Merry Christmas!

My next exhibition at NOoSPHERE Arts New York

Yesterday I got an email from my management, looks like I am going to New York City... or at least some of my artworks are! I will partake in the NOoSPHERE Anniversary Exhibition in NYC, January 16 – 4 February.   

More info:
http://no-in-nyc.org/anniversary

The Water Carrier (Vannbæreren).

Marietta Maddrell has translated six of Hans Herbjørnsruds short stories to English. I have been so lucky to get the chance to read one of them, The Water Carrier (Vannbæreren).

Now you get the chance to read a few lines from the beginning of this short story as well!

The Water Carrier

One August evening in 1976, while I was sitting alone at the former cotter’s house we had

leased on the west side of Randsfjord and was writing the beginning of my first story, I had a visit

from an elderly man whom I had not spoken with before.

He was called Tormod Sveen and was 78 years old, that much I knew already from other people,

who had also told me that he had been a teacher in his time on the other side of the water, at

Hov. But after being pensioned off, he moved here to Ringelia and was now living on the first

floor in the old schoolhouse down by the co­op.

Four days before Tormod came to visit, I had burned myself right through a sickeningly literary

flowery language and fallen down to the bottom of a raw personal reality in which each word had

to be written with the whole body. It happened so suddenly and unexpectedly that I experienced it

as a fall, a trapdoor had been jerked away from under my feet, and before I knew what was

happening, I fell right down into a tactile erogenous language which surrounded me like water, like

air. At once the world became changed there and then, or rather I was changed. Suddenly I

found myself in a living, warm and breathing body of language which could go freely about in the

world and look around and touch trees and stones and water and animals and people. It felt as if

I had become a completely different person and been given a totally new and unused body, and I

became so jumping with joy that I could not sit still, but had to go out and run every time I had

finished writing.

Thanks to Hans Herbjørnsrud and Marietta Maddrell

Why square?

Who says a picture have to be square!?

Bygdesatan is taking shape

The work "Bygdesatan" will consist of three works put together.  Here you can see the main work, the center piece,  just out of the casting mould...

Quote of the day

"Amor crevit tempore"

- Ovid

Working....

Bygdesatan

A small selection of the work named "Bygdesatan".  More to come...

My YouTube Channel

Are you curious to see how I work, and want to see the process from the beginning- the idea, to the finished work? In case you missed my video series, here is a link to my YouTube channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1ixkhdKNmfyjCRqKJaZDmg

Quote of the day

The modern artist... is working and expressing an inner world - in other words - expressing the energy, the motion, and other inner forces.

- Jackson Pollock

Quote of the day

It is dreadful when something weighs on your mind, not to have a soul to unburden yourself to. You know what I mean. I tell my piano the things I used to tell you.

- Frédéric Chopin

Photo Shoot

Photo shoot with Tom Helmersen

Today I had a photo shoot with the talented photographer Tom Helmersen. Here you can see a few snapshots from the studio. The final result will be done… when it is done. However, do not worry; you will be the first to know!

To see more of Tom Helmersens awesome work, click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29859869@N07/   

I would also like to thank Yngve Hansen for assisting us. 

At my studio working...With death

The Opisthodome theme

Free "The Opisthodome" browser theme, just for you!

Good people!
I have made a "The Opisthodome"-theme for your favorite browser. Feel free to download it and use it as you like.
Download the theme here: http://www.themebeta.com/node/86611

Quote of the day

In order for the artist to have a world to express he must first be situated in this world, oppressed or oppressing, resigned or rebellious, a man among men. 

- Charles Baudelaire 

Working...

The photo was taken by my friend Henning Meyer. 

He was also assisting me when casting the work. 

Another picture of me working on «Gjesterommet». 

Presenting Herbjørnsruds Universe

Gjesterommet

Working on "Gjesterommet"

A snapshot of me at the studio. In the background, you can see the work called “Gjesterommet” being created. The work is based on the short story with the same name. This particular work will be the largest epoxy work I have ever made. It stretches over two meters and will probably weigh more than 70 kilos!

Giclee prints available

I have three of my original artworks available as prints (Giclee). Here you can see the work “Vannbæreren” framed. All prints are a limited edition of 20 per design and printed on Hahnemühle Fine Art Baryta 325gsm paper. Each print is numbered and individually signed by the artist. Be sure to check out my little store. Note - these are very limited!
Link to store: http://theopisthodome.bigcartel.com/products

Vannbæreren

This work is inspired by the short story "Vannbæreren"

"Nå ser du ansiktet hans. En ser det best når det er mørkt ute og en belyser ruta innenfra. Ser du det nå? Jeg nikket"

- Hentet fra Hans Herbjørnsruds novelle Vannbæreren. Gyldendal forlag

Welcome to my Blog

Welcome to my Blog - ‘Herbjørnsruds Universe’ - named after and inspired by one of Norway’s greatest short story authors Hans Herbjørnsrud.


I am currently working on a series of pictures based on and around his compositions. Some of my

works are motivated by specific stories; others mirror his unique and fantastic universe.

A few years back Hans and I was discussing the link between different artistic expressions, when

the bridge between visual art and literature came up. This triggered an idea in us both, that I should

really make a series of images based on his short stories... his universe.

I have always had a lot of respect and admiration for Hans; he is such a great writer and friend. So

having him alongside me as a source of knowledge and being able to ask him about key subjects in

his (very complex) short stories helped me blow life into this idea.



I began the work a few years ago, starting with two works. They were made for the centenary

group exhibition of my home town Notodden, which was marking 100 years since the town was

established.

Hans Herbjørnsrud and me at the exhibition opening

Later one of the works “Vannbæreren” was chosen by Herbjørnsruds’ publishing house Gyldendal,

to be the cover of his latest book “Her kan alt skje”, which was an anthology of the authors’ works.

My artwork "Vannbæreren" used as cover artwork 

Now the work continues. I hope that you will find this blog interesting and that you will follow me

as the work proceeds. I will be giving regular updates from my studio together with other relevant

and interesting news, both from my world of art and from the world of literature.