by: ist06
Bjarne Melgaard is a well-known artist from Norway. He made his name known international these last twenty years when he has been living abroad, in both Europe and New York. The 51-year-old artist feel that now that he is back in Norway, he can start a new chapter. Before he would creat a whole exhibition while on LSD, but now he doesn’t feel like the same man he was 10 years ago. He can’t just think about himself anymore and what he can do for his own winning.
Melgaard creates subjective and expressionistic art mostly related to his own life experience and or political conflicts. He early found out that he was interested in humans and environment that stands out from the typical normal environment. He would seek out environment that made him uncomfortable and put himself in uncomfortable situations, for the sake of the feeling it gave him and for his art.
In the early 80’s he came out as gay, at that time society was not very well adapted to this “new” sexuality. He was filled with rage and felt invisible. In his art you can see he uses his sexuality as an expression because it was in his sexuality, he found his identity, inspiration and voice. His paintings describe gay love and puts questions on societies views on sexuality. Early 2000’ his studio burned down and he lost everything. He felt the Norwegian society was happy about it and that they felt he deserved it for his provocative art. In his art around this time you can feel the pain and the absence he had from society.
In the industrial network his art is contemporary art, and has even had a solo exhibition at the Contemporary Fine Arts in Berlin. The critics acclaimed him early in his career, and he has exhibited photos at a number of acknowledged galleries and museum around the world. Such as the National Museum and Astrum Fearnley, and has sold art for multiple millions. Art curator Lars Toft Eriksen thinks Melgaard has a unique voice in the Norwegian art. So, he has achieved quite a strong brand in this market.
I believe in the sociological approach he has achieved the Avant-garde (recognized). It took him six tries to get into the art school in Norway. They always thought that his art was exciting to look at for three seconds and then just boring. But he didn’t give up so on his sixed try he got accepted. So, he went from formal art education to, avant-garde (unrecognized) to where he is now at avant-garde (recognized). I really do believe he has achieved it because he has sold for billions and is well known be fellow artist and critics. They even compare him to the Norwegian artist Edward Munch because of their similarities. Not necessary in the methods but by their similar stories.
Sources:
https://www.nrk.no/kultur/xl/bjarne-melgaard_-_-jeg-lever-egentlig-et-veldig-kjedelig-liv-1.14322859
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