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4-6 times a year I write a newsletter. You can subscribe to this for free. You'll recieve a mail with smalltalk and in depth discussions about art and artist. Be aware that the newsletter is written in norwegian. Include your mail adress and press the button.
In addition I use Facebook for updates and news. Meet me there. This website offers in-depth content but is not updated as frequently.
New book available in norwegian only.
Read the norwegian announcement.
New book available in norwegian only.
Read the norwegian announcement.
Over time, a cluster of monumental Berglund paintings has gathered in Saltstraumen. Six original oil paintings in one place may not sound like much, but measured in square meters, it's quite substantial. What makes this special is that they're displayed in public spaces. Most of my work is sold to private individuals and thus becomes somewhat hidden. In Saltstraumen, however, they are accessible to everyone.
Saltstraumen hotel has one in the reception area, while Fiskebørsen has two.
Saltbrygga dominates with three grand canvases, painted specifically for the upstairs room. The expression has been forged into the soul of the building. On May 1st, the newly restored Saltbrygga was unveiled in a grand opening. The building has become an unique experience - a melting pot of pure modernism and of raw rustic. After months with painting, it's wonderful to witness how my art and the second floor embrace one another. As if they were always meant to be together.
Ten minutes before the opening. Stillness. Expectation. The crowd gathers outside.
Ten minutes after - Glorious chaos. People packed like herring in a barrel. A perfect crescendo after long preparations. The guests are excited. Mission completed.
The artist has left the scene, but the art remains. To be observed, and to be reflected upon. And while you reflect, you can stroll along the path that stretches from Saltbrygga to the hotel. Along the world’s strongest tidal current, with Berglundian experiences awaiting at the other end.
🔗 Art prints of some works available 🔗 A creation story (Facebook) 🔗 Saltbrygga 🔗 Saltstraumen hotell / Fiskebørsen
After wandering through the National Gallery year after year, I find myself once again standing in front of the stunning landscape paintings of Hans Gude and Thomas Fearnley. Every year, I sit and wonder: what is it that makes their paintings so powerful? One day, I told myself, I too will paint a landscape... It would be two decades before my first canvas depicted nature. And what could be more natural than stretching two meters of canvas - as a first attempt. Long live grandiosity. The result was the painting "Let's build the nation".
We’ve all been on a mountain hike, taken a photo, come home - and seen how flat the photo looks. The experience was so much bigger. And this is where we get to the essence of Gude and Fearnley. They managed to paint more than just a representation of reality. They actually captured the grandeur of nature, conveying something of the sensory experience of standing out there in the wild. It took time to understand this.
And of course, I can't help but want to give the landscapes a Berglundian twist. Something that provokes. That touches. Something that makes it hard to simply look away. Art can certainly be decorative and beautiful, but I also like the idea of a certain resistance in art. It expands us.
Portraits aren't something I usually focus on, but sometimes we should challenge ourselves. For this year's September exhibition at Atelier Hilde Strand, I painted 15 portraits of familiar faces. It was a chance to test various techniques, but all were painted with a rougher brushstroke than usual. If you want to see all the portraits, take a look here.
To truly step outside my comfort zone, I announced live painting. A completely unfamiliar way of engaging with the world - and yes, I was definitely nervous beforehand. That's why it was especially heartening to see so many show up, and that the person in the portrait was recognized.
Lisbeth Olsen snapped some sneak photos during the session. I thought 2 hours would be tight, but it worked out. Naturally, the result had a sketch-like quality due to the set time limit.
🔗 Take a look at all portraits from this exhibition 🔗 More exhibitions 🔗 Atelier Hilde Strand
Welcome inside the mind of an inflated self-image and a subdued sense of self. A meeting with a grandiose painter who dared to show his work only after two decades. Who calls himself a prince one moment, and the next looks down and finds the world unyielding. A world where dystopia and humor share the same hue. Where cozy and crude are fused and complex. It smells of suffering, It tastes of salvation, It's the sound of a painted prelude.
So says the book about itself. And yes, it took time. A whole year to complete, actually. But standing here with the book in hand, time feels irrelevant. I aimed high, and ended with an uncompromising result.
Facts:
The book is available at Atelier Hilde Strand. You can read and study it there. If you absolutely have to bring it home, you can buy it there or order from the webshop.
This year's main work was the three dress paintings. A complete contrast to the nude figures I previously painted. A great technical challenge. Light behaves differently on silk than on skin. But most important was bringing life to empty textiles. My thought was to challenge the natural light. Can an internal lighting evoke life to something not living? I believe something meaningful emerged, and it certainly expanded my thoughts on what can be an interesting painting idea.
It all started with the three mingling dresses, but it took months to receive the victorian dresses for modeling. During the process, more ideas began to "speak".
All three paintings sold quickly, so something suggests that textiles may appeal more than semi-nude figures draped in Berglundian poses. Still, I feel a strong pull toward painting more human skin again. Fortunately, art prints of all three dresses are available. They're not gone - they await in the webshop.
🔗 Webshop
