The National Library of Norway has mounted an extensive exhibition on the history of a-ha, Hunting High and Low: 25 Years With a-ha. The display comes as the group brings their careers to a close with a final world tour.
Open from October 20 to January 29, the exhibition puts on display the library's own extensive collection of a-ha memorabilia including music videos, sound recordings, photographs and other printed material from around the world.
The exhibition is broken down into five significant eras of the group's career:
Living a Boy's Tale 1977-1983 - The origins of a-ha including Paul Waaktaar-Savoy and Magne Furuholmen's late-70's psychedelic group Bridges and Morten Harket's group Souldier Blue. Eventually, the three come together and sign with Warner Brothers.
Take on Me 1983-1985 - The origins of their trademark song, the only record from Norway to ever top the Billboard charts in America, and the landmark video that took home six MTV Video Music Awards.
The Swing of Things 1985-1989 - A period when the band flourished with hits like Hunting High and Low, Scoundrel Days and Stay on These Roads along with two world tours.
East of the Sun, West of the Moon 1990 - 1999 - The band sets a Guinness record performing in front of 200,000 people in Rio's Maracanã Stadium. a-ha changes it's sound in attempt to distance themselves from the 80's and falls on commercial hard times, taking four years off.
Foot of the Mountain 2000-2010 - The group comes back with Summer Moved On and the hit album Minor Earth Major Sky. They find a way to mix their 90's sound with their 80's song quality to commercial success. The decade ends with the Ending on a High Note tour.
The exhibition was kicked off on October 20 with an all day conference, Living a Boy's Adventure Tale: musical interactions in the decades of postmodernism. The day included scholarly analysis of the different periods in the group's history and an analysis of their popularity.
