Margrethe Kolstad Brekke (b. 1979, Bergen) is a textile artist whose practice interlaces art, science, and metamodern sensibilities, with a particular focus on post-activism. Her work navigates the complexities and paradoxes of society’s transition toward sustainability, especially within the energy sector.

Through interactive and collaborative projects, she probes these “Gordian knots” in partnership with researchers and cultural figures, among them Kristin Guldbrandsen Frøysa, Energy Director at the University of Bergen.

Her relocation to Rjukan in 2019 proved transformative. This industrial town—famously cast in shadow for half the year—provides a striking backdrop for Brekke’s exploration of contemporary dilemmas. Here, her work delves into the emotional landscapes of Norwegians negotiating the entanglements of oil wealth, egalitarian ideals, and globalization, as well as utopian ideals of “sustainable and fair human infrastructure.”

In 2019 Brekke co-founded the Rjukan Solarpunk Academy with Martin Andersen, expanding on earlier projects such as Luftballett (2015–2018), created with hang glider champion Jon Gjernde. In that work, the hang glider became a utopian symbol—embodying both modern hubris and the technological ambition required for the green transition beyond fossil fuels.

Today, with the Solarpunk Academy flourishing, Brekke is turning toward a more reclusive rhythm of life centered on textile craft. Inspired by William Morris, she seeks a balance between the existential luxury of art-making and her commitment to articulating visions that resist the rhetoric of imminent societal collapse—however counterintuitive such optimism may seem.

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photo: Ingvill Sunnby