Vedholmen: A Family Run Contemporary Art Gallery

Children & youth

Jan 11

Who: Vedholmen Gallery

What: Gallery with online art & crafts on an archipelago in the West of Norway.

Where: Bergen

Project period: 2023

Web: Vedholmen Gallery

Vedholmen Gallery has shown online art & crafts on an archipelago in the West of Norway, since 2000 with a Dane and Irishman behind the scenes.

On a small island located in a fjord that stretches from Bergen city to the famous Hardanger Fjord you find a family run contemporary art gallery. Vibeke Harild from Denmark and Peter Marron from Ireland met at the Art academy in Bergen in 1992 and after falling in love with the Norwegian landscape they decided to settle down by the coast and start their own art gallery. They both have an atelier connected to the gallery and galley-shop. The ceramic «Oselvar-boat» designed by Marron and produced in situ, has become a symbol of the place. Now, for over 22 years Vibeke and Peter have welcomed guests from far and wide into a their gallery for a range of art experiences. Contemporary art and craft exhibitions and performance, music events have taken place and created a dynamic art scene in the middle of the picturesque archipelago, 35 km south of Bergen.

Meet the gallery`s artists

The gallery is exhibiting contemporary art by 66 artists, covering everything from paintings, graphic, photography, glass, ceramics, and performance. «Our artists and crafts people come from a multicultural background which gives the gallery an international profile. We always have a large number of artists represented, in our gallery shop which is located beside the main exhibition area» Harild says.

The exhibition program for 2023.

February: Erling Valtyrson/ Mezzotint.

March: Erik Lytskjold, Vibeke Harild og Peter Marron/ Ceramic- Sculpture -Water colour .

April: Bodil Friele/ Painting

May: Dag Thorkildsen/Painting/ Memorial Exhibition.

June - July: Collective Summer Exhibition. Painting/Graphic/Craft

August: Bettina Albrecht (D) & Reinhard Haverkamp/Painting and kinetic sculpture.

September: Henriette Emilie Finne/ Painting.

October: Jan Erik Willgohs/Painting..

November-December: Terje Risberg /Graphic - Etchings.

More than just art

Vedholmen Gallery has a great selection of artists, but they also have a knack for spotting the next big thing in music, booking musical artists that go on to achieve international success which includes Aurora, Boy Pablo, Marius Neset, Manar Alhashemi, and Ida Maria. «The music side of things has grown organically with the passing years, to a point where we see it as an essential offering, which enhances our visitor experience» Marron says.

«The gallery grew out of a need to have a place to exhibit our work on our own terms. And has grown with the help and cooperation of like minded artist, crafts people, musicians, customers and sponsors, into a cultural hub. With special thanks to the Grieg Foundation» the couple concludes.