Currently viewing the category: "Munch"

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Photo: Fabrice Zindy

Aksel Kolstad was on October 10th 2012 officially announced to be a “Munch-artist” and an international “Edvard Munch Ambassador”. – Kolstad will carry Munch on his musical and artistic shoulders, says Front-of-House Manager at the Munch Museum in Oslo, Cécile Therond Hjelm. – Aksel Kolstad will revitalize the artist and provocateur Edvard Munch through his powerful music and his artistic projects world wide. Once a month Kolstad will perform his “Munch reflection-recitals” in Oslo at the same time as his ateiler, Café de Concert at Tjuvholmen, this will become the second home of the Munch. The first home of Munch lies in the heart of the Norwegian people.

“To me Munch is Shostakovitch mixed with deadly strawberries on canvas” – Aksel Kolstad

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Life is like a box of chocolate, some taste like shit.

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Pressemelding:

“Til 23. januar 2013, da Munch-jubileet gikk av stabelen i Rådhuset, fikk Munch Museets utnevnte Edvard Munch ambassadør Aksel Kolstad ingen invitasjon, men samme dag en kort mail fra museet om at etter et internt møte måtte de avslutte samarbeidet.”

Jeg har ikke fått noen faglig uttalelse eller begrunnelse fra direktør Stein Olav Henrichsen ved Munch museet, de har heller ikke uttalt seg offentlig om dette, men føler meg likevel forpliktet til å informere publikum, presse, sponsorer og samarbeidspartnere om hendelsen. Ambassadør-rollen har jeg tatt alvorlig, med stor takknemlighet og dyp respekt. I lys av engasjementet og jubileet dette året har jeg allerede flere nasjonale og internasjonale konserter og prosjekter på tapetet, disse skal jeg gjennomføre etter beste evne, på tross av å bli stående igjen uten tittelen som Munch-ambassadør. Men Munch står så klart mitt hjerte like nært som før. Og min trang til å musikalsk og kunstnerisk formidle Munch står urokkelig i mitt kunstnersinn. De månedlige konsertene på Munch Museet er dessverre avlyst.

En stor takk til publikum, sponsorer og samarbeidspartnere som har vist interesse for mitt engasjement som ambassadør for Munch, det har vært en spennende reise. Nå fortsetter reisen på egne bein – med soloppgangen til Munch i ryggen.

Munch on my mind

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Great fun with such a big turnout at the Munch museum yesterday!! Next concert is on February 2nd at 1 pm:) New music, new Munch stories and new interpretations about the man, the myth and the guy who’s probably love an iPhone (not me, Munch!) This time I was tossing around some thoughts about Munch´s brain and his appartement. Paralels and differences. And why, in my opinion, it had to be that way.
“Once upon a time there was an artist that had so much on his mind that he had no place left for anything in his apartment“

Christmas tree

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“Am I really going to buy a christmas tree with Mr. Stenersen?” Wishing you an expresionistic x mas!

Successfull pressrelease at the Munch Museum today

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Successfull “screaming” pressrelease of the UMM ( Norwegian classical youth competition) at the Munch Museum today . From left: Christian Eggen (jury), Solveig Kringlebotn (jury), Aksel Kolstad (madonna of the ship) og competitor Victoria Randem.

Otto Graf – leader of the competiton. Otto was a huge inspiration for me when I competed several times as a teenager. I remember one time, just before playing Beethoven, Otto was backstage and gave me such an energizing pep talk that I practically flew on stage and wasn´t even able to hit the pedals while playing the Rondo in C major…I was flying, so was Beethoven. Thank you Otto! Now let´s make everybody else fly too. UMM got a brand new style, and I will make sure it stays that way. The competition is now seen through a modern eye… my creative right one. Aiming, bang bang. “I did not shoot no deputy” (Bob Marley) – but I shot the golden bird, as we say in Norwegian. Come to the “superfinal” this saturday at the Norwegian Academy of Music (Oslo) and listen to great talents. I will also be performing and creating that formiliar Café de Concert atmosphere between the finalists. This is no competition anymore, this is like one of thos track and field days in elementary school. Where everybody is cheering for one another! Be the best you can, glow, shine – and kick ass!

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