Integral to the New MUNCH Museum’s Visitor Experience, 500+ Works Fitted With New Frames

Opened Oct. 22, 2021, the new MUNCH Museum in Oslo, Norway, displays the works of Edvard Munch (1863-1944). While Munch produced a large, complex body of work, he is most well-known for “The Scream.”

For the new museum, WERNER MURRER RAHMEN and HALBE Rahmen of Germany created over 500 frames to strict conservation requirements, keeping with the aesthetic of Munch’s style. Tru Vue® Optium Museum Acrylic® protects these world-famous artworks with an intimate viewing experience.

MUNCH Museum’s dual-frame system has a visible exterior and a concealed interior.

WERNER MURRER RAHMEN hand-made the outer, decorative wood framing, modeled after extensive historical research on original Munch frames. Munch used simple, wood frames and frequently left his artwork outside to directly interact with nature, resulting in a unique patina.

HALBE Rahmen engineered the vault-like, inner framing with Optium Museum Acrylic and a slim aluminum profile, which is essentially indiscernible beneath the wooden overlay. A magnetic closure allows the artwork to be front-loaded to reduce handling.

“It’s a beautiful system,” praised Barbara De Haan, MUNCH Museum’s relocation project leader. “Frames are extremely important.” Observing one of Munch’s pieces with its new frame and Optium Museum Acrylic, she commented, “It’s perfect. You see how the work comes alive. It speaks to you.”

“It was important that visitors to the new MUNCH Museum could get as close as possible to the artist’s work, to really feel and experience it; all while keeping the works protected,” said Tru Vue director of fine art and museums, Dr. Jennifer Booth. “We don’t want them to notice our product. We want them to get lost in the artwork, to see the texture of the paint, to be carried away in the emotion of the piece, rather than having that barrier.”

“With Optium Museum Acrylic, it is like you are close to the canvas with no glass in front. Glazing is necessary, but it is perfect if you don’t see it,” noted Werner Murrer. David Halbe added, “The glazing that is in between the artwork and the visitor is very important. It should protect the painting without disturbing the view.”

Johan Øvergård, art technical manager at MUNCH, said, “The advantage of using Tru Vue Optium Museum Acrylic compared to laminated glass is the reduced weight, which eases handling, transporting and installing the artworks.” The system also allows for Munch’s artworks to be loaned internationally.

“The coating process is a combination of a lot of science and a touch of art from our technical teams,” said Nate Soukup, Tru Vue vice president of operations. “We’ve worked tirelessly to perfect the production of Optium® over the last 20 years. We’ve developed the ability to produce acrylic in high volume, large sizes and with extremely tight quality specifications that our customers, like the MUNCH Museum, require.”