Norway House Exhibitions in the

Joan and Walter Mondale Gallery

Artist, Amy Sands

The Bunad Series

The Bunad series developed after my first trip to Norway in 2019. After working with lace from my own Scandinavian heritage back home, I sought to expand my research and learn more about Scandinavian handwork. I arrived in Oslo, Norway on May 17th, and was in awe of the celebrations, culture and incredible detail of the bunad folk dress. I then traveled to Bergen and conducted visual research at the Osterøy Museum during my stay, documenting several brystduk pieces and other textiles with my camera. Over the last few years, I translated these images into polymer photogravure prints. This process involves the transfer of a photographic image onto a polymer plate that can be used for editioning. Once the plate is developed, it is inked up and printed by hand with an etching press.

Trådar (Threads)

May 8–July 13, 2025

Amy Sand’s Trådar (Threads) explores the intersection of heritage and the contemporary in a new exhibition at Norway House—part of Norway House’s celebration of Crossings 200— the bicentennial of Norwegian immigration to the United States.

Trådar (Threads) features artworks reimagined with inspiration from the textile collection of the Osterøy Museum, in Norway, combined with historical photographs from Tekstilindustrimuseet (The Textile Industry Museum), in Salhus, Norway.

This collection of Sands’ work was the culmination of researching the textile collections of Scandinavian museums after being inspired by some of the handiwork in her own family’s personal collection—given to her by Scandinavian relatives. Sands states that three out of her four sets of great-grandparents had emigrated from Norway.

Gallery Reception

Thursday, July 10
4:00pm–8:00pm

General Admission - $5
Norway House Members - Free

The Portal Series

In the Portal series, I have integrated historical photographs from the Tekstilindustreet Museum and patterns from the textile collection of the Osterøy Museum, creating an intersection between handwork and the textile industry. Transforming the photographs into a fish-eye lens perspective and printing them as archival pigment prints on paper transports the viewer back in time, honoring those who paved the way for the textile industry. In addition, I’ve added lace pattern borders sourced from the Osterøy’s collection that are drawn by hand and embellished with embroidery and beads, referencing the labor of handwork as a means of both love and survival, serving both the family and a means of trade. They were symbols of life at home and became skills that were passed down from generation to generation, yet through the industrial revolution and invention of machinery, these skills quickly transformed into a prominent way of earning a living. This series honors and recognizes this labor of love.