Atta Kwami Featured in "Space Making" at Astrup Fearnley Museum in Oslo
The work of late artist Atta Kwami is currently being showcased in a major group exhibition titled Space Making at the Astrup Fearnley Museum in Oslo, Norway. Running through August 24, 2025, the exhibition brings together eight international artists across generations to explore the complex relationship between depth, structure, and spatiality within the medium of painting.
Exploring Depth and Architecture in Contemporary Painting
Space Making examines how modern and contemporary creators move beyond the traditional modernist notion of the canvas as purely flat. Instead, the participating artists treat painting as an active vehicle for spatial construction, stretching its boundaries into architecture, installation, and conceptual design.
Kwami’s vibrant installations and geometric paintings are a central component of this exploration. His distinctive visual language draws heavily upon vernacular architecture and hand-painted street signage observed in Ghana, blending cultural storytelling with precise structural rhythms.
A Multigenerational Dialogue on Canvas
Curated by Solveig Øvstebø and Owen Martin, the exhibition bridges historical contexts with contemporary practices. Alongside Kwami, the lineup features Hanne Borchgrevink, Robert Burnier, Miyoko Ito, Julia Rommel, Gerda Scheepers, Vivian Suter, and Vegard Vindenes.
From Vivian Suter’s wall-collaged canvases that transform the gallery architecture itself, to Miyoko Ito's introspective 1970s abstractions blending Surrealism and Cubism, the works collectively investigate how flat surfaces can evoke physical, psychological, and metaphysical depth.
To discover more contemporary galleries and upcoming exhibitions as you plan your cultural outings, explore the city overview on Musemap, view the interactive city map, or search for specific artists through the museum search.
