of 1900 to 1916 that will be the focus of the exhibition.

We look forward to inviting our audience to four new exhibitions in 2020. Exhibitions with different themes and target audiences who will be challenged and offered interesting experiences.

Dag Aak Sveinar
Director