Bergen Assembly

Bergen Assembly Bergen Assembly is an international art triennial taking place in Bergen every third year. The firfth edition is taking place between 11.9.

and 9.11.2025 and is jointly convened by Ravi Agarwal, Adania Shibli and Bergen School of Architecture Bergen Assembly originated from the Bergen Biennial Conference in 2009, which was a response to a proposition by the municipality of Bergen to establish an international biennial for contemporary art in the city. The conference discussed the question “To biennial or not to biennial?” with interna

tional curators, artists, and academics, and was followed by The Biennial Reader (Hatje Cantz/Bergen Kunsthall, 2010)—to date the most comprehensive publication on the history and practice of biennials or regularly occurring exhibitions and events in a global perspective. The first edition of Bergen Assembly was titled Monday Begins on Saturday and was convened by Ekaterina Degot and David Riff, manifesting in a multi-venue exhibition and a publication in 2013. The second edition of the triennial was led by Tarek Atoui, the collective freethought, and the collaboration PRAXES in 2016. The third edition of Bergen Assembly in 2019, Actually, the Dead Are Not Dead was convened by Iris Dressler and Hans D. Christ in collaboration with a core group of ten curators, artists, theorists and activists. The fourth edition will take place in the autumn of 2022, convened by Saâdane Afif.

11/03/2026

We look forward to seeing Tarek Atoui´s Hyundai Commission for Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall, opening in October!

Tarek Atoui was one of three convenors of Bergen Assembly 2016. For this edition, he set out to expand our understanding and experience of sound and music. In collaboration with Council, he brought together Deaf and hard of hearing communities in Bergen with musicians, composers, and students.

The project was developed with both participants and audiences in mind who experience sound and listening in different ways.

At the time, he had already spent years exploring Deaf cultures and alternative ways of hearing, feeling, and perceiving sound. This resulted in exhibitions, orchestral performances with collaboratively created instruments, and a specialised mediation café called The White Cat Café.

We’re excited to see how his practice will unfold in the Turbine Hall!

Enjoy a video excerpt from ‘Sensational Sounds’ composed by Pauline Oliveros for the piece by Tarek Atoui, conducted by deaf painter Robert Demeter and performed by BIT20 Ensemble and musicians of different expertise and hearing abilities. Documentation by Miguel Balagué.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=526805638116855

We’re looking forward to Borealis Festival in Bergen and are thrilled that Elin Már Øyen Vister will present the opening...
03/03/2026

We’re looking forward to Borealis Festival in Bergen and are thrilled that Elin Már Øyen Vister will present the opening performance!

The new work, Vedøya – Laments to the birdmountain who lost their voice / Arme låddebávtijda ma lij sjávvunam, continues Øyen Vister’s deep listening practice.

For Bergen Assembly 2025, Øyen Vister created an intimate listening lounge aboard the Literature Boat Epos. There, audiences experienced a sound work developed along the west coast of Norway and beyond, carrying situated knowledge through sound and music as vessels of cultural memory.

During the opening days Øyen Vister together with Morten Norbye Halvorsen, Knut Jonas Sellevold, Alexander Aga Røynstrand, Katarina Dorothea Isaksen, Trine Samuelsen Hansen did an offering to the sea at the dock in Salhus.

We’re looking back at images from the installation and the offering — and looking forward to the opening performance at Borealis. See you there!

Slide 1-3, 5: .abrakadabra
Slide 4, 6:

On the Saturday of the Opening Days of 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩, 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘺 the Literature Boat Epos brought visitors to the Textile Ind...
11/02/2026

On the Saturday of the Opening Days of 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩, 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘺 the Literature Boat Epos brought visitors to the Textile Industry Museum in Salhus, where a program of talks and readings took place with authors and artists Izz Aljabari, Layli Long Soldier, Gunnhild Øyehaug, and Priya Bains.

While there, the visitors could also enjoy Jakkai Siributr’s work 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 displayed at the museum.

On the way back to the city center, Elin Már Øyen Vister’s DJ set accompanied the sound of the ocean waves.

Photos: .abrakadabra

From the opening of the 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 exhibition at Stranges Stiftelse during the Opening Days of across, wi...
26/01/2026

From the opening of the 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 exhibition at Stranges Stiftelse during the Opening Days of across, with, nearby in September.

