Ever wonder what made the man in Edvard Munch’s painting, The Scream, scream? On the 150th anniversary of the artist’s birth this year, Visit Norway thinks they’ve found the answer: Norway itself! This February marks the start of Norway’s official Munch Year, and to celebrate, Visit Norway is releasing a short film showcasing the country’s “scream experiences.”
Photo by Børre Høstland“We want people to share and join the celebration by creating the longest scream in the world,” says Per-Arne Tuftin, the director of tourism. Except this time, the screams will be positive ones.
Norway’s beauty has been known to evoke more than a few “oohs” and “aahs”: sparkling waterfalls, snow-topped mountain ranges and the famous black fjords make up a large portion of the country’s geography—“photogenic” doesn’t even begin to describe it. Who wouldn’t scream with delight upon experiencing the elusive Aurora Borealis or the mind boggling midnight sun?
To add to the short film, Visit Norway invites Scandinavians at heart from all over the world to send in their own recorded screams. In addition to being part of “the world’s longest scream,” entrants will also compete for one of five big prizes.
Camera shy? Then, go see the real deal at the MoMA in New York, where the third of the four artworks collectively referred to as “The Scream” is on display until March 2013. After having sold last spring for about $120 million, this “Scream” is the most expensive work of art ever sold at auction and is the only one of the four “Screams” to be in private hands (the other three are permanently installed in museums in Norway and do not travel). Protected by a Plexiglass shield, it’s hanging opposite Van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” the most crowded spot at MoMA, and is joined by some of Munch’s other works.
It’s hard to imagine why Edvard Munch’s ghostlike man was screaming—that is, unless you’re in Norway.