Trafo Kunsthall evolves into Kunsthall Dikemark, with the ambition to establish a new exhibition venue for contemporary art and become Norway's first hub for art and mental health.

Press release November 4, 2024:

The "laundry" at Dikemark. Galleri Dikemark currently forms part of the premises. Our ambition is to eventually use the entire first floor for Kunsthall Dikemark Photo: Jiri Havran.

For eighteen years, Trafo Kunsthall was located in the old transformer station by Asker railway station, and the lease agreement with Tandberg Eiendom is now nearing its end. The foundation’s purpose is to serve as a venue for contemporary art of high quality and to promote active art mediation. Since its inception, we have reached a wide audience through a diverse and relevant exhibition program. Visitor numbers have shown steady growth, and in 2023 we recorded our highest attendance to date. This success is largely thanks to our dedicated team — Katja van Etten Jarem, Oda Broch, and Anne Siv Falkenberg Pedersen — whose expertise and networks have secured timely exhibitions that have generated great public interest and strong professional recognition.

In 2022, the art hall entered into a three-year agreement with Asker Municipality to explore the potential of Dikemark as a site for art and cultural activities. Dikemark, a listed former psychiatric hospital complex dating from the early 1900s, has long been identified by the municipality as a key location for developing art and culture as an important driver of local renewal. The art hall has served as project manager, responsible for programming and implementing exhibitions and art projects across the former hospital grounds. Throughout this collaboration, numerous activities and events have been carried out in partnership with local and national art communities. This extensive work highlights Dikemark’s remarkable potential as a cultural arena — a place defined by its unique history, atmosphere, and opportunities.

We have collaborated closely with Dikemark psykiatriske sykehusmuseum The museum has a large collection of patient art (mainly from the period 1920-1950) and Trafo Kunsthall's curator, Anne Siv Falkenberg Pedersen, has played a central role in recognizing and communicating this part of the museum's collection. The work has contributed to removing the stigma surrounding mental illness and shedding light on an under-communicated part of Norwegian art history.

In this year's critically acclaimed seasonal initiative at Dikemark, we have produced three exhibitions and an outdoor installation with a parallel event program under the title Rekreasjon , with renowned artists such as Per Inge Bjørlo, Asger Jorn, Ingrid Torvund & Jonas Mailand. The connection between the site-specific architectural and cultural history and contemporary art has aroused national and international interest. We have had visits from the National Museum, the Sammlung Prinzhorn in Heidelberg, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Roskilde and the Department of Art in Public Space in Uppsala and have established collaborative relationships for new projects.

The Kunsthallen's many experiences at Dikemark have paved the way for a new and strong attachment to the area, where the framework of the art institution is also challenged and developed. New partners, investments and resources have led us towards a new profile and in a new direction. The art hall will be located in the old laundry building, which contains a project room and the original laundry itself. Our clear ambition is to use this large hall as exhibition spaces in addition to the project room.

Based on this, the board of the Foundation has Trafo Kunsthall decided to move the business to Dikemark from March 2025, where the development potential is greater and there are more partners. The new name of the business is Stiftelsen Kunsthall Dikemark .

The Foundation Kunsthall Dikemark has the following board representatives: Tuss Benum (chairman), Jan Christensen (artist), Jon Benjamin Tallerås (artist), Lisa Digernes (lawyer), Bjarne Asp (architect), Anne Siv Falkenberg Pedersen (artist and employee representative).

Last exhibition in Trafo Kunsthall is Olav Ringdal's solo exhibition ROTVELT . The same day the exhibition BJARNE NESS curated by Erlend Grytbakk Wold also opens in Prosjektrommet The exhibitions will be empty on January 12, 2025.

Long-term partners in our work at Dikemark are: Asker Kommune , Akershus Fylkeskommune , Oslo University Hospital (OUS), Kulturdirektoratet , NTNU, Dikemark Psychiatric Hospital Museum, Kunsthallene i Norge, Asker Art School, Den kulturelle skolesekken (DKS), NIE theatre, Dikemark Atelierfellesskap (DAF), Sør-Troms Museum and the Museums of Akershus (MIA). Newer partners include UiO, NMBU, and NTNU. Department of Art in Public Spaces, Uppsala; Museum of Contemporary Art, Roskilde, Bomuldsfabrikken Kunsthall.

Download press release here .

“Norway's first hub for art and mental health” Interview with Oda Broch in Kunstavisen, 08.11.24.

“Moving the Kunsthallen to Dikemark - will become a hub” Røyken and Hurums Avis, 08.12.24

Thea & The Wild is one of several who have been inspired by the history of the old Dikemark psychiatric hospital. sykehus where artistic expression was part of the treatment. On the occasion of World Mental Health Day, October 10, a mini-concert was recorded in the laundry room.

Produced by NRK. Watch the video here.