Nikolai Astrup　The Garden of Growth

More Than Munch
Japan’s first retrospective of another Norwegian master.

When we think of Norway’s leading painters, Edvard Munch is likely to be the first name that comes to mind. Astrup, his contemporary and seventeen years his junior, is well known in Norway, but internationally his art long remained in the shadow of Munch’s overwhelming fame, with few opportunities for wider exposure. Major solo exhibitions that toured in Norway and abroad in 2016 and 2021–2022, however, have brought renewed attention to his work. This exhibition marks his long-awaited first major retrospective in Japan.

The Artist and Horticulturist
An experience akin to strolling through the gardens at the heart of Astrup’s art.

Astrup’s passion for plants led him to acquire a wide variety of young trees and experiment continually with growing them in his garden. The garden can also be seen as a metaphor for his art, sustained by an inexhaustible spirit of inquiry. This exhibition brings together works depicting the two gardens that nourished his creativity: the garden of the parsonage at Ålhus, where he spent his childhood, and the garden he created from scratch at Sandalstrand, his final home. The nuanced shades of green, said to have been admired by Munch, are a particular highlight. Footage of the changing seasons, filmed on location especially for this exhibition, creates an immersive setting in which to explore the essence of Astrup’s art.

“I have, as you perhaps know, a weakness for experimenting with all sorts of possible and impossible plants, that can grow here in the mountain village — well also those that can — not grow here.”
―――Nikolai Astrup, 1918

Crossover Between Woodcut and Oil Painting
Works that cross the boundaries between media, shown alongside their printing blocks.

Astrup’s prints were highly unconventional. Their defining feature is his unique approach, which moved freely between woodcut and oil painting: he added details by hand to individual impressions and combined printing from woodblocks with painting directly on canvas. Living far from the workshops of major cities, Astrup had to carry out every stage of the process himself. As a result, he developed his own techniques. Arrived at through repeated trial and error, these methods required considerable time and effort. By displaying his woodcuts and oil paintings alongside his printing blocks, this exhibition reveals the secrets of his extraordinary creative process.

“It would be far too boring and unartistic if I was to make all the impressions exactly the same.”
―――Nikolai Astrup, 1927

Growing Up and Living with Art
Shedding light on Astrup’s textile work with his mother.

Astrup’s mother was a textile artist who played a leading role in the local community. Before fully embarking on his career as a painter, Astrup himself produced textile designs inspired by local plants. The textiles his mother wove from his designs were highly regarded, winning awards at exhibitions in Norway. Presenting this increasingly recognized aspect of his work, the exhibition examines how growing up in a household where artistic handwork was part of daily life shaped Astrup’s creative practice.