The exhibiting artists are:
Akif Akgun, Coleen Estupin, Farhad Soufi, Freya Hordern Larsen, Inga Rohde, Ingrid Bolstad, Joakim Mathisen, Juleda Fetisi, Leyla Sacad, Linn Prepsl, Maja Ja Jansen, Maria Lande Lunde, Mikkel Goffeng, Oda Paaske, Olav Hylland, Sander Welo, Sara Synnevåg, Tilda Edstedt, Tuva Søgaard, and William Luihn Suul.
Without formal education, financial support, or the “right” background, it can be difficult for young people to find a way into the art world. Structural barriers are numerous—and often invisible—which makes open and inclusive exhibition spaces all the more essential. Projects like the summer exhibition create a platform for young artists to present their work and get a first glimpse of what a future in the arts might look like. For many, this marks the first step towards a professional artistic career.
AVGANG invites a broader conversation around these questions: At what point is one recognized as an artist, and not simply someone who “makes art”? By framing this year’s exhibition as a kind of graduation show, we draw parallels between this platform and the more formal pathways of art education. Several participants from previous summer exhibitions have since moved on to larger exhibition venues. Perhaps, in this way, the summer exhibition serves as an “unofficial” graduation — the final departure before fully embarking on a career in the art world. The exhibition also takes a satirical look at how young artists are often assessed: when a CV listing art education is valued more highly than actual experience and talent, it exposes a system in need of critical reflection and change.
Out of 114 submitted applications, 20 artists have been selected for this year’s exhibition. Their work addresses themes of childhood, everyday life, identity, and politics, expressed through a wide range of media, techniques, and perspectives. The pieces move between the nostalgia of the past and the uncertainties and hopes of the future. Together, they present an honest portrait of what it means to be a young artist in a rapidly changing world. All works in the exhibition were selected through an open call for artists aged 15 to 26, via an anonymized jury process modeled after Norway’s annual Autumn Exhibition (Høstutstillingen).
Mohammed Bashir and Hamda Barise, who were both involved in the pilot edition of Kunsthall Oslo’s youth project , now return as a curatorial duo. Their ambition is not only to explore the curatorial field but also to highlight the value of the Open Call model and contribute to a more inclusive understanding of what it means to be a young artist today. With AVGANG, they open up a conversation about recognition, structures, and opportunity—asking not only what it takes to be seen, but also who gets to define who belongs inside the art world.
The exhibition is part of the ongoing Oslo Art and Knowledge Workshop project, initiated by Kunsthall Oslo and organized in collaboration with Agenda X. The project’s long-term goal is to create new opportunities for young people from less privileged backgrounds to take part in the production of contemporary art and culture. Oslo Art and Knowledge Workshop is supported by the Norwegian Arts Council (Kulturrådet) and Sparebankstiftelsen DNB. Kunsthall Oslo receives support from the Norwegian Ministry of Culture and the City of Oslo.