Return of the Sun, 1986-1995, 41 3/4" X 63 1/2", Oil on Canvas
It is hard to be a figurative artist today and not acknowledge the work of Odd Nerdrum. The Norwegian painter has had an impact on artists wanting to work in traditional ways. His writings on 'kitsch' were pretty interesting to me. His mythologically spaced works blew me away when I traveled to see them in San Diego. The size, physicality, paint quality, roughness, and mood, took me by surprise. I had studied his work in reproduction, but it did not due them justice. These are paintings to be seen in person.
4 comments:
What makes this painting so great so pure? Why do you love it? Good aspects, bad aspects?
Nerdrum was an artist I was introduced to back in my undergraduate days. At the time I did not know anyone worked figuratively (that is, traditionally from the figure) and I was surprised. In the post I mention the mood, physicality and paint. These are paintings that need to be seen in life. I also think his use of narrative (telling a story, however oblique they may be) is also interesting. He reminds of the great Baroque painters, but he creates new mythologies. They are like Mad Max meets Rembrandt. But forget why I like him, what do you think?
I really like Nerdrum's technique and how some of his work is inspirational. Have you ever seen, "Return of the Sun"? What do you think of that piece? I agree, his work should be seen in life instead of reproductions; via photographs, to get the real affect upon one self each painting portrays for an individual.
I have seen the work. It was a number of years ago. The contemporary art museum in San Diego, California, had a show of Nerdrum's works. If I recall, the figures were close to life size, or a little smaller. Great feeling in the work. I love the strange clouds and river in the landscape.
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