27th April 2024 Trondheim kunstmuseum opens a new exhibition of works from Kunstgaven Håkon Bleken at TKM Gråmølna.
Trondheim kunstmuseum unwraps an unusually insightful exploration of one of Norway’s most significant art gifts in the upcoming exhibition “Vinden stryker natten vekk: Kunstgaven Håkon Bleken”. Through this exhibition, the museum takes its visitors on a journey through Håkon Bleken’s rich artistic legacy. The title, which is borrowed from one of Bleken’s charcoal drawings, suggests that something that has been hidden in the past comes to light. The exhibition is a marriage of timeless stories and an innovative approach to collection management.
Håkon Bleken
Håkon Bleken is one of Norway’s leading living artists. Bleken was born in Trondheim on 9 January 1929, and he still lives and works in Trondheim. Since his debut in 1951, he has exhibited widely across Norway with solo exhibitions at the country’s most renowned galleries and museums – including Trondheim kunstmuseum, The National Gallery and Henie-Onstad Kunstsenter. Yet, Bleken was rejected by Høstutstillingen (The Autumn Exhibition) for nine consecutive years early on in his career. He got his big breakthrough as an artist in 1971, with a series of charcoal drawings entitled Fragmenter av et diktatur. Bleken was selected as exhibitor for the Bergen International Festival at Bergens Kunstforening in 1978, and in 1991 he held retrospective exhibitions at Kunstnernes Hus in Oslo and at Trondhjems Kunstforening.
Bleken’s oeuvre is of national importance, and, not least through its social engagement, a part of Trondheim’s identity. With a critical eye towards the present times and a genuine curiosity towards art itself, Bleken has developed as an artist through multiple genres. Throughout his career, he has explored different styles and ways of expressing himself, and he remains a prolific artist to this day. Håkon Bleken is often described as a literary painter, someone who tells a story with his imagery, someone who has a message to convey. He has also been noted as an interpreter of several literary works, including the image series “Fra Mysterier” based on the novel by Knut Hamsun, which is included in Kunstgaven. The artist has created large-scale commissioned works for public spaces and is represented by notable galleries and museums, including Trondheim kunstmuseum.
A review – open conservation workshop
During the exhibition period, the collection manager at Trondheim kunstmuseum will review the 250 works that make up Kunstgaven Håkon Bleken. This work will be made visible to the public. A section of the exhibition space has been transformed into a workshop/studio in which the works will be inspected, catalogued and documented. The workshop has see-through walls, which allows visitors to have a look in and see what goes on behind the scenes. At certain times, the workshop will be open for visitors to come inside and talk to the collection manager at work.
Past exhibitions featuring Håkon Bleken’s work at Trondheim kunstmuseum:
- “Protagonist – Antagonist” - Kunstgaven Håkon Bleken (26.06.2021 - 29.02.2024)
- “Jeg har lenge gått ved din side” (21.11.2020 – 18.04.2021)
- “Do not go gentle” - Håkon Bleken at 90 (23.03.2019 - 01.09.2019)
- “Adjø da” Amdam & Andersen + Håkon Bleken (31.08.2019 - 06.09.2020)
- Tegneklubben + Håkon Bleken (10.03.2018 - 24.03.2019)
- Halvdan Ljøsne - Håkon Bleken and Gruppe 5 (05.02.2017 - 30.04.2017)
- “Kunsten å bygge et bilde” - Gruppe 5 (06.06.2017 - 10.09.2017)
- “I skyggen av terror” - Hans-Peter Feldmann and Håkon Bleken (03.09.2017 - 18.02.2018)
- Lars Tiller and Roar Wold (Håkon Bleken and Gruppe 5) (11.09.2016 - 22.01.2017)
- Håkon Bleken and Gruppe 5: Ramon Isern (07.02.2016 - 28.08.2016)
- Bleken and Sitter (14.06.2014 – 18.10.2014)
- “Landskapet gjennom oss” Torhild Aukan, Inger Sitter and Håkon Bleken (27.10.2011 - 08.01.2012)
- “Dødsfordriv” - Håkon Bleken (13.3.2010 - 02.05.2010)
- “Rommet” - Håkon Bleken at 80 (11.01.2009 - 08.02.2009)
- Håkon Bleken and Jens Johannessen (2005)
- Håkon Bleken (11.01.2004 - 14.03.2004)
- Håkon Bleken (09.05.1999 - 08.08.1999)
- Håkon Bleken - Roar Wold (05.01.1997 - 02.03.1997)
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