Bleken’s Artists of Choice: Sverre Bjertnæs

Experience brand-new works by one of Norway’s leading painters, Sverre Bjertnæs, at Trondheim kunstmuseum’s venue at Solsiden the Håkon Bleken centre. Several of the pieces in the exhibition explore the theme of loss, expressing the familiar feeling of vulnerability and longing experienced by those left behind

The exhibition is on view at TKM Gråmølna, Håkon Bleken centre, Trenerys gate 9, by Solsiden, until 26 October 2025. Opening hours: Thursday–Sunday, 11 AM–4 PM.

Bleken’s Artists of Choice:
Håkon Bleken (1929–2025) was a central figure in Norwegian contemporary art history. Throughout a long career, he distinguished himself in a variety of media, including painting, printmaking, charcoal, and collage. Alongside his own artistic production, he remained an attentive observer of the contemporary art scene. With a strong grounding in art history and deep respect for those artists who have contributed to the development of painting, Bleken maintained a genuine curiosity about new and younger artists. He had an admirable ability to recognise and support artists he respected and believed in.

The exhibition series Bleken’s Artists of Choice presents a selection of these artists.

Sverre Bjertnæs
Håkon Bleken and Sverre Bjertnæs (b. 1976) shared a long-standing friendship. What began as a teacher-student relationship developed over time into a mutual professional respect between the two artists, which was expressed through several collaborative projects, and joint exhibitions.

Sverre Bjertnæs was the first recipient of the Håkon Bleken Foundation’s grant in 2008. He was also Bleken’s personal choice when, in 2005, Bleken received the Anders Jahre’s Cultural Prize and was invited to nominate a promising artist for the Anders Jahre Prize for Young Artists. From that moment on, the idea of a joint exhibition here at Gråmølna was always present.

This exhibition brings together two distinct voices in Norwegian contemporary art, both from Trondheim.