Official opening of "Munch 150" at Oslo City Hall

The official opening of the 150th anniversary of Norwegian painter Edvard Munch took place at the Oslo City Hall on Wednesday.

Present at the ceremony and show was King Harald, along with 600 other special guests, including Oslo Mayor Fabian Stang and Minister of Culture Hadia Tajik.

The Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra are in charge of the musical program, and actors Torbjørn Harr and Jan Gunnar Røise will perform their play "Munchfragmenter" (Fragments of Munch).

The festive celebration, which marks 150 years since Edvard Munch died, is only the beginning of many events planned to mark his anniversary. Special exhibitions, art projects, concerts and book launchings will take place throughout 2013, all over the country, according to the City of Oslo.

However, the most anticipated exhibition is the anniversary exhibition "Munch 150," which is the most complete and extensive display of Munch's art throughout his career.

"'Munch 150' is a unique opportunity to see the major lines in Munch's art. We hope and think that the anniversary and its main exhibition will increase people's consciousness about Edvard Munch's significance and central role in the international cultural heritage," says Director of the National Museum in Oslo, Audun Eckhoff.

250 of Munch's works will be shown at "Munch 150" from June 2 to October 13. The exhibition is a joint cooperation between the Munch museum and the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.

(VG/Oslo kommune)

Julie Ryland