Exploring Hidden Universes: Art and Gratitude in Oslo

source: https://snl.no/Harriet_Backer

I have to share something that fills my heart with joy. One thing I greatly appreciate is living in the middle of Oslo city, surrounded by nature’s beauty and the city’s cultural wonders. From the nearby forests, hills, and waterfalls to the sea, Oslo has a way of making you thankful for life’s simple pleasures.

Lately, I’ve been wandering around two incredible places: the National Art Museum and the Munch Museum. They’ve become my go-to spots, especially for their changing art exhibitions in addition to fixed ones. In the past week, I found myself drawn to the works of two amazing artists: Harriet Backer, a Norwegian painter known for her portraits and landscapes, and Alice Neel, an American artist who painted people in a way that’s hard to describe.

Harriet Backer’s exhibition, “Every Atom is a Color,” at the National Museum, and Alice Neel’s “Every Person is a Universe,” at the Munch Museum, blew me away.

Harriet Backer, a portrait painter from an affluent background, but best known for her interiors and landscapes, continued to paint throughout her career from the end of the 1890´s to the 1940s. Alice Neel, a figurative portrait artist, lived an impoverished but active life during turbulent times in the USA from the 1920´s to the 70´s.

What struck me most was how these artists, despite their differences, managed to capture something universal. They didn’t just paint people; they painted entire worlds, each brushstroke telling a story.

I won’t pretend to be an art expert, but these exhibitions made me see things differently. They made me appreciate the hidden stories behind every painting and understand the world in a broader way. It was eye-opening.

I’m sharing this because I believe there are others out there who feel the same way. If you find peace and wonder in art like I do, let’s connect.