TiO2 Prøvefelt displays a collection of historical and contemporary methods for observing and discussing the white pigment Titanium Dioxide (TiO2). During two weeks, ROM for kunst og arkitektur transforms into a trial field: we will present a collection of interdisciplinary research-in-progress to emphasize that research does not emerge in a single body alone, but takes form through collective processes. TiO2 Prøvefelt consists of artistic experiments, historic archival material, presentations from fieldwork, and public debates.
TiO2 Prøvefelt
Ingrid Halland & Marte Johnslien
ROM Studio
5 - 20 September 2023
The Norwegian word ‘prøvefelt’ [trial fields] is found written on the back of a photograph from 1956 in the archive of Kronos Titan AS. The photo shows a field of samples painted with white paint, left to be tested against the Norwegian weather and long days of sunlight.
![](https://romforarkitektur.imgix.net/Pr%C3%B8vefelt_Slide_IMG_5590_Medium.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&fm=jpeg&q=80&w=750&s=993d90aa3e992e6d236d12090183171b)
Dias from Kronos Titan’s archive (unknown year), Østfoldsmuseene, TiO2 Prøvefelt (2023). Photo: Marte Johnslien.
Background
The TiO2 Project studies a Norwegian innovation; the white pigment titanium dioxide (TiO2) through a historic, aesthetic and critical lens—focusing on how the pigment transformed surfaces in art, architecture and design.
The TiO2 Project is divided in two sub-projects; the artistic research project 'TiO2: The Materiality of White' (MoW) funded by the Norwegian Artistic Research Programme (2022 - 2026) and ‘TiO2: How Norway Made the World Whiter' (NorWhite) funded by the Research Council of Norway (2023 - 2028).
TiO2 Prøvefelt is a part of an experiment in public participation in arts-based and art historical research that investigates how research can engage with public opinion in a way that nuances and complicates the research hypothesis. The public will be introduced to the research project not a finished result, but rather part of an ongoing investigation that takes shape in the exhibition space.
![](https://romforarkitektur.imgix.net/Norsk-flagg-1_IMG_5598_Medium.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&fm=jpeg&q=80&w=750&s=350749aa6176c3fb7d38e682cd83bd50)
Dias from Kronos Titan’s archive (ukjent årstall), Østfoldsmuseene, TiO2 Prøvefelt (2023). Foto: Marte Johnslien.
![](https://romforarkitektur.imgix.net/Norsk-flagg-2_IMG_5600_Medium.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&fm=jpeg&q=80&w=750&s=4d05d546dcb8f05cbd08c0ede3487fcf)
Dias from Kronos Titan’s archive (ukjent årstall), Østfoldsmuseene, TiO2 Prøvefelt (2023). Foto: Marte Johnslien.
Research Team:
Marte Johnslien (leader of MoW), Ingrid Halland (leader of NorWhite), Tonje Haugland Sørensen (senior researcher), Helene Birkeli (postdoc) Julia K. Persson (research assistant), Linda Flø (MoW MA-student group), Silje Kjørholt (MoW MA-student group), and Kshitija Mruthyunjaya (guest researcher).
Main institutional partners:
The University of Bergen and the Oslo National Academy of the Arts. Project partners: Jøssingfjord Science Museum, Dalane Folkemuseum, Østfoldsmuseene, The Norwegian Mining Museum, Velferden, and ROM for kunst og arkitektur.
![](https://romforarkitektur.imgix.net/Pr%C3%B8vefelt_Foto-56_Bak_IMG_6058_Medium.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&fm=jpeg&q=80&w=750&s=c3b0ad37e1155f03a9b7bc8a2f7dd0d8)
Photography from Kronos Titan’s archive, 1956, Norsk Bergverksmuseum, TiO2 Prøvefelt (2023). Photo: Marte Johnslien
![](https://romforarkitektur.imgix.net/Pr%C3%B8vefelt_Foto-56_IMG_6058_Medium.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&fm=jpeg&q=80&w=750&s=f26d02a55f0911699d37acc3d6f15271)
Photography from Kronos Titan’s archive, 1956, Norsk Bergverksmuseum, TiO2 Prøvefelt (2023). Photo: Marte Johnslien
Public program during ROM Studio:
Thursday 7th September, kl. 19.00 - 20.30
Forenklet formidling? Om forskningsformidling og etikk
Tuesday 12th September, kl. 19.00 - 20.30
Kunsthistoriens hierarkier. Mangfold, hvitvasking eller nyansering?
Wednesday 13th September, kl. 19.00 - 20.30
Kunst som kulturvern: Fra gruvedrift til samtidskunst
Friday 15th September, kl. 18.00 - 20.00
Møt kunstnerne i TiO2 Prøvefelt
Saturday 16th September, kl. 14.00 - 15.30
Fra India til Rogaland: hvitpigmentet TiO2s globale spor