At Arm’s Length – Hundred years of Nordic art

At Arm’s Length - Hundred Years of Nordic Art is a group exhibition of art that consist of works from the Tangen collection which is owned and managed by the Norwegian AKO Kunststiftelse. The collection comprises Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and Finnish art as well crafts from these countries. Within the field of visual art, the focal points are within painting, sculpture, drawing, graphics, and photography spanning across 1900s into present day.

The exhibition has been titled At Arm's Length, originally a military term, indicating the distance between two soldiers who form part of a squad. In our time, the term has come to be associated with cultural politics, with the suggestion that politicians should not interfere in the artistic content but keep a reasonable distance.

– Our idea with the selection is to show the common mentality that existed among the Nordic artists, even if the countries aesthetically differ. Also, how they operated, were influenced, and socialized in the European metropolises and not in their home countries. The large span of the collection enabled us to find works that highlight these aspects, and I am very grateful that we have been given that opportunity, says Bo Nilsson, Museum Director, Artipelag

The collection comprising some 5000 works, will have its permanent residence at Sørlandets Kunstmuseum in Kristiansand, in a former grain silo that now has been transformed into an art museum in the harbour area of Kristiansand. The move is planned to take place during 2024. Artipelag has been given the opportunity to show a selection of the collection comprising some 40 artists representing around 150 artworks which is the only viewing before the collection moves to its permanent place in Kristiansand.

Nicolai Tangen (born 1966 in Kristiansand) is an investment manager and art collector who owns the largest collection of Nordic art. In 2013 he founded the AKO Stiftelse, promoting charitable projects that improve education, promote the arts, or to mitigate climate issues. In 2016 the AKO Kunststiftelse assumed ownership of the Tangen Collection.