The maestro, Odd Nerdrum, is the living Caravaggio, the living Rembrandt, the living Goya – but while he has the mastery and genius of those great painters, he also has a unique vision that is born in and reflects the year and month and day in which we live, right here, and right now in this new century.
I don’t need to describe the profound use of symbol or the awe-inspiring technical beauty of Odd Nerdrum’s paintings: there are some superb editions of his work, with wonderful introductions. Among them, I can name, as comprehensive introductions to this great artist’s work:
1) Odd Nerdrum, Themes: Paintings, Drawings, Sketches & Sculptures
Press Publishing (Forlaget Press) Oslo, 2007
This edition has a magisterial introduction by Bjorn Li.
2) Odd Nerdrum, Paintings, Sketches & Drawings,
Gyldendal Norsk Forlag A/S
D.A.P. Distributed Art Publishers, Oslo 2001
The moving introduction to this edition, by Richard Vine, adds layers of understanding to the artist and his work.
What I can tell you, from a personal point of view, is what I know of Odd Nerdrum the man.
Odd is a big guy – tall and strong – with a very gentle eye and hand and manner. He listens as much as he talks, argues forcefully for a point of view but with grace and charm. He’s a gracious and generous host, a patient and dedicated teacher, and a loving husband and father.
We sometimes feel a certain disappointment when we meet our heroes in the flesh. These human beings we raise to a mythic status rarely ascend to the pedestals we erect for them, and very often fall short of what we’d constructed of them in our hearts. It was the opposite with Odd: he so far exceeded my hopes and expectations that it was a pure delight to meet him.
Odd Nerdrum –man and artist – has suffered tremendously, but it’s almost impossible to detect that suffering when you meet him. He’s kind, he has a passionate and optimistic curiosity, and he smiles very often.
The simple fact is that, even if he were an unpleasant man, we’d still admire and be profoundly moved by his work. However, it’s as easy to admire the man as it is to admire his work. He is that rare and beautiful things: a great artistic talent, moved by a great and loving heart.