R/Art: From fishing to world-class art

The island-peppered west coast of Norway is famous for its deep-rooted fishing industry. Here, in the island town of Fosnavåg, the fishing company Ervik & Sævik and its vessel M/S Christina E has its base. But Ervik & Sævik is not just a fishing company – it also comprises a business hub called Horisont, with a restaurant and a gallery.

The gallery R/Art launched on 16 June 2022 with an opening exhibition by Magne Furuholmen. Many will recognise him as the keyboardist from the band a-ha, but he has been a strongly reputed visual artist for almost as long as he has been a musician, and has exhibited widely in Europe.

The entrance to the gallery.

A passion for art

Rita Christina Sævik, CEO, is behind the gallery. Her passion for art started when she and her family moved to Denmark in 2010, while M/S Christina E was being built. As a newcomer with no contacts, visiting galleries became a regular activity and hobby. She began buying pieces and now the company’s collection counts over 100 works of art. “Today, 30 works are displayed on board Christina E,” Sævik says. “Since I began, the interest has only grown, and today it’s my hobby and great passion.”

For their summer exhibition, one of Norway’s leading contemporary artists, Håkon Bleken, is exhibiting at the gallery. He painted King Harald and Queen Sonja’s blessing in the historic cathedral Nidarosdomen, after their ascent to the throne. The exhibition opens on 1 May 2023 until 20 August 2023.

Karin Augusta Vogva makes art you can put on your wall or wear.

Untraditional and sustainable

The gallery is a part of a new building and may seem untraditional. Some of the walls are bare concrete, creating a contrast between the art and the space in which it hangs. The mixed use of plaster and sisal hemp walls is an expression of sustainability, while also adding more variety to the rooms.

With 200 square metres, it is a generous space. But the art does not stop there. Ervik & Sævik’s private collection is on display all throughout the building. Visiting Horisont is therefore a holistic art experience.

Art by Magne Furuholmen,_Birgitte Grongstad Kvalsvik and Ervik & Sævik.

Web: www.horisont-fosnavaag.no
Instagram: @horisont_fosnavaag