Scandinavia's first major contemporary art biennial exploring Nordic artistic expression through a global lens, fostering cultural exchange across disciplinary borders in the historic coastal town of Moss, Norway.
The Momentum Nordic Biennial of Contemporary Art, established in 1998, stands as Scandinavia's first and most significant international contemporary art biennial. Located in the picturesque coastal town of Moss, approximately 60 kilometers south of Oslo, Norway, Momentum has evolved into a vital platform for showcasing artistic expressions from the Nordic region while fostering dialogue with the international art community.
Organized and produced by Galleri F 15, a prestigious Norwegian art institution founded in 1966, Momentum operates with a dual focus: highlighting the work of emerging and established Nordic artists while placing these practices within a broader global context. The biennial serves as a societal and discursive platform for artistic, intellectual, and critical reflection, continuously challenging and strengthening contemporary discourse around the biennial format itself.
Throughout its history, Momentum has embraced innovative curatorial approaches, exploring themes ranging from utopian visions and emotional states to alienation and collaborative practices. The biennial's exhibitions typically span multiple venues, including the historic Galleri F 15 on the island of Jeløy and various sites throughout Moss, creating a cultural journey that connects art with the region's natural landscapes, industrial heritage, and urban spaces.
The origins of the Momentum Biennial trace back to the late 1990s, a period when Scandinavia was seeking to strengthen its position in the international contemporary art world. Launched in 1998, Momentum was conceived as a platform to profile young Scandinavian artists and present them within an international context, filling a gap in the Nordic cultural landscape at a time when the region lacked a major recurring international art event.
The inaugural edition was curated by Lars Bang Larsen, Daniel Birnbaum, and Atle Gerhardsen, establishing the foundation for what would become one of the most enduring and influential biennials in the Nordic region. From its beginning, Momentum adopted a collective curatorial approach, often bringing together curators from different Nordic countries to create a truly regional perspective rather than representing a singular national viewpoint.
Over the years, Momentum has evolved in both scale and scope. Initially centered primarily in the Momentum Kunsthall, a converted brewery in Moss's city center, the biennial gradually expanded to include multiple venues throughout the town and surrounding areas. A significant shift occurred around 2020-2021 when the biennial relocated its main exhibition spaces from the urban center to the island of Jeløy, where Galleri F 15 is situated within a historic manor landscape, creating stronger connections between contemporary art and natural environments.
Throughout its evolution, the biennial has maintained its commitment to exploring what "Nordic" means as a term and concept, with each edition approaching this question differently. While firmly rooted in its regional context, Momentum has consistently engaged with global dialogues and contemporary challenges, positioning itself as both a reflection of Nordic cultural identity and a window into international artistic developments.
Inaugural edition of Momentum, establishing Scandinavia's first major international contemporary art biennial
Momentum and Galleri F 15 merge into one institution called Punkt Ø
Fifth edition explores contemporary art's engagement with social and political concerns
Ninth edition themed "Alienation" investigates technological, ecological, and social transformations
Tenth anniversary edition "The Emotional Exhibition" reflects on the biennial's history and impact
Major transition as the biennial relocates its main venue to the island of Jeløy
First edition curated by an art collective (Tenthaus) with the theme "Together as to gather"
Upcoming 13th edition focusing on sound art with the theme "Between/Worlds: Resonant Ecologies"
Throughout its history, the Momentum Biennial has explored a wide range of thematic concerns that reflect both regional perspectives and global dialogues. Each edition's curatorial approach contributes to an evolving understanding of contemporary art's relationship to broader social, political, and environmental contexts.
Nordic Identity - A consistent thread through Momentum's editions has been the exploration of what constitutes Nordic artistic identity in an increasingly globalized world. The biennial creates space for examining the specificity of Nordic cultural expressions while questioning essentialist notions of regional aesthetics.
Social Engagement - Many editions have emphasized art's capacity to address urgent social and political questions, from economic inequality and environmental concerns to technological transformations and cross-cultural dialogue. This focus reflects a strong tradition of socially engaged artistic practices in the Nordic countries.
Nature and Environment - The biennial's setting in Moss, with its combination of industrial heritage and stunning natural landscapes, has inspired explorations of human relationships with nature, ecological consciousness, and sustainability. This focus has intensified since the biennial's relocation to the island of Jeløy.
"Alienation" (2017) - The ninth edition, curated by a Nordic team of five curators, examined how technological, ecological, and social transformations were creating a sense of alienation in contemporary life. Rather than treating alienation as a purely negative condition, the exhibition explored its potential to expand horizons and usher in change, welcoming "the alien" as a challenge to the present and a promise of extraordinary futures.
"The Emotional Exhibition" (2019) - For its tenth edition, Momentum took an introspective turn, exploring emotions as a way to engage with complexity beyond purely rational approaches. Curated by Marti Manen, this edition looked back at the biennial's own history while using emotional responses as a lens to reconsider previous exhibitions and artistic contributions, combining new commissions with works from earlier editions.
"Between/Worlds: Resonant Ecologies" (2025) - The upcoming thirteenth edition, curated by sound art specialist Morten Søndergaard, will explore sound as a medium for artistic expression and a means to investigate the relationships between human and non-human worlds. This theme positions sound as a way to attune audiences to otherwise hidden dimensions of experience, challenging human-centric perspectives through immersive encounters with resonant ecologies.
These evolving thematic approaches demonstrate Momentum's responsiveness to changing artistic, social, and environmental conditions while maintaining its commitment to fostering dialogue between different cultural contexts and perspectives. By addressing both local concerns and global challenges, the biennial creates spaces for critical reflection on contemporary realities and possible futures.
