Nordland National Park Center Adde Zetterquist Art Gallery About The Adde Zetterquist Art Gallery
About The Adde Zetterquist Art Gallery
The Adde Zetterquist Art Gallery opened 19th June 2013, and exhibits the art of Per Adde (born 1926) and Kajsa Zetterquist (born 1936). The gallery is committed to presenting their art and lives, as well as their strong involvement in nature conservation, governmental art policy, and Sami rights.
History of the gallery
The Adde Zetterquist Art Gallery was constructed by the Nordland county municipality in cooperation with Nordland National Park Centre. Significant contributions were also made by Sparebank 1 Nord- Norge, Dragefossen, Nexans, Statsskog and Gjensidigestiftelsen. The Adde Zetterquist support group was also central to the realisation of both the gallery and the exhibit “Life and works”. Per Adde and Kajsa Zetterquist have also contributed to the construction and realisation of the gallery.
The gallery receives subsidies from the Nordland county municipality and Saltdal municipality. Its main purpose is the communication of art, nature and Sami culture.
Architecture
The architect behind the striking building is Margrethe Friis of LPO Arkitekter, Oslo. They were the winners of a large international architecture competition, called by Nordland county municipality in 2009. The total area of the building is 650 m 2 , or roughly 7000 ft 2.
The main concept is “hel ved”, a Norwegian expression with both a literal (“whole wood”) and metaphorical (“solid and thorough”) meaning; and the building is constructed entirely from wood: The walls and supporting constructions are made from whole wood, the floor is made from oak logs, and the exterior is clad in spruce shavings. An important part of the concept is the construction of a genuine, lasting and untreated building, which at the same time refers to Adde and Zetterquist’s close relation with nature.
The particular shape of the building is inspired by Adde’s canoe, by which he travelled northwards in his youth. The building is titled “Tangent” (from latin tangere – to reach out or touch) as it touches or is connected to the original Nordland National Park Centre, which opened in 2005. The buildings share an entrance and vestibule.
Parallell
In 2014, the gallery purchased the sculpture “Parallell” by Gunn Harbitz. The sculpture was unveiled by then minister of culture in the county municipality, Nina Badendyck, and it is placed outside the building’s main entrance.
The Adde Zetterquist Art Collection
Per Adde and Kajsa Zetterquist have donated 60 works in all to the foundation “Adde Zetterquist [Art Collection]”. The foundation was established by the artists on the 5th of July, 2012. Its intention is to ensure that the works that are at the gallery’s disposal are kept and presented according to the foundation’s founding principles. It is also to ensure that Adde and Zetterquist’s art is available to the public.