Odd Nerdrum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Odd Nerdrum
Nerdrum at Gallen-Kallela Museum, Finland in 2020
Born	(1944-04-08) 8 April 1944 (age 81) Helsingborg, Sweden
Nationality	Swedish-Norwegian
Education	Joseph Beuys
Known for	Painting
Movement	Kitsch movement

Odd Nerdrum (born 8 April 1944) is a Norwegian painter. He is known for his unique style of painting. His art often tells stories and shows people and objects in a realistic way.

Nerdrum's work is greatly influenced by famous painters like Rembrandt and Caravaggio. This makes his art very different from modern art styles that use abstract shapes or ideas. He paints everyday objects, portraits of people (including himself), and large pictures that tell a story or show big events. The people in his paintings often wear clothes that look like they are from a long time ago.

Nerdrum studied at the Oslo Waldorf School and later at the Art Academy of Oslo. He didn't like the modern art taught there. So, he decided to teach himself to paint in an older style. He looked to Rembrandt and Caravaggio for inspiration. In 1965, he also studied for a few months with the German artist Joseph Beuys.

Nerdrum believes his art should be called "kitsch" instead of "art." He even wrote a book called On Kitsch to explain the difference. His ideas led to the Kitsch movement, where his students and followers also call themselves "kitsch painters."

About Odd Nerdrum's Life

Growing Up in Sweden and Norway

Odd Nerdrum was born in Sweden in 1944. His parents were Norwegian freedom fighters. They had to leave German-occupied Norway during World War II. After the war, Odd and his parents moved back to Norway.

By 1950, his parents divorced. His mother raised Odd and his younger brother. Later, Nerdrum learned that his biological father was not the man he thought. This discovery made him think a lot about where he came from. These feelings sometimes appeared in his paintings.

Early School Days

Nerdrum started school in 1951 at the Oslo Waldorf School. This school was special. It taught students in a way that connected learning with nature and human spirit. Students often learned by acting out stories or through music. This type of learning might have influenced Nerdrum's later art. For example, his paintings sometimes show figures moving in patterns, similar to ancient Greek art.

A Norwegian writer, Jens Bjørneboe, noticed that even when Nerdrum was young, he was very talented and hardworking.

Odd Nerdrum's Family Life

Odd Nerdrum married Turid Spildo, who is also a painter, in 1995. Turid helps manage Nerdrum's art studio. They have two sons, Öde and Bork, and twin daughters, Aftur and Myndin. Their children are also involved in creative work like art, movies, and acting.

How Odd Nerdrum Studied Art

Nerdrum began studying at the Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts. However, he quickly became unhappy with the modern art styles being taught. He saw a painting by Rembrandt called The Conspiracy of Claudius Civilis in Stockholm. This painting deeply affected him. He said it felt like "finding home."

He decided to teach himself to paint in a style similar to Rembrandt's. This choice put him against the art school's ideas. He felt isolated because he chose a path so different from what was popular. He later said:

I saw that I was making a choice that would lead to difficulty. By choosing qualities that were so different from my own time, I had to give up the art that our time was based on. I had to paint against my own era without its support. Simply put, I would paint myself into being alone.

Nerdrum also studied with Joseph Beuys in Germany. But he still felt different from the other students.

Since the 1980s, Odd Nerdrum has welcomed students to learn from him. These students have studied at his homes in France, Iceland, and now in Norway and Sweden.

Who Influenced Odd Nerdrum's Art

The biggest influences on Nerdrum's art are Rembrandt and Caravaggio. Other artists who influenced him include Masaccio, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Titian. Less obvious influences include Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Goya, and Chardin.

Odd Nerdrum's Painting Style

Early Paintings (1964–1982)

In his first twenty years as an artist, Nerdrum often painted large pictures. These paintings usually showed strong opinions about social or economic ideas. His early work was very realistic and detailed. He paid close attention to modern details, like clothing or types of bicycles.

