Tone Vigeland exhibition at the Art Stable

Tone Vigeland, an internationally renowned pioneer in jewellery design, sought out a new medium, sculpture, in the 1990s. Her preferred material is metal, and she often juxtaposes the hard material with curving shapes and different textures.

The exhibition features jewellery from 1956 to 1998 and sculptures from 1998 to the present.

Official opening

The Queen welcomed the guests to the opening this afternoon. “It is a great pleasure to welcome you into the universe of an artist whom I, along with so many others, deeply appreciate,” Queen Sonja said in her remarks to the guests, who included established goldsmiths and jewellery artists as well as young people studying to become artisans themselves.

Queen Sonja and Tone Vigeland at tonight's opening. Photo: Lise Åserud, NTB scanpix

Anniken Thue held the opening speech and Petra Hölscher told of the work behind the show at Die Neue Museum in Munich which displayed parts of the same exhibition in 2017. Anne Grete Preus provided the musical entertainment for the event.

The exhibition will be opened to the public tomorrow, 21 September, and will be on display at the Art Stable through 25 November 2018.

En pioneer

Tone Vigeland’s career spans more than 60 years. In the 1950s she helped to spearhead the renewal of Norwegian art jewellery. She quickly became internationally recognised for her use of new materials and innovative shapes. She played a central role in the emergence of Scandinavian Design and helped to launch a new era in Norwegian and Scandinavian jewellery design.

Tone Vigeland herself co-curated the exhibition. Photo: Lise Lise Åserud, NTB scanpix

Well into middle age she shifted her focus to a new dimension, from jewellery to sculpture. The sculpted shapes on the bracelet featured on the exhibition’s poster foreshadow her designs to come.

Die Neue Sammlung

Tone Vigeland may well be the Norwegian artist that is most widely represented in museums outside Norway.

The exhibition at the Queen Sonja Art Stable is a collaboration with Die Neue Sammlung – The Design Museum in Munich, which displayed parts of it in 2017. Her Majesty The Queen was the Royal Patron for that exhibition, which was named one of Germany’s best exhibitions of 2017. Ms Vigeland is the first Scandinavian jewellery artist to be honoured with an exhibition at the prestigious German museum.

Well into middle age she shifted her focus to a new dimension, from jewellery to sculpture - both on show in the exhibition at Queen Sonja Qrt Stable. Photo: Lise Åserud, NTB scanpix

This exhibition has been significantly expanded to include sculptures on loan from the National Museum, KODE Art Museums and Composer Homes and private collectors. Tone Vigeland herself co-curated the exhibition with Kjartan Hauglid from the Royal Collections. The Munich exhibition was curated by Petra Hölscher, who also attended today’s opening.