Tons of Art 2026

HERE ARE THIS YEAR’S TONS OF ART ARTISTS

We are proud to present this year’s edition of Tons of Art at Tons of Rock! This year, we’re bringing together artists working across photography, illustration, painting, graphic art and tattoo art, with expressions ranging from mythology, shadow and dreamlike landscapes to forest magic, detailed ink drawings and strong visual languages shaped by underground culture, music and subculture.

We are especially proud to present this year’s featured artist, Kristian “Gaahl” Espedal. A multidisciplinary artist with deep roots in Norwegian cultural life, who moves naturally between different forms of expression, where visual art stands as an equally fundamental part of his work as music.

He describes his visual language as introverted expressionism — an expression that emerges through silence and is guided by precision rather than explanation. The process is concentrated and intuitive, with each piece only considered complete once the energy feels balanced. His works are marked by tension, calmness and inner movement, creating space for the viewer rather than providing answers.

Alongside his own artistic practice, he runs Galleri Fjalar in Bergen, with a focus on distinct voices and diverse visual languages — an approach that also forms the foundation of Tons of Art.

Choosing him as this year’s featured artist therefore felt natural. His works carry a unique weight, shaped by seriousness and stillness, lingering as a sensory echo — a rare opportunity to experience a significant artistic voice up close and directly.

And as a special extra surprise, we are proud to welcome none other than Max Cavalera to Tons of Art! For more than four decades, he has been a central figure in the world of metal through bands such as Soulfly, Go Ahead and Die, Cavalera Conspiracy, Sepultura and Nailbomb, with music that has become the soundtrack for generations of rock and metal fans around the world.

Alongside his music, he has also developed as a visual artist, with an interest in drawing and painting that began through time spent with his children. What started as a shared activity gradually evolved into its own artistic direction, becoming part of his overall creative expression.

At this year’s festival, he will present artwork in what will be his very first art exhibition ever. The exhibition is titled Pop Art — a name that emerged from those close to him — and the works range from vivid colors to figures, creatures and fantasy elements, with clear connections to his musical universe.

This gives the audience a rare opportunity to experience a new side of an artist many know from the stage, through works that have never previously been exhibited.

Also featuring:

NONA LIMMEN

Through photography and art direction, Dutch artist Nona Limmen explores themes of mythology, symbolism, the occult, psychology and shadow work. With her dreamlike and thought-provoking imagery, she invites the viewer into self-reflection and an exploration of the subconscious. By combining motifs from the collective unconscious, inner strength and the obscure, she investigates the eternal interplay between light and shadow.

Through her lens, Limmen creates a liminal space that draws you in and makes the world around you disappear. The viewer is pulled through a portal of her own creation — into a universe that feels both ancient and familiar, like a faded memory you didn’t know you had, yet still long to return to.

Website: www.nonalimmen.com

Instagram: @nonalimmen

LARS KVERNBERG

Using watercolor and ink, Lars Kvernberg captures the magic of the forest and the curious nature of mythical woodland creatures in an expression that balances the whimsical with the darkly humorous. His motifs are filled with small stories and intricate details that reward a closer look — like glimpses into a world of moss, mist and mythical beings.

His artwork has appeared on album covers for artists such as Kryptograf, Tusmørke, Jordsjø and The Chronicles of Father Robin, and even within the Canadian dungeon synth scene, of all things. He has also exhibited at several Norwegian festivals, including Høstsabbat, Desertfest, Haugaland Prog and Tons of Rock.

Website: www.larskvernberg.no

Instagram: @lars.kvernberg

TRINE GRIMM

Trine Grimm is a Norwegian artist and tattooist with deep roots in black metal art and underground culture. Her work also reaches into the meditative, creating pieces that reflect inner calm and spiritual exploration. Through her expression, Grimm unites the mystical with the raw, creating works that touch the soul and challenge the mind.

