Ylve Thon is creating an entirely new work for Kunstsilo: a four-metre-high fresco painting inside one of the silo chambers in the Silo Hall. The monumental, immersive geometric composition draws inspiration from the concrete art found in the Tangen Collection and is based on a colour chart developed by Thon during her apprenticeship in fresco techniques.
What's fresco?
Fresco painting is an ancient method in which coloured limewater is applied to wet, freshly laid lime plaster. The pigment bonds with the wall as it dries, creating a surface that becomes part of the architecture. The technique is famously used in Michelangelo’s iconic ceiling paintings in the Sistine Chapel, as well as in many Renaissance masterpieces. It also became popular among modern artists in Norway, the Nordic region, and internationally for decorating buildings from the 1920s onwards.
Follow the process live in The Silo Hall
This is a rare opportunity for the public to witness a slow, intricate artistic process up close. Each day, only a limited section of the wall can be painted before the plaster dries. In Kunstsilo, Thon collaborates closely with master mason Harald Axel Weissflog and assisting artist Veronica Lund.
The process begins on 5 January 2026, when Weissflog constructs a brick wall as the foundation for the fresco, which will gradually take shape over a nine-week period in the Silo Hall.
The finished work will be unveiled on Thursday 12 March at 19:00, marked by an artist talk between Ylve Thon and Kunstsilo’s curator, Karl Olav Segrov Mortensen.
About Ylve Thon
Ylve Thon (b. 1979 in Åmot, Modum) lives and works in Kristiansand. She was educated at the Kunstakademiet i Bergen (2001–2005) and Kunstskolen i Bergen (1999–2001), and works primarily with painting, drawing, and artist’s books. She has participated in numerous exhibitions, workshops, and art book fairs in Norway and internationally. Thon has completed repeated courses in fresco technique at the Mural Workshop in Oslo under the guidance of Astrid Nondal and Irma Salo Jæger (2018, 2019, 2021, and 2025), and has carried out several art projects in public space.
Please note that continuous filming of the process will take place in The Silo Hall in the form of time-lapse recording. The footage will be used both for documentation and for marketing purposes.