Among the many affected by massive flooding in Southern Norway this weekend is the internationally acclaimed Kistefos art museum and outdoor sculpture park in Jevnaker. It’s located adjacent to one of the rivers dangerously swollen by torrential rains earlier in the week.
“We stayed open Monday to Wednesday but had to close on Thursday, because it’s irresponsible to walk along the Randselva,” Kistefos director Kari Roll-Matthiesen told state broadcaster NRK. She was referring to the river flowing from the also-swollen Randsfjord, part of the flooded waterway system coming down from the mountains.
Roll-Matthiesen stressed that the extreme weather and flooding aren’t threatening Kistefos’ special exhibition building known as The Twist, even though it runs right over the river. She said it was built to survive a 100-year flood. This year it’s been the venue for a popular exhibition of sculptures by Tony Cragg.
Water from the river was rising up to some outdoor areas of the museum, though. Museum officials were due to decide on Monday when to reopen.
NewsinEnglish.no staff
