Exit - The Mozart Series

The Mozart Series opened in the summer of 2021. Here we see full-size portraits of resistance women in the first part, and cultural figures who used their voices in the fight for democracy in part 2. We meet, among others, Dagny, Norway's first female paratrooper, and Eva, who led over a thousand Norwegian Milorg soldiers. Also, notice the Norwegian poet Nordahl Grieg, double agent Sonja Wigert, intelligence agents, and many more from both the organized defense and the civilian, cultural society. World War II was often referred to as "the Boys' War," and the efforts of resistance women are significantly under-communicated. In The Rose Castle, more resistance women are painted than men, precisely to highlight this part of wartime history. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart broke his employment relationship with the archbishop in 1782 and tried to live as a free artist. He is considered a pioneer of the "free artist." He created his greatest works during the Enlightenment, and his music is often described as the sound of that era. When Vebjørn Sand painted these paintings, he exclusively listened to Mozart's music and experienced finding a special rhythm in the process. Therefore, the series was named the "Mozart Series." Also, take note of the painting of Mozart further down in the series. The last thing we see before leaving is the quote "He who sleeps in a democracy wakes up in a dictatorship." It is a reminder for us living today that we cannot take our democracy and freedom for granted but must cherish and protect it for the future.