On 17 Jan, 2011 With
Robert Dale Williams interviewed by Signy Norendal For the Norwegian magazine Aktuell Kitsch, September 5, 2007 When, why and how did you start painting? My ambitions were centered on illustration when I was younger. I always loved to tell stories with my drawings. My favorites were the very romantic or morally driven stories – the more sentimental the better. I once illustrated The Phantom of the Opera because I loved the dark romantic element to the story. My adaptation was never published on a large scale – I just loved illustrating the stories so much that I did it without thought of financial gain. Although I’d never say I completely “mastered” illustration, I wanted a greater challenge when I began…
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On 7 Jan, 2011 With
Why “kitsch”? The painters invited to exhibit at The Kitsch Biennale 2010 in Venice have been chosen from their ability to create life on canvas – an idea deeply rooted in European Humanism that presupposes insight into anatomy and human psychology, a mind for pathos and a sense for the archetypical narrative. Yet, these values are rootless in contemporary art, which generally disregards skill and aims to reflect the time. They were not included in the modern concept of art (originally “fine art”), which was born about 250 years ago. Rejecting handcraft and sincerity, art represents a break with the values of the Renaissance and Baroque and not a continuation of them. Because of this situation an alternative to art…
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On 28 Oct, 2010 With
The number of visitors, 3.000 people, who have visited Palazzo Cini and seen Kitsch Biennale 2010 during the first 20 days bear witness of the public appreciation and its success. The Kitsch Biennale is an international exhibition for figurative and narrative painting. This year, the jury consisted of Bjørn Li (The Nerdrum Institute) and the kitsch painters Odd Nerdrum, Helene Knoop, Jan-Ove Tuv and David Dalla Venezia. They have focused on applicants displaying the serious and earnest expression. This sets the exhibition concept apart from the general trend of contemporary figurative painting. Works with an eternal outlook have been preferred.
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On 13 Aug, 2010 With
This scene is visually based on two of Odd Nerdrum’s paintings: “Dawn” (1990) and “Sole Morte” (1987).
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