Article Tangen-collection

What is the AKO Art Foundation?

March 7, 2024
Marianne Heske, Prosjekt Gjerdeløa, 1980. AKO Art Foundation/The Tangen Collection

The AKO Art Foundation was set up in 2016 for the purpose of collecting and purchasing modernist art from the 20th century and making it available to the public. When Kunstsilo opens, the museum will have perpetual right of disposal of the collection, which is the world’s largest one consisting of Nordic art from the modernist era. The foundation has also played an important role in the financing and implementation of the Kunstsilo project.

Expanding the collection

The Tangen Collection has been built gradually by Nicolai Tangen and art consultants who identify potential works and artists for the collection. They also cooperate closely with galleries, auction houses and Sørlandets Kunstmuseum when new artworks are being considered. The foundation will continue to purchase art after Kunstsilo has been completed.

Book publications and other projects

The AKO Art Foundation is involved in several projects related to the Tangen Collection, such as books documenting the collection. A book about the Tangen Collection written in cooperation with Orfeus Publishing is soon to be published. There is also a book about the Finnish part of the Tangen Collection, in connection with the opening of the exhibition “New Beauty: Modernist Highlights from the Nicolai Tangen Collection” in Hämeenlinna Art Museum in Finland. 

AKO supports other art institutions

In addition to The AKO Art Foundation, The AKO Foundation supports a number of other art projects and art institutions, such as the Courtauld Institute of Art, Tate Modern, Turner Contemporary, University of the Arts London, the British Museum, Camden Arts Centre and AKO Caine Prize. This may lead to great cooperation projects for Kunstsilo and the AKO Art Foundation in the future.

Kunstsilo

Sjølystveien 8, 4610 Kristiansand Norway [email protected]

Phone: +47 38 07 49 00 calls are answered between 11 AM and 5 PM

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Kunstsilo Sjølystveien 8 4610 Kristiansand NORWAY

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