Synnøve Anker Aurdal

In summer 2022 we will present an extensive exhibition of work by Norwegian textile artist Synnøve Anker Aurdal.

  Synnøve Anker Aurdal (1908 – 2000) was one of Norway’s most prominent textile artists, and her deep knowledge of both Norwegian weaving tradition and the contemporary arts made her a pioneer within the field. Through her oeuvre she moved from traditional craftsmanship and arts and crafts into the visual arts, where she emerged as a central figure and contributed greatly to the recognition of textiles as a form of artistic expression. Anker Aurdal worked in a modern style and incorporated the non-figurative as a central element in her work. Anker Aurdal was educated at the weaving school run by the sisters Karen and Ragnhild Prestgard in Lillehammer and at the Statens Kvindelige Industriskole in Oslo from 1932 to 1934. In 1941 she had her debut with an exhibition at Kunstnerforbundet. The artist created several public commissions, including Høyseteteppet (1958-61) in Håkonshallen in Bergen (with Ludvig Eikaas and Sigrun Berg) and Norway’s gift to Iceland for its 1100th anniversary in 1974. In 1982 she represented Norway at the Venice Biennale. Several of Anker Aurdal’s key works can be found in the Astrup Fearnley Collection, and we look forward to sharing them with our audience.   Image: Synnøve Anker Aurdal, Mennesker møtes, 1974. ©Synnøve Anker Aurdal/BONO 2021