In 1968, Nerdrum saw the works of Caravaggio for the first time. Caravaggio's paintings were very powerful. They used strong shadows to make things look three-dimensional. He also used the faces of real, everyday people. This greatly influenced Nerdrum's work. He visited Italy many times to find inspiration from Caravaggio.

Nerdrum also read books by writers like Rudolf Steiner and William Blake. These books made him think about deeper, spiritual meanings in life. This influenced his art to have a more profound feeling.

A big change in Nerdrum's art happened around 1979-1980. He painted a huge picture called Refugees At Sea. It showed 27 Vietnamese boat people as heroes. However, Nerdrum later felt this painting was too emotional and sweet.

A New Direction in Art

In 1981, Nerdrum created a key painting that showed a new direction. This painting was called Twilight. It showed a young woman alone in a forest. This painting was very direct and showed reality without being overly emotional.

After this, his paintings had fewer people. He also painted simple objects like a brick or a loaf of bread. The people in his later paintings often looked calm and still. They seemed to be part of something bigger than themselves.

These figures often wore clothes that seemed timeless, like furs or leather caps. They were not dressed in clothes that would place them in a specific time. They often appeared in harsh, empty landscapes, suggesting a place beyond our world.

How Odd Nerdrum Paints

Nerdrum uses old-fashioned painting methods. He mixes his own colors and works on canvases that he or his helpers stretch. He paints by looking at real people, often himself or his family members.

In 2011, Nerdrum said that a technique he used in the 1980s was not perfect. He had used a special mix of oils and wax to try and paint like old masters. But this mix later started to melt and fall apart.

Nerdrum's Painting Process

Nerdrum describes his painting process like this: "When I paint, it's as if I'm struggling in the water. I try with all my might not to drown. Sandpaper, rags, my fingers, the knife—everything. The brush is rarely used."

Drawings and Prints

Odd Nerdrum also makes prints based on his paintings. For example, an etching called Baby is based on a painting from 1982. He also creates detailed charcoal drawings. These drawings are often large and can be artworks on their own. They also serve as studies for his future paintings.

Odd Nerdrum and Kitsch

Odd Nerdrum calls himself a "kitsch-painter." He connects his art with kitsch rather than with the modern art world. At first, people thought he was joking. But after he published articles and books, it became clear that he was serious. His view is a way of criticizing what is considered "art" today.

Odd Nerdrum's Art as Inspiration

Odd Nerdrum's work has inspired other artists:

• A 2000 horror film called The Cell had a scene influenced by Nerdrum's 1989 painting Dawn. The director said he saw the painting at David Bowie's house.
• In 2009, Australian dancer and choreographer Meryl Tankard created a dance piece called The Oracle. This piece was inspired by Nerdrum's art. It showed a person struggling with outside forces.
• The Norwegian classical composer Martin Romberg wrote piano music in 2014. It was inspired by three of Nerdrum's paintings: To the Lighthouse, Stranded, and Drifting.

Odd Nerdrum's Art in the Market

Nerdrum's painting Dawn sold for a high price at an auction in London in 2016. It sold for about $428,637. This was a new record for his art.

Where to See Odd Nerdrum's Art

Odd Nerdrum's paintings are in many public art collections around the world. These include:

• The National Gallery in Oslo, Norway
• The Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art in Oslo, Norway
• The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C.
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York
• The New Orleans Museum of Art in New Orleans
• The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego in San Diego
• The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis

He is also represented by the Forum Gallery in New York.

Exhibitions of Odd Nerdrum's Work

• Skiens Kunstforening, Skien, Norway "Minner" June–September 2017
• Galleri Agardh Tornvall, Stockholm, Sweden "Making Painting Great again" November 2017
• Mollbrink's Art Gallery, Uppsala, Sweden "Making Painting great again" March 2018

See also

In Spanish: Odd Nerdrum para niños