Edvard Munch's Great Chocolate Factory Frieze Heads to His Museum

Edvard Munch and the Chocolate Factory, which is due to open on May 21 through to October 11, will feature the Norwegian artist's monumental paintings and preparatory sketches for a frieze in Oslo's celebrated Freia chocolate factory.

The Freia Frieze, created for the women's canteen in 1923, represents an example of decorative art and industrial patronage during the interwar period in Norway. Munch's work for Freia includes the themes of labor, everyday life, and social change, especially for its largely female workforce.

This exhibition will also explore the interplay between art and industry, alongside the broader context of industrialisation in Norway.

It will also focus on gender dynamics as reflected in Munch's decorative commissions and preparatory sketches, including their connection to cocoa production and the working class.

The factory and the brand were also one of the inspirations for Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.