Knut Hamsun Centre
Encyclopedia
The Knut Hamsun Centre is a museum and educational centre in Hamarøy
in Northern Norway dedicated to the life and work of the writer Knut Hamsun
.
The architect Steven Holl
was first contacted about designing a centre for Knut Hamsun in 1994. He traveled to Hamarøy and made a watercolour of the centre's design that looks quite similar to the building today. Holl was inspired by the Hamarøy nature and scenery, by Norwegian building tradition with stave churches and sod roofs, and by Hamsun's literature—especially the early works Hunger (1890)
and Mysteries (1892)
. Steven Holl has described the Knut Hamsun Centre as "concretizing a Hamsun character in architectonic terms", and he continues: "The concept for the museum, 'Building as a Body:Battleground of invisible Forces,' is realized from inside and out." This concept is a quote from the 1974 translation of Hunger by Robert Bly
. The buildings' design has generated considerable attention and debate, and the Knut Hamsun Centre has received several national and international architecture awards.
Holl originally wanted the centre to be built close to Hamsun's childhood home in Hamsund, but local authorities moved it 5km east, to Presteid, where Knut Hamsun spent a significant part of his childhood with his uncle. The building process was delayed due to a long-time struggle with local red tape. The newspaper Morgenbladet
referred to it at one point as "Norway's most discussed non-existing building".
The Knut Hamsun Centre was finished on August 4th 2009, the 150th anniversary of Knut Hamsun's birth, and the exhibition about Hamsun's life and work opened for the public in June 2010. The exhbition is structured thematically and deals with topics like Knut Hamsun's childhood in Hamarøy, Hamsun's support of Germany during World War II, and modernism
or proto-modernism in Hamsun's writing.
Administratively, the centre is subordinate to Nordlandsmuseet, and the museum director is Bodil Børset.
Hamarøy
Hamarøy is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Oppeid...
in Northern Norway dedicated to the life and work of the writer Knut Hamsun
Knut Hamsun
Knut Hamsun was a Norwegian author, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920. He was praised by King Haakon VII of Norway as Norway's soul....
.
The architect Steven Holl
Steven Holl
Steven Holl is an American architect and watercolorist, perhaps best known for the 1998 Kiasma Contemporary Art Museum in Helsinki, Finland, the 2003 Simmons Hall at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the celebrated 2007 Bloch Building addition to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City,...
was first contacted about designing a centre for Knut Hamsun in 1994. He traveled to Hamarøy and made a watercolour of the centre's design that looks quite similar to the building today. Holl was inspired by the Hamarøy nature and scenery, by Norwegian building tradition with stave churches and sod roofs, and by Hamsun's literature—especially the early works Hunger (1890)
Hunger (novel)
Hunger is a novel by the Norwegian author Knut Hamsun and was published in its final form in 1890. Parts of it had been published anonymously in the Danish magazine Ny Jord in 1888. The novel has been hailed as the literary opening of the 20th century and an outstanding example of modern,...
and Mysteries (1892)
Mysteries (novel)
Mysteries is a novel by Norwegian author Knut Hamsun.-Plot introduction:In this intensely psychological Modernist novel, the community of a small Norwegian coastal town is "[shaken]" by the arrival of eccentric stranger Johan Nagel...
. Steven Holl has described the Knut Hamsun Centre as "concretizing a Hamsun character in architectonic terms", and he continues: "The concept for the museum, 'Building as a Body:Battleground of invisible Forces,' is realized from inside and out." This concept is a quote from the 1974 translation of Hunger by Robert Bly
Robert Bly
Robert Bly is an American poet, author, activist and leader of the Mythopoetic Men's Movement.-Life:Bly was born in Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota, to Jacob and Alice Bly, who were of Norwegian ancestry. Following graduation from high school in 1944, he enlisted in the United States Navy, serving...
. The buildings' design has generated considerable attention and debate, and the Knut Hamsun Centre has received several national and international architecture awards.
Holl originally wanted the centre to be built close to Hamsun's childhood home in Hamsund, but local authorities moved it 5km east, to Presteid, where Knut Hamsun spent a significant part of his childhood with his uncle. The building process was delayed due to a long-time struggle with local red tape. The newspaper Morgenbladet
Morgenbladet
Morgenbladet is a Norwegian weekly newspaper. It was founded in 1819 by the book printer Niels Wulfsberg, and was the country's first daily newspaper. For a long time, it was also the country's biggest newspaper. It was closed down by the German Wehrmacht during World War II...
referred to it at one point as "Norway's most discussed non-existing building".
The Knut Hamsun Centre was finished on August 4th 2009, the 150th anniversary of Knut Hamsun's birth, and the exhibition about Hamsun's life and work opened for the public in June 2010. The exhbition is structured thematically and deals with topics like Knut Hamsun's childhood in Hamarøy, Hamsun's support of Germany during World War II, and modernism
Modernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
or proto-modernism in Hamsun's writing.
Administratively, the centre is subordinate to Nordlandsmuseet, and the museum director is Bodil Børset.