Join us in the living room and gain a new understanding of mental health and illness in Norway today. The exhibition was shown from 17 Oct. 2016 to 13 Aug. 2017.

– When I feel suicidal, I storm into the kitchen and turn on the radio pretty loud. I sit at the kitchen table, open the kitchen window. Then I take the pictures of my grandchildren and put them in front of me. It keeps me going.

The National Medical Museum has visited the homes of people with serious and long-term mental illness to find out how they are doing. 

In the early 1900s, large psychiatric hospitals, asylums, were built around the country. Many patients were admitted for many years. Some remained there until they died and were buried in the asylum's own cemetery.

The asylums are now closed. Treatment of serious mental illness still takes place in closed institutions, but also in many other places. People with serious and long-term mental illnesses live with their parents, in their own apartments, in houses, municipal apartments or in housing associations.

How are they doing there?

At Home with People with Serious and Long-Term Mental Illness displays photographs and stories from these visits. The audience can join us in the living room and gain a new understanding of mental health and illness in Norway today. All photos: Håkon Bergseth, The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology .

The exhibition also shows new artworks by Gro Dahle, Kaia Dahle Nyhus and Ninni Dahle Nyhus.

Read more about the exhibition in Aftenposten!

Contact persons:
Ellen Lange, project manager, tel: 482 58 183
Kathrine Daniloff, communications manager, tel. 900 57 192.

– I have a five-year plan for things. I'm going to try to get a vinyl record of punk music released, make an album of Russian guitar poetry, finish painting the pictures I'm working on, and at least have an exhibition of photos. And then there's the novel. Trilogy, if it were to happen, it would happen. It was never finished. Yes, I have to finish it.

 

AT HOME WITH... people with severe and long-term mental ill health

(Closed! Exhibition time: Oct 17. 2016 – Aug. 13. 2017 )

- When I get suicidal, I zoom into the kitchen and turn the radio up pretty loud. I sit at the kitchen table and open the window. Then I take the photos of my grandchildren and put them in front of me. That keeps me together.
Norway's National Medical Museum has visited the homes of people with severe and long-term mental ill health in order to find out how they are doing.

Early in the 1900s, large psychiatric hospitals—asylums—were built across Norway. Many patients lived there for many years. Some stayed right up until they died and were laid to rest in asylum graveyards.

Now the asylums are shut down. Treatment of several mental distress still happens in institutions, but also in many other places. People with severe and long-term mental health conditions live mainly at home: with their parents, in apartments, in houses, public housing, and sheltered accommodation.

How is life for them there?

"At home with..." shows photographs and interview excerpts from these visits. Visitors can come along into these living rooms and gain a new understanding of mental health and illness in Norway today. All photographs: Håkon Bergseth, The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology .

At home with... will run from 17 October 2016 to 13 August 2017, at the The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology .

Contacts:
Ellen Lange, Project Leader, tel: 482 58 183
Kathrine Daniloff, Communications Director, tel: 900 57 192

- I have a five-year plan for things. I will try to put out a punk-music album on vinyl, make an album of Russian guitar poetry, finish the paintings I am doing, and have at least one photo exhibition. And then there's the novel. Trilogy, it should be, it will be. It never got finished. Really, I must get it done.