Kunst & Kaos: Art, culture and design in cosy Røros

By Molly McPharlin | Photos: Kunst & Kaos

Since 2014, Kunst & Kaos in the charming UNESCO-listed town of Røros has offered world-class art with a small-town heart. Begun as a summer project over 11 years ago, the cosy gallery now represents art from over fifty artisans and craftspeople from across the country.

“We’re a small gallery in a small place in central Norway, but the selection of artists and the quality of our art is of a high quality,” says Sigrid M. Jansen, who owns Kunst & Kaos with her friend and partner, Ellen Kristine Klemmetvold. “We may not be the world’s largest gallery, but our calibre, enthusiasm and activity level are great. We want to be a vibrant meeting place for art, culture, and good experiences.”

Located in the historic neighbourhood of Finborudgården in the centre of Røros, Kunst & Kaos sells artwork, including graphics, paintings, drawings, sculptures, textiles, jewellery, and housewares in a comfortable gallery space open year-round. It also has a website and an active online shop, and ships pieces to all of Norway and globally.

A selection of art on display at the gallery.

Experts in art, curation, and design

As active members of the Røros community, both Jansen and Klemmetvold have been involved in the region’s art and design sector for many years. An expert in art history and curation, Klemmetvold also installs new exhibitions at KUK, a gallery and exhibition space in Trondheim and is part of The Cultural School Bag, a painting and drawing workshop for children at Kunst &Kaos. Jansen is a trained graphic designer who first established the design agency Form til fjells in Røros before opening Kunst & Kaos.

Their combined experience has allowed them to create a gallery that is professional and forward-thinking, but welcoming to everyone. Ellen Klemmetvold says: “At Knust & Kaos, you will find a rich and varied selection of art in a broad price range. We collaborate with many renowned and professional artists, and all artworks on display have been carefully selected by us in consultation with the Art Professionals Council. In December 2025, we announced an open call for Norwegian artists. The selected submittals will form the base for our 2026 exhibitions. We’ve held around 45 solo and group exhibitions of Norwegian and South Sami artists, and we want to increase this number.”

Sigrid Jansen outside Kunst & Kaos in Røros.

Representing Norwegian and Sami art

Kunst &Kaos is committed to presenting a wide range of art to ensure that customers can choose from high-quality pieces. The gallery is especially interested in highlighting the artistic traditions of the southern Sami region, in which Røros is located. “Røros has long Sami traditions, and Sámi art and culture are an important part of who we are. We actively encourage the inclusion and representation of Sámi art in our collections,” says Jansen. “We’re also proud to represent Norwegian artists from across the country. The fact that we show contemporary artists means that we offer an accurate picture of art in Norway today. They’re inspired by Norwegian culture, and we’re proud to be a space for all Norwegian art.”

Local art at Kunt & Kaos in Røros.

More than an exhibition space

As a well-known gallery committed to serving as a platform for contemporary regional art, Knust & Kaos attracts visitors from across the region and the rest of the country. They also have an increasingly international audience and warmly welcome international clients. Besides exhibitions, the gallery offers a range of events, from lectures, workshops and tours to performances and concerts. “Although most of our visitors don’t come from Røros, it’s important for us to also act as a centre for the community,” says Jansen.

Kunst &Kaos holds a variety of events throughout the year, and the public is warmly welcome.

Visitors can join a walk in the footsteps of the neo-romanticist Norwegian painter Harald Sohlberg or book the gallery for private receptions. “We want to be a meeting place for locals and visitors alike. For many, Kunst & Kaos has already become a destination in itself, a place that is worth the trip to Røros.”

Sigrid Jansen and Ellen Kristine Klemmetvold, the owners of Kunst & Kaos. Photo: Linda Klemmetvoll Olsen

Røros in itself is an ideal destination to experience Norwegian culture and charm, whatever the season. There is a vast selection of captivating shops, interesting craft stores, cafés, and galleries. Known for its wooden houses, Christmas market and local food, the town has always been a centre for culture, arts, and crafts. “If you put a roof over Røros, you would get the world’s most beautiful shopping centre,” muses Jansen. “Maybe it’s the picturesque surroundings that inspire artistic work? It’s a perfect place for a gallery like Kunst & Kaos. We welcome everyone to visit us.”