Photos: .abrakadabra

A look back at the opening of the Maasai Mbili Art Collective exhibition 𝘗𝘓𝘌𝘈𝘚𝘌 𝘛𝘌𝘓𝘓 𝘔𝘌 𝘚𝘖𝘔𝘌𝘛𝘏𝘐𝘕𝘎 𝘐 𝘋𝘖𝘕𝘛 𝘒𝘕𝘖𝘞 at Entrée ...
12/01/2026

A look back at the opening of the Maasai Mbili Art Collective exhibition 𝘗𝘓𝘌𝘈𝘚𝘌 𝘛𝘌𝘓𝘓 𝘔𝘌 𝘚𝘖𝘔𝘌𝘛𝘏𝘐𝘕𝘎 𝘐 𝘋𝘖𝘕𝘛 𝘒𝘕𝘖𝘞 at Entrée during the Opening Days of across, with, nearby

Photos: .abrakadabra

10/01/2026

As we step into 2026, we’re looking back at some moments and projects from Bergen Assembly this past autumn - starting with a look black at 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩, 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘺 at Bergen Kunsthall.

Here, you can explore works by Gruppe 66, Ánddir Ivvár Ivvár / Iver Jåks, Marcus Coates, Clara Hastrup, Karen Werner, Sajan Mani, Vikrant Bhise, AgriForum, Kåre Aleksander Grundvåg, Matskogen and GramArt Project, Karan Shrestha, and Singing Wells.

Brought together at Bergen Kunsthall, these varied practices create a shared space for revisiting collective experiments, centring marginalised forms of knowledge, and fostering care, dialogue, and responses to urgent social and ecological questions.

As wrote in her review for “At Bergen Kunsthall, founded in 1838, the walls pulse with gestures of resistance, memory, and collective becoming. The space unfolds like a palimpsest of movement—across borders, histories, and urgencies—centering experiments in anti-colonial thought and radical togetherness.”

We also extend our sincere thanks to for generously lending works and sharing expertise on Gruppe 66, and to curatorial advisor for his invaluable contribution. Our gratitude also goes to .no, (UiT), and the Iver Jåks Archive in Tromsø for the loan of works by Ánddir Ivvár Ivvár / Iver Jåks. Finally, we warmly thank and for the collaboration on 𝘚𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘤 𝘐𝘯𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 together with .wells.

Clips by .abrakadabra

As part of Bergen Assembly’s mediation programme this autumn, Hallen at USF Verftet was transformed into an ever-growing...
07/01/2026

As part of Bergen Assembly’s mediation programme this autumn, Hallen at USF Verftet was transformed into an ever-growing cardboard city 📦🏭

Through Open Form - Open Architecture School (developed for The Cultural Schoolbag, DKS) and the family workshop Build Our City!, children were invited to explore architecture as a shared, open and collaborative practice.

During weekdays, school classes from grades 4–7 built and added new layers to the city, exploring what the city needed to be a good place to live. On Sundays, families joined in. Throughout October, the city evolved and expanded with the help of 550 children, families, and teachers.

A big thank you to all participating children, families, and teachers, and to our collaborators at USF Verftet 🌟

Photo 1, 4, 7, 9:
Photo 2-3, 5-6, 8: Trine Ruud Grønningen

A look back at the Literature Boat Epos’ trip to Børve, Grimo and Nå, in collaboration with Olav Bleie, Lars Korff Lofth...
16/12/2025

A look back at the Literature Boat Epos’ trip to Børve, Grimo and Nå, in collaboration with Olav Bleie, Lars Korff Lofthus, Leander Djønne and Tora Sanden Døskeland.

The day started with Lars Korff Lofthus opening up his atelier in Børve, before leading a walk towards Børvehovden along the paths that inspire his work. At Børvehovden Lars and the artist in residence at Epos Shahram Khosravi engaged in a conversation over coffee.

The walk then continued to Tessa’s Eplegård, before arriving at Alde Sider, where Olav Bleie provided an insight into their cider production, long-standing traditions, and the ethics of good neighbourliness among farmers, before inviting everyone in to taste the cider.

The day ended with readings and talks by Tora Sanden Døskeland, Leander Djønne, and Agnes Ravatn, as well as a shared meal onboard Epos.

Thank you to everyone who participated!

Photos: Bjørn Mortensen

A look back at Lapdiang Artimai Syiem’s performance in Tårnsalen at KODE Lysverket during the Opening Days of 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴, 𝘸𝘪...
15/12/2025

A look back at Lapdiang Artimai Syiem’s performance in Tårnsalen at KODE Lysverket during the Opening Days of 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩, 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘺.

Photos: .abrakadabra

A look back at the Blocknotes reading with Christine Otten at the Literature Boat Epos during the Opening Days of 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴...
10/12/2025

A look back at the Blocknotes reading with Christine Otten at the Literature Boat Epos during the Opening Days of 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩, 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘺.

Photos: .abrakadabra

Adresse

Halfdan Kjerulfs Gate 4
Bergen
5017

Åpningstider

Mandag 12:00 - 17:00
Tirsdag 12:00 - 17:00
Onsdag 12:00 - 17:00
Torsdag 12:00 - 17:00
Fredag 12:00 - 17:00
Lørdag 12:00 - 17:00
Søndag 12:00 - 17:00

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