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Odd Nerdrum gave a two-hour lecture on his philosophies on
painting in the library
of the General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen
building at American Artist's
Weekend
With the Masters Intensive: New York City this past June.
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There are certain people in life who you simply cannot
ignore. Norwegian painter
Odd Nerdrum is one of those people. Form an opinion
about him one way or another you must, as an encounter with this self-proclaimed
prophet of
painting leaves you pondering his beliefs long after you've left his
presence—and questioning everything art stands for.
After participating in American
Artist's Weekend With the Masters New York City event this June, Nerdrum
left the art community abuzz, with people all over the country discussing the
philosophies and teaching he shared in his workshop and lecture. His presence
was larger than life, his conversation and questioning direct and unapologetic,
and his painting and sentiments shared with artists profound and
thought-provoking.
I had the privilege of observing him paint; listening to him
lecture; and having conversations with him, his wife Turid Spildo, the director
of the Nerdrum Institute Björn Li, and select artists that he invited into his
sphere throughout the event. To make even a cursory attempt at delving into the
complexity of his content and the depth of his thoughts would take much more
space than I have here; so suffice to say that in the short time I had to
interact with Nerdrum, I found myself thinking about art history, aesthetics,
philosophy, and what it means to be a painter on an entirely different level.
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Self-Portrait of the Prophet of Painting (The Savior
of Painting), 1997, oil. Courtesy The Nerdrum Institute,
Disena, Norway. |
From his time with us I was able to glean several main tenets of Nerdrum's beliefs and practice. He has taken back the label "kitsch" and in doing so flipped its derogatory connotation on its head. He repeatedly refers to the term "refugee," explaining that that some of the best painters in history have not really belonged to their time or had a home. He believes the best art is born from real life experience, especially oppression, tragedy, and misfortune. He feels there is something lacking in the motivation behind much of what is being created today. And, finally, Nerdrum seemed impressed with the sense of community and camaraderie that American artists are cultivating with one another.
I took these observations to heart, thought about them from
many different angles, and allowed them to expand my own ways of interpreting
what is happening in today's art world. What will you make of Odd Nerdrum? If
you ever have the opportunity to watch this master paint in person or to hear
him lecture, I would strongly encourage you to do so. Whether or not you agree
with him, your perspective on painting will never be the same.
Allison Malafronte is the
senior editor of American Artist.