Scandinavian Perspectives on Women of/in Art Museums

In recent decades, art museums have gradually increased their focus on gender, equality, and diversity in collection management, curation, and research. But how do art museums approach the legacy of feminism and deal with their Scandinavian self-image as gender-equal and inclusive?

Have we truly moved beyond the "masculine genius," or are we simply replacing him with female "pioneers"? Furthermore, what about decolonization, indigeneity, and diversity? How might museums challenge old national and gendered hierarchies that separate art and (art)craft, aesthetics and cultural history? 

The event is a collaboration between the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design and the research project The Feminist Legacy in Art Museums (FLAME). 

The seminar will be held in English and streamed.

 

Schedule 

10.00-10.20 
Coffee and registration 

10.20-10.25 
Welcome 
Nora Ceciliedatter Nerdrum, Director of Exhibitions and Collections, the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo 

 

10.25-10.40 
Introduction  
Ulla Angkjær-Jørgensen, Head of FLAME. Professor, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)

 

Reclaiming space 1 
Moderator: Ulla Angkjær-Jørgensen 

 

10.45-11.15  
Keynote: «Women of the Rijksmuseum: A Dutch Museum Practice Towards Gender Equity»
Marion Anker, Chair of Women of the Rijksmuseum, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 

 

11.15-11.25  
Discussion 

 

Session 1: Archival challenges in researching women’s art 
Moderator: Pernille Zidore Nygaard 

 

11.30-12.30 
«Where are the Women in the History of Architecture?» 
Birgitte Sauge, Senior Curator, the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design 

 

«Textiles, activism and art institutions» 
Sigrun Åsebø, Associate professor, University of Bergen/ The Feminist Legacy in Art Museums (FLAME) 

 

«Breakable Plasters and Burnt Letters. To map, collect and visualize works by women sculptors» 
Linda Hinners, PhD, Curator, Nationalmuseum, Stockholm 

 

«Beyond The female Christ. Challenges of doing a monographic presentation of Lene Adler Petersen» 
Birgitte Anderberg, Curator and Senior Researcher, Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen 

 

12.30-12.45  
Discussion 

 

12.45-13.45  
Lunch 
Please note that lunch is not included. Participants are kindly asked to make their own arrangements 

 

13.45-14.30  
Tour of the exhibition «Wenche Selmer. What Can You Live Without?» 

 

Session 2: Decolonizing the museum 
Moderator: Jorunn Veiteberg 

 

14.30-15.30  
«At work in the archive: Potentials for something else» 
Pernille Zidore Nygaard, PhD, research archivist, Den Frie Udstillingsbygning, Copenhagen/FLAME 

 

«Women, feminism, gender theory and intersectionality – a journey back and forth» 
Maria Lind, Director, KIN museum för samtidskonst / Kin Dáládáidaga Dávvirvuorká / Nykyaijantaitemyseymmi, Kiruna / Giron 

 

«Archival Intimacies and Sapphic Fictions: Curating Female Homosexuality in Islamic Art History» 
Noor Bhangu, Independent curator 

 

«Plants as Protagonists - Ecofeminist and Decolonial Perspectives on Danish Painting around 1900» 
Gry Hedin, PhD, Project Researcher, Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen 

 

15.30-15.40 
Discussion 

 

Reclaiming space 2 
Moderator: Sigrun Åsebø 

 

15.45-16.15  
Keynote: «Decentring the Museum for a Post-migrant Society» 
Nina Möntmann, Professor of Art Theory, University of Cologne 

 

16.15-16.45  
Discussion and closing remarks 

 

17.00  
End of symposium and social gathering