Kunst og litteratur: Sverre Koren Bjertnæs and Sumaya Jirde Ali
Lotte Konow Lund. Photo: Ellen Lande Gossner
Sverre Koren Bjertnæs and Sumaya Jirde Ali on grief and friendship. Join us for a conversation hosted by Lotte Konow Lund at Oslo Kunstforening on Thursday, 12 March, from 18–19. The conversation will be held in Norwegian. Limited seating – reserve your ticket here.
Visual artist and writer Sverre Koren Bjertnæs (b. 1976) wrote about childhood and education, friendship, art, and alcoholism in his book Mine bilder/ essays om alkoholisme (Aschehoug, 2021). In his newly published Morsdager(Aschehoug, 2026), he reflects on love, art, and grief from his mother’s deathbed. Sumaya Jirde Ali (b. 1997), author, poet, playwright, anthropologist, and public debater, has explored themes of racism, marginalization, abuse, and grief in her books and poetry collections, while also celebrating friendship, closeness, love, and comfort.
The two met through literature and art and have developed a close friendship. In 2021, Jirde Ali wrote poems both for Bjertnæs’ catalog Avstand and her poetry collection Du finnes in response to his artwork. In 2025, Bjertnæs’ painting Gråmølna appeared on the cover of Jirde Ali’s latest book Om kamp, om kjærlighet (Cappelen Damm, 2025).
In the conversation with Lotte Konow Lund at Oslo Kunstforening on March 12, Sumaya Jirde Ali and Sverre Koren Bjertnæs will discuss literature and art, grief, and friendship. The conversation will be recorded and made available as a podcast.
Seating for the conversation is limited, and tickets can be reserved via the link in our bio. Tickets cost NOK 100 for non-members and are free for members.
Want to become a member? In 2026, Oslo Kunstforening celebrates 190 years! To mark the occasion, we are offering 50% off all memberships using the code JUBILEUM. As a member, you support our artistic program and enjoy discounts on select publications, art supplies, framing and printing services – plus a complimentary tote bag.
Sumaya Jirde Ali. Photo: Linda Hindrum / Cappelen Damm
Sverre Koren Bjertnæs. Photo: Bjørn Wad
Sumaya Jirde Ali (b. 1997) is a Norwegian-Somali public debater, literary critic, playwright, author, and poet. For her contributions to Norwegian public life, Ali has received the Osloprisen Årets stemme, the Zola Prize, the Ord i Grenseland Prize, the Norwegian Authors’ Association Freedom of Expression Prize, and the Amalie Skram Prize. In 2025, Ali was named by Morgenbladet and Norsk Litteraturfestival as one of Norway’s 10 best authors under 35.
Sverre Koren Bjertnæs (b. 1976) lives and works in Oslo. Bjertnæs was educated at Statens kunstakademi and the Dutch Art Institute. He has recently exhibited at Trondheim Kunstmuseum (2025), Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium (2024), and Trondheim Kunsthall (2021), and his works are included in collections such as Astrup Fearnley Museet, Kistefos Museum, Trondheim Kunstmuseum, Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum, Stavanger Kunstmuseum, and Kode Bergen. He debuted as an author with Mine bilder in 2021 (Aschehoug).
Lotte Konow Lund (b. 1967) is a visual artist and professor at KHiO. Konow Lund has published Om kunst – 25 kunstnersamtaler (Forlaget Oktober, 2021) and Dagbøkene 2014 – 2016 (Teknisk Industri, 2016) and was in 2025 featured with the extensive solo exhibition Det hun sa at Kode in Bergen.
