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“Livsløp” – Lifecourse Exhibition at the Oslo City Museum

By ThorNews on June 14, 2013 • ( 0 )

The exhibition Lifecourse follows 22 residents from Paulus nursing home in Grünerløkka, Oslo. The nursing home is renowned for its creative atmosphere, and their goal is to provide cultural experiences and activities that suit each of their residents.

(article continues below image)Agnete, Johan and Morten Brun (daughter, father and son) are among the 22 photographers participating in the exhibition Lifecourse at the Oslo City Museum.

In cooperation with the Oslo Museum, Paulus nursing home has created a 1960’s exhibition with photographs and interior from when the residents were young adults. It turned out to be a success, and recently the nursing home created a permanent exhibition containing café and lounge in genuine ’60s style.

The total 92 residents at the nursing home have lived 92 different lives. These people have experienced at least one world war, maybe two, they have seen good days and bad days – and they all carry certain memories. Perhaps some of them can remember the smell of chocolate from the factories in Oslo in the 1920s, or hear the horse carriages coming up the streets.

(article continues below image)Photographer Jon Terje Hellgren Hansen lets this old man reminisce in front of the stables – the same man sitting on the sulky behind horse number 4.

We can ask ourselves: Do we really know the lady in room 42 – did she work at the little shop in Enerhaugen, was she a housewife, and did she go waltzing every summer at Birkelunden? Or what about the gentleman in room 27 – was he a seaman and sailed around the Pacific, did he get his first kiss from the girl next door, or maybe he fought in the war?

One of the residents is 97 years old Ingrid Andersen, who told about her meeting with Edvard Munch:

– My friend Hjørdis and I shared a dorm room in the basement of the National Gallery in Oslo.

One day Munch came by and asked if Ingrid would model for him.

– I said no. I did not want to be involved with Munch – and I had no interest in being naked in front of him and other men, Ingrid Andersen told photographer Agnete Brun in an interview with Dagbladet.

When she got home, she told her mother about the incident. Her mother replied:

-It was the right thing to say no, Ingrid. Although, it was well paid.

(article continues below image)The young girl on the right of the black/white photo is Ingrid Andersen. Photographer Agnete Brun caught the young girl Ingrid almost 80 years later – still eating ice cream and still full of laughter and life.

All 22 residents have brought their own story, and Oslo Museum has taken the opportunity to convey their stories through personal photographs. It is based on the nursing home’s project “My Story”, a conversation in which the goal is to get to really know their residents, what their interests are and how these can be addressed in the nursing home.

The exhibition is also the result of an educational project with a focus on dignity for the staff at Paulus nursing home.

The exhibition opened on June 13th, and runs until September 1st. It is on display at the Oslo City Museum which is located in the charming park environment next to Frognerparken and the Vigeland Sculpture Park.

The photographers who voluntarily contribute to the project are: Eivind H. Natvig, Marie Sjøvold, Ed Kashi, Karin Beate Nøsterud, Marcus Bleasdale, Peter Dench, Agnete Brun, Johan Brun, Morten Brun, Jeton Kacaniku, Sigurd Fandango, Jo Straube, Tore Berntsen, Anne Valeur, Julie Sandberg, Bo Mathisen, Jon Terje Hellgren Hansen, Annemor Larsen, Linda Bournane Engelberth, Monica Larsen, Jonas Bendiksen og Espen Rasmussen.

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