Kitsch More Than Art (2011)

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• Rembrandt’s Melancholy and Classical Values

  Do you want to know how the mind of the greatest classical painter of our time works?Do you wonder what “classical values” actually are?And why melancholy is actually that important to us? Odd Nerdrum and his former student Jan-Ove Tuv sit down for a conversation in the building which is the Nerdrum Museum in the making: The old Pipe House at Agnes Square outside of Stavern.With a philosophical approach to painting, the discussion will move beyond the strokes and attempt to explain the meaning of painting. Join a one hour conversation about: • The importance of Rembrandt’s melancholy• Why storytelling is so important to us• Why “modern” values are destructive for classical painters and the audience. The event will take place September 14th at 17:00 – 18:00. Tickets are now available.

• A Nerdrum Museum in the Making — Invitation to a Press Conference

  Odd Nerdrum, Norway’s most prominent painter from the last century, lacks a permanent exhibition space for his works. His wife, Turid Spildo, and his son, Öde S. Nerdrum, intend to do something about this. Together, they plan to convert an old industrial building on Agnes, north of the city of Stavern, into a gallery with a collection of his finest paintings. An invitation from Sea Park Stavern in 2021 catalysed the idea. “The Sea Park” housing developers were looking for someone who could bring a cultural citadel to the area. For a long time, Turid and Öde have been looking for someone to take the initiative to establish a museum, but they finally decided to take on the job themselves. From Odd Nerdrum’s exhibition “You See We Are Blind” at Fine Art Gallery in Oslo in 2022. Photo: Bork S. Nerdrum – My father’s legacy is unique, not only as a painter but as a teacher as well. I definitely feel a responsibility to preserve and convey what has inspired a generation of painters to return to nature, says Öde. Turid and Öde do not have experience in museum management. However, they believe that the love and respect they have for his paintings is a more decisive factor to their success. – The most important consideration is to be aware of what constitutes a good museum experience. I believe the two of us to be amongst the most seasoned museum-goers.Turid agrees and points to how important the overall atmosphere and environment contributes to the paintings. – A museum must have a café! “Pipehuset” at Agnes outside of Stavern. Photo: Sea Park Stavern Invitation to the press conference Tron Inge Nilsen, who is the managing director of Sea Park Stavern, has been in close dialogue with Turid and Öde in recent months. They recently landed an agreement for the takeover of the old industrial building. Tron is excited that something special is finally happening in the resort town. – We are very proud that Nerdrum has chosen the Sea Park as the location for this museum establishment. This will be an exciting attraction of national importance that will give new life to the remains of the old venerable brick buildings of the Agnes match factory. Key handover with Cecilie Sanden, Turid Spildo og Öde S. Nerdrum. Photo: Sea Park Stavern Turid Spildo and Öde Nerdrum are arranging a press conference that will take place on Thursday 30. March at 1 pm at Pipehuset (Agnes torg 18) to present the project in the premises where it will be built. Everyone is welcome and invited to the press conference.

• Book launch: “Samtaler fra Memorosa” | Korsnes and Nerdrum

  A new book by Carl Korsnes, the editor of Sivilisasjonen magazine, will be launched on Thursday 31st of March at Bakgården på Løkken in Oslo. The title of the Norwegian publication is “Samtaler fra Memorosa” and consists of thirteen philosophical dialogues between Korsnes and Odd Nerdrum. Carl Korsnes and Öde Nerdrum (Odd’s son) will both speek at the event. Reviews The philosopher Einar Duenger Bøhn, who wrote a foreword to Odd Nerdrum’s recent painting book published by Fineart Gallery, says the following about Sivilisasjonen’s first book: Korsnes presents a collection of short and beautiful conversations with Nerdrum, which calls for hope that beauty can actually save the world. Einar Duenger Bøhn The poet and model for Odd Nerdrum’s painting Transfiguration wrote with pathos: The dialogues are a tribute to taking pride in one’s craftsmanship. To the intoxication of beauty. To the nobility of creation. Glittering with blink shot anecdotes. Reading through it arouse both the urge to create and the urge to live. Viva Nerdrum. Viva Korsnes.Bertrand Besigye