Sand in the Machine. The National Museum at the Teknisk Museum

Although they are tiny, grains of sand can cause trouble if they get into the moving parts of a machine. It can be annoying and frustrating, but also useful, to discover that something isn’t running smoothly. It forces us to stop, clean the system, and start again. Once in a while, that little grain of sand might even help us to see reality from a new perspective.

The collaborative exhibition Sand in the Machine creates unexpected encounters between art and technology. Works from the National Museum’s collection have found their way into the displays at the Teknisk Museum, Norway’s national museum of science and technology, where they silently comment on, and sometimes challenge, the material around them.

It might not always be easy to decide which works are from the National Museum. We therefore invite everyone to join the art hunt at the museum, where there are also exciting prizes to win. You can take part in the competition throughout the exhibition period.

The exhibition is curated by the Teknisk Museum and the National Museum.

Artists in the exhibition

Rolf Groven, Karl Erik Nilsen, Ola Enstad, Elena Engelsen, Wenche Gulbrandsen, Bjørn Barre, Børre Larsen, Pushwagner, Allora & Calzadilla, Jimmie Durham, Terje Bergstad, Marianne Heier, Kjartan Slettemark, René Buthaud, Lin Wang, Maia Urstad, Yngvild Fagerheim, Eline Medbøe, Irene Nordli.

Art Comes Home

Sand in the Machine is part of the National Museum’s “Art Comes Home” programme for 2021. In the course of the year, the public are invited to experience key works from the museum’s collection in exhibition spaces such as Kunstnernes Hus, Blaafarveværket, Dronning Sonja KunstStall, and the Teknisk Museum. A number of well known works will also appear in unexpected places around the country.

Kunstnere i utstillingen

Rolf Groven, Karl Erik Nilsen, Ola Enstad, Elena Engelsen, Wenche Gulbransen, Bjørn Bjarre, Børre Larsen, Pushwagner, Allora & Calzadilla, Jimmie Durham, Terje Bergstad, Marianne Heier, Kjartan Slettemark, René Buthaud, Lin Wang, Maia Urstad, Yngvild Fagerheim, Eline Medbøe, Irene Nordli.

Kunsten kommer hjem

Sand i maskineriet inngår i «Kunsten kommer hjem», Nasjonalmuseets program for 2021. I løpet av året inviteres publikum til å oppleve sentrale verk fra museets samling på visningssteder som Kunstnernes Hus, Blaafarveværket, Dronning Sonja KunstStall og Teknisk museum. Flere kjente verk vil også dukke opp på uventede steder rundt omkring i landet.