She has held several exhibitions, both solo shows and at festivals such as Copenhell, Austin Terror Fest, Høstsabbat and Tons of Rock, in addition to creating artwork for a wide range of bands. Her primary techniques are ink and acrylic pens, though recently she has also been exploring new media such as linocut printing.

Instagram: @trinegrimm

SKURKTUR

Skurktur is an artistic collaboration between Emil Khoury and Arne Sigmund Skeie, both based in Oslo. The duo works at the intersection of art, design and illustration, using detailed ink drawings as the foundation for their work. Their visual language is characterized by a high level of detail and a consistent graphic expression.

Skurktur has created artwork and posters for a range of international bands, including YOB, AC/DC, Sigur Rós and Sunn O))), as well as Tons of Rock–related acts The Offspring and Elder. Their work functions equally well in print and in larger spatial formats, and they have also completed decorative projects and murals in both artistic and public spaces. Skurktur has among other places exhibited at Oslo Prosjektrom.

Website: www.skurktur.com

Instagram: @skurktur

SVERRE ØKSHOFF

Sverre Økshoff’s creative impulse exists somewhere between painting, music and sculpture. He enjoys working with whatever inspires him in the moment, and may just as easily swap a paintbrush for sound, clay, wood or steel. At other times, he spends days and weeks immersed in the painting process of a single work, pursuing the exact expression and color he is searching for, often moving between several paintings at once. Økshoff is also the guitarist of Seigmen and has released an ambient album under the name Jared Ambience Inc., where he works with vintage effects and creates atmospheric soundscapes.

With a background in arts and crafts and as a teacher, he paints large-scale watercolors and creates graphic works, especially serigraphy (silkscreen printing) and linocuts, all done manually and without digital tools. The nature of color emerges in the polarity between light and darkness, and his works provide him with relief, freedom and a welcome opportunity to simply be himself.

Instagram: @okshoff_art/

MARVIN NYGAARD

Marvin Nygaard is an artist, tattooist and musician from Stavanger, with roots in the underground heavy and punk music scene. He is best known as the bassist of Kvelertak and Beachheads, while simultaneously developing a compelling visual expression inspired by traditional tattoo culture and its early pioneers. His work is built on classic motifs, strong symbolism and a visual language grounded in craftsmanship and subculture.

Nygaard has created T-shirt designs and visual material for bands such as Purified in Blood and King Hüsky, including a tour poster for the latter. He works both independently and on commission, and parts of his production are available as prints through Heartwork Gallery, an art and print platform run by Jacob Bannon (Converge).

Instagram: @marvin_ravna

INGUNN DYBENDAL

Ingunn Dybendal is an illustrator and tattooist with a BA (Hons) in Illustration from Falmouth University, UK. She has worked professionally as an illustrator since 2009 and is currently co-owner of Heiaklubben AS, an art collective with its own shop and gallery. She has completed commissions for clients such as Norsk Tipping, Google, Vinmonopolet, Matprat, Aftenposten and Cappelen Damm. In addition, she has worked at Lucky 7 Oslo since 2018.

Ingunn is an expert at drawing cute yet morbid characters suited for both tattooing and illustration, and she loves creating highly detailed motifs with or without color. Her style is heavily inspired by traditional tattoo art, bad humor, maximalism and horror films.

Website: https://www.heiaklubben.no/ingunn-dybendal

Instagram: @sensuellkarusell

JANNICKE WIESE-HANSEN

Jannicke Wiese-Hansen is a well-established and renowned artist and tattooist. For more than three decades, she has worked broadly and exploratively across a wide range of formats, creating many well-known logos, album covers and visual identities for numerous bands. As a tattooist, she is especially known for her distinctive woodcarving-inspired style at Nidhogg Tattoo in Bergen. In 2024, she held her first solo exhibition with Høyanger Kunstlag, and throughout the year she is also participating in several other art projects.

At Tons of Art, she will present and sell a broad range of works, including original paintings, prints, textiles, bags and hand-painted deer skulls. We are excited to welcome Jannicke back again this year!

Instagram: @jannickewiesehansen