Elisabeth Haarr

Elisabeth Astrup Haarr (30 January 1945 – 4 January 2025)^[1] was a Norwegian artist.^[2][3] Haarr is known for her textile works, which often take the form of sculptures or installations.^[4]

Elisabeth Haarr
Born	(1945-01-30)30 January 1945 Hamar, German-occupied Norway
Died	4 January 2025(2025-01-04) (aged 79) Kristiansand, Norway
Nationality	Norwegian
Known for	Textile art

Background

Haarr was born on 30 January 1945 in Hamar, Norway.^[5] She attended the Statens Håndverks- og Kunstindustriskole from 1964 through 1967.^[6]

On 4 January 2025, it was announced that Haarr had died at the age of 78.^[7]

Style and themes

Haarr's woven works incorporate a variety of techniques from pre-Columbian through Bauhaus (particularly Anni Albers) and rya rug weaving. She includes non-traditional materials such as grocery bags and other types of plastic, nylon and polyester in her work.^[8] Her work often have political themes such as the place of women in Norway and the fight against oppression.^[6][4]

Haarr's first solo exhibition was in 1973 at the Oslo Art Association after exhibiting in an experimental textile biennial in Spain.^[8] She went on to have solo exhibitions at the Asker museum, Tromsø Kunstforenin, Bodø Kunstforening, Ålesund Kunstforening, and Unge Kunstneres Samfunn.^[6]

Collections

Her work is included in the collections of the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo,^[9] the National Museum of Decorative Arts, Trondheim^[10] and the Norwegian Crafts Foundation.^[11] Her public works include pieces at the University of Tromsø, Roskilde University, and the Norwegian Cultural Council.^[9]