This Is Norway

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Scandinavian history and culture have long been important in Eau Claire and the region. For 50 years, Reform, a Norwegian language newspaper, had more subscribers than the English language newspapers. And immigrants preserved a lot of their heritage and welcomed visitors from the “old” country. For example, Waldemar Ager hosted Norwegian-American author Ole  Rølvaag and Norwegian adventurer/explorer Roald Amundsen. And famous Norwegian violinist Ole Bull gave concerts in Madison and Eau Claire.

In that tradition, for 10 days in early September, Norwegian artist Anne T-J Møller will exhibit her weaving in McIntyre Library at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Møller will be resident in Eau Claire during the run of the exhibit and will talk at a reception on September 4 and give a

presentation at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public library on September 9. She will also be in the gallery from 1 - 3 at the McIntyre Library on September 5 and 11.

Weaving is an ancient craft and art form. Weavers make fabric, but they also present stories and experiment with color, form, texture, and complex ideas. Møller’s works include friezes (two long panels with 10 works each, depicting decades of Norwegian history and marking the function of the Norwegian constitution over the span of 200 years). In a dozen other works, she weaves

images to suggest the seasonal life in Norway. Recently, she has finished a weaving celebrating Restauration, the ship that brought, in 1825, the first group of Norwegian immigrants to the shores of the USA. Møller was raised on a farm near Lillehammer. Like most Norwegians, she enjoys friluftsliv (outdoor activities). She has worked in healthcare and is married and has three children and six grandchildren.

An opportunity to study art history led Møller to more instruction and the start of a career in weaving works that celebrate milestones in Norwegian history—1905 (the year the union with Sweden ended) and 2014 (the year that Norwegians celebrated the 200th anniversary of their Constitution). Her work has been exhibited in 50 different venues across Norway from Stavanger in the south to Tromsø in the north.

Complementary to the exhibit is a talk by Professor Josh Brown: “From Norway to the American Midwest—200 years of Immigrant Folk Art.” Brown is Skwierczynski University Fellow in Languages at UW-Eau Claire and a folk textile and paper artist.

Run of Exhibit Sep 3 - 12

Reception, McIntyre Sep 4 ~ 6:30 pm

Møller Talk. Public Library Sep 9 ~ 6:30 pm

Brown Talk. McIntyre

Collaborating to make Møller’s visit and the associated events possible are

five local organizations:

• Løven Lodge, Sons of Norway

• Midwest Institute of Scandinavian Culture

• Waldemar Ager Association and Museum.

• McIntyre Library, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

• L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library

Exhibit and reception on 4th floor, McIntyre Library,

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Dr. Brown’s talk

is in the Breezeway, McIntyre Library.

Library/Exhibit Hours

• Monday-Thursday: 8 am - 11 pm

• Friday: 8 am - 6 pm

• Saturday: 11 am - 6 pm

• Sunday: 11 am - 11 pm

Public parking at UW-Eau Claire campus lots varies by location and time of day, but generally, public parking is permitted after 4:00 PM on weekdays and all day on weekends in many lots. Specific lots, like Visitor Lot B, have different requirements, such as visitor permits from 6 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday and AMP timed parking from 4 pm to 9 pm according to UW-Eau Claire.