The Momentum Biennial transforms Moss's landscape by activating multiple venues across the city and the nearby island of Jeløy. This distributed approach encourages exploration of different areas while highlighting the region's architectural and natural diversity. Since 2021, the biennial has shifted its center of gravity to Jeløy, though it continues to maintain a presence in urban Moss.
A historic art gallery established in 1966, housed in a 19th-century manor on the island of Jeløy. Set within a carefully preserved landscape overlooking the Oslo Fjord, this venue creates a dialogue between contemporary art and historical architecture.
The woodland areas surrounding Galleri F 15 provide settings for site-specific installations and sound works that engage with the natural environment. For the 2025 edition, these spaces will host sonic explorations of ecological interconnection.
The waters surrounding Jeløy offer opportunities for installations and performances that activate the relationship between land and sea. Previous editions have included boat-based performances and floating artworks.
Various locations throughout the city of Moss, including former industrial spaces, public areas, and cultural institutions, continue to host biennial projects that engage with the town's post-industrial identity.
The venue history of Momentum reflects its institutional evolution:
This distributed venue approach creates a unique visitor experience that combines art viewing with exploration of Moss's diverse environments. By moving between historic buildings, woodland areas, industrial spaces, and waterfront settings, audiences engage not only with the artworks but also with the cultural and natural heritage of the region.
Momentum's curatorial history reflects its commitment to diverse perspectives and collaborative approaches. Throughout its editions, the biennial has employed various models for curatorial leadership, often bringing together multiple voices to create richly layered exhibitions.
From its inception, Momentum has favored collaborative curatorial approaches over single-authored exhibitions. Early editions were often organized by teams of curators representing different Nordic countries, creating a uniquely regional perspective through multiplicity rather than uniformity. This collaborative spirit was taken to a new level with the 12th edition in 2023, which was the first to be curated by an art collective (Tenthaus) rather than individual curators.
This emphasis on collaboration reflects the biennial's commitment to fostering dialogue and exchange not only through the exhibited works but also through its organizational structure. By bringing together diverse curatorial voices, Momentum creates space for productive tensions and unexpected connections that might not emerge from a more singular vision.
Curator of the 13th edition (2025), Søndergaard is an internationally acclaimed sound art curator and professor of sound and media art at Aalborg University, Denmark, bringing his expertise in transdisciplinary approaches to sonic exploration.
Curators of the 12th edition (2023), this Oslo-based art collective is characterized by its open, process-oriented approach to participation and collaboration, reflecting a focus on education and community engagement.
Curator of the 10th edition (2019), Manen is the director of Index in Stockholm and brought a reflective approach that looked back at the biennial's history while emphasizing emotional experience as a way of engaging with art.
The 9th edition (2017) was curated by a team of five curators representing all Nordic countries: Ulrika Flink (Sweden), Ilari Laamanen (Finland), Jacob Lillemose (Denmark), Gunhild Moe (Norway), and Jón B.K. Ransu (Iceland).
The biennial's leadership structure has evolved over time:
This structure balances institutional continuity with creative renewal, allowing the biennial to maintain its identity while constantly evolving in response to changes in the art world and broader society. The interplay between long-term institutional vision and the fresh perspectives brought by guest curators keeps Momentum dynamic and responsive to contemporary concerns.
The 13th Momentum Biennial, titled "Between/Worlds: Resonant Ecologies," will take place from June 14 to October 12, 2025, in Moss, Norway. Led by curator Morten Søndergaard, this edition marks a significant thematic departure by focusing specifically on sound as a medium for artistic exploration and a means to investigate the relationships between human and non-human worlds.
The 2025 edition positions sound as the pivotal medium to explore the porous boundaries between worlds—human, non-human, and more-than-human. Sound, as both a perceptual and physical force, has the power to reveal connections, narratives, and transformations that exist between landscapes, histories, and species. The exhibition will challenge traditional human-centric artistic perspectives, instead positioning art as a medium for navigating the entangled and overlapping worlds that surround us.
Curator Morten Søndergaard, an internationally acclaimed sound art curator and professor of sound and media art at Aalborg University, brings his extensive expertise in transdisciplinary approaches to sonic exploration. The exhibition will unfold across five distinct zones: the post-industrial city of Moss, the forests of Alby, the Oslo Fjord, the volcanic island of Jeløy, and the historic buildings and museum spaces of Galleri F 15.
Through approximately 40 site-specific projects, the biennial will include a diverse range of artistic approaches:
The biennial will also include performances, concerts, workshops, and discussions that expand on the exhibition themes, creating a multifaceted program that engages diverse audiences through various modes of participation.
This edition represents several important developments for Momentum:
"Between/Worlds: Resonant Ecologies" invites audiences to step into a space of "unprepared listening"—to tune into the resonant ecologies around them, often overlooked or unheard. Whether through the hum of a forest, the crash of waves, or the mechanical rhythms of a city, the biennial offers a profound reminder of art's capacity to connect us to the intricate, interdependent webs of existence that shape our world.
Explore the atmosphere and impact of the Momentum Biennial through this video showcase of exhibitions, installations, and the distinctive landscape of Moss, Norway.
Explore critical perspectives and insights on the Momentum Biennial through these selected articles from leading art publications and critics.
An examination of how the biennial has approached and redefined regional artistic identity over its twenty-five year history, navigating tensions between local specificity and global dialogue.
Analysis of the biennial's venue shift from urban Moss to the island of Jeløy, and how this transition has influenced artistic approaches and visitor experiences.
Preview of the upcoming edition's focus on sound as a medium for exploring the boundaries between human and non-human worlds, featuring interviews with curator Morten Søndergaard.
The Momentum Biennial takes place across multiple venues in Moss, Norway, with Galleri F 15 on the island of Jeløy serving as the primary exhibition site since 2021.