Commemorative Programme
by Knut Listerud
NATIONAL COMMEMORATION
Four locations, four works
The commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Knut Hamsun’s birth is centred upon four national events in the period February-September 2009. The events will take place in the municipalities closely associated with Hamsun (Lom/Vågå, Hamarøy and Grimstad), as well as in Oslo. Each event is linked thematically to a work by Hamsun, chosen by the commemorative committee in each location.
- The opening commemorative event will take place in the capital on 19 February, the day of the author’s death. Hamsun’s breakthrough novel Hunger ( Sult, 1890), set in the capital (then known as Kristiania), provides the framework for the event.
- Growth of the Soil ( Markens grøde, 1917) is the novel chosen by Lom/Vågå as the background for the event on 1 August at Knut Hamsun’s place of birth in the valley of Gudbrandsdalen.
- The inauguration of the Knut Hamsun Centre (Hamsunsentret) at Hamarøy in the county of Nordland will take place on 4 August, the 150th anniversary itself. This is where Knut Hamsun grew up and also lived for a period as an adult. This particular date has therefore been chosen for the national commemorative event at Hamarøy and the novel Wayfarers ( Landstrykere, 1927), set in Nordland, forms the backdrop to the event.
- The last of the four national Hamsun commemorative events will take place in Grimstad on 18 September, taking its starting point from On Overgrown Paths ( På gjengrodde stier, 1949), which was written at Nørholm, Knut and Marie Hamsun’s home outside the town of Grimstad. The Grimstad celebration will focus on later generations and artists inspired by Hamsun.
Artistic Responsibility and Responsibility for Coordination
The National Library of Norway (Nasjonalbiblioteket) will have responsibility for coordinating the national commemorative events in accordance with its mandate from the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs (Kultur- og kirkedepartementet).
The National Library has delegated artistic responsibility for the format of the national anniversary events to The National Touring Theatre of Norway (Riksteatret), which is to ensure the professionalism of artistic productions and produce an overarching dramatic perspective for the national commemorative events taking place in 2009. Director Catrine Telle at The National Touring Theatre is Artistic Director of Hamsun 2009.
Organisations and individuals involved
The 150th anniversary of the birth of Knut Hamsun will be celebrated over the whole of Norway. Schools, academic groups, organisations, municipalities, counties and other parties wishing to contribute to the dissemination of information about Hamsun’s life and works will initiate and implement activities independently, as well as collaborate on a variety of events.
INTERNATIONAL COMMEMORATION
The Hamsun anniversary will also be celebrated abroad. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Utenriksdepartementet) is responsible for international cultural collaboration and the promotion of Norway abroad. The purpose of promoting Hamsun internationally in 2009 is to raise the profile of his writings and to generate interest in Hamsun in a variety of cultural contexts in different parts of the world. A further objective is to promote modern Norway as a nation presenting and renewing a significant part of its cultural heritage.
Please contact Hamsun 2009 if you wish to publicize information on a commemorative event or if you have any enquiries about the Hamsun anniversary.
Email: hamsun@nb.no
