The Committee on Works of Art of the Storting has entered into an agreement with the Norwegian Cartoonist Gallery, one of the Museums in Akershus (MiA), to put on an annual exhibition of 10 caricatures from the previous year in parliament. Some of these will be purchased. A cartoon of Vladimir Putin was the subject of particular interest during the opening.

“In today’s world, where war and totalitarian tendencies are threatening democracy and liberty, it’s vital that we protect the power of the pen. I’m very proud to have these drawings in the Storting,” said the President of the Storting during the opening of the exhibition.

Watch the opening of the exhibition on YouTube (Norwegian only)

See more photos from the opening

Tone Wilhelmsen Trøen, who is chair of the Committee on Works of Art of the Storting, presided over the opening of the exhibition.

“The Storting’s art collection should be a place where art, politics and history meet. Newspaper cartoons are at the heart of this. They combine art, biting political comment and a wry take on history,” she said.

Bianca Boege, curator of the Norwegian Cartoonist Gallery completely agrees that this is an important exhibition.

“We’re not aware of any other parliament in the world which displays satirical cartoons of the politicians that work there. It’s not just fantastic, it’s globally unique,” she said.