| dc.description.abstract | The displays of the versions of “The Scream” by Edvard Munch in Oslo’s new art museums are the focus of this thesis. They are displayed in two very different ways, since the Munch Museum’s versions are presented in their own room, and only one at a time can be seen, whereas the National Museum’s “Scream” can be viewed in a classic setting. Originals and reproductions are treated differently in the museums, and especially in the case of the Munch Museum, it points towards an iconizing of the original. The compromise between security, conservatory reasons, accessibility and contextualization, resulting in an innovative display in this particular case, relies on the aura of the artworks and heightens their position as originals even more. While only one original can be seen at a time, reproductions of “The Scream(s)” are provided, which also serve as the only way in the room to see all of them together. The National Museum, on the other hand, has embedded its “Scream” in a wider context (“Frieze of Life”) and without particularly highlighting the painting. With the specific display chosen in the Munch Museum, a sort of spectacle of doors opening and closing, of revealing and unveiling, is presented to the visitor. This framing and staging highlights the works on display in their importance, while a distance to the viewer is created. “The Scream(s)” are displayed as something valuable, to be kept secret, which might contribute to an increased popularity in the future, as the example of similar artworks shows. | eng |