Espolin Gallery

A dedicated gallery for the work of Kaare Espolin Johnson (1907–1994), one of northern Norway's most beloved artists. Espolin's etchings, lithographs, and paintings draw on the folklore, fishermen, and stark winter light of the Arctic coast — figures in heavy oilskins emerging from luminous fog, the great sea-cliffs of the Vesterålen, the spawning cod of the Lofotfiske.

The gallery is part of the Storvågan museum complex in Kabelvåg, with a combined ticket covering the Lofoten Museum, Espolin Gallery, and Lofoten Aquarium. Allow an hour.

things to do museum
A story
Kaare Espolin Johnson lost most of his eyesight by his late twenties and produced his entire body of work using a magnifying glass for technical details and feeling his way across the canvas for composition. His characteristic style — dark figures emerging from a luminous, almost mystical fog — was a direct response to his blurred vision.

Other places in Things to Do