Jakob Weidemann (14 June 1923 – 19 December 2001) was a

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

artist An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a practitioner in the visual arts only. However, t ...

. Jakob Weidemann is regarded as one of Norway's more important artists of

post-war Modernism In Western usage, the phrase post-war era (or postwar era) usually refers to the time since the end of World War II. More broadly, a post-war period (or postwar period) is the interval immediately following the end of a war. A post-war period c ...

. Weidemann's work ''Storfuglen letter'' (1959) was selected as one of the twelve most important Norwegian artworks by ''

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''. Knut Hell
''Jakob Weideman''
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Biography

Weidemann was born at

Steinkjer Steinkjer is a municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherad region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Steinkjer which is located on the inner part of the Trondheimsfjord. The town is also the ...

Nord-Trøndelag Nord-Trøndelag (; "North Trøndelag") was a county constituting the northern part of the present-day Trøndelag county in Norway. The county was established in 1804 when the old Trondhjems amt was divided into two: Nordre Trondhjems amt and S ...

, Norway. He was the son of Osvald Weidemann (1902–1965) and Therese Margrethe Opdahl (1905–1990). He was born out of wedlock and spent the first years of childhood with his mother's parents at

. His mother was married in 1930 to Einar Johansen (1907–1982) who was life insurance inspector and later art dealer. Weidemann moved to

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

at age 11 to live with his mother and step-father. In 1939, the family moved to Bergen. He was educated under Eivind Lundboe at the Bergen Art School (''Bergen Kunsthåndverkskole'') (1939), trained with artist Ole B. Eyde in

Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula o ...

(1940–41) and studied at the

Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts The Norwegian National Academy of Arts ( no, Statens kunstakademi) is a Norwegian Academy offering studies in the area of Fine Art. The Academy currently offers 3-year bachelor and 2-year MA programmes. The "Norwegian National Academy of the Arts" ...

under

Axel Revold Axel Revold (24 December 1887 – 11 April 1962) was a Norwegian painter, illustrator, and art professor at the Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts for twenty years. He was highly decorated for his merits. Personal life Revold was born in ...

and Søren Onsager (1941–42). He was awarded a Government travel allowance in 1952 and received the Conrad Mohr's legacy in 1955. He conducted study trips to

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

in 1946;

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...

in 1949;

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

in 1955; and the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

in 1958. His first solo exhibition was at Paus Knudsens Kunsthandel in 1942. Weidemann joined the

Norwegian resistance movement The Norwegian resistance ( Norwegian: ''Motstandsbevegelsen'') to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms: *Asserting the legitimacy of the exiled governmen ...

during the

Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany during the Second World War began on 9 April 1940 after Operation Weserübung. Conventional armed resistance to the German invasion ended on 10 June 1940, and Nazi Germany controlled Norway until the ...

, was arrested but escaped to Sweden in 1944. While there he was the victim of an accident in which an explosive charge blew up in such a way that he was blinded. He regained his sight, but then only in the left eye. The experience of being blind may have been decisive for the direction his art was later to take – towards an explosion of color and light. Jacob Weidemann pioneered

abstract Abstract may refer to: * ''Abstract'' (album), 1962 album by Joe Harriott * Abstract of title a summary of the documents affecting title to parcel of land * Abstract (law), a summary of a legal document * Abstract (summary), in academic publishi ...

painting in

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

in the decades following the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. His first exhibition at Blomqvist's Fine Art (''Blomqvists kunsthandel'') in Oslo during 1946 was his breakthrough. Weidemann is considered to have become one of the more influential artists within Norwegian

modernism Modernism is both a philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new forms of art, philosophy, ...

in the 1950s. After some experimentation with different styles in the 1940s and 1950, Weidemann finally settled in what can be called expressive, lyrically abstract art.

Abstract expressionism Abstract expressionism is a post–World War II art movement in American painting, developed in New York City in the 1940s. It was the first specifically American movement to achieve international influence and put New York at the center of the ...

with nature as inspiration and basis became characteristic of work by Weidemann.

Awards

Anders Jahre cultural prize Anders is a male name in Scandinavian languages and Fering North Frisian, an equivalent of the Greek Andreas ("manly") and the English Andrew. It originated from Andres via metathesis. In Sweden, Anders has been one of the most common names fo ...

(''Anders Jahres kulturpris'') - 1994

Notable exhibitions

In addition to regular exhibitions in galleries such as Galerie Ariel (1963–1988) in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

, Jakob Weidemann's work was shown in a number of notable exhibition festivals and galleries. During his lifetime, Weidemann's works were twice shown at

Bergen International Festival Bergen International Festival ( no, Festspillene i Bergen) is an annual international music and cultural festival in Bergen, Norway. Biography The Bergen International festival is the largest festival in the Nordic countries in its genre and ha ...

and was featured at the

Venice Biennale The Venice Biennale (; it, La Biennale di Venezia) is an international cultural exhibition hosted annually in Venice, Italy by the Biennale Foundation. The biennale has been organised every year since 1895, which makes it the oldest of ...

in 1967.

Kunstnernes Hus Kunstnernes Hus ( Norwegian for "Artists' House") is an art gallery in Oslo, Norway. It is Norway's largest gallery under the direction of artists, and has served as a major center for exhibits of Norwegian and international contemporary art. I ...

in Oslo displayed his 'forest floor' series (''skogbunnbilder'') in 1961.

Present collections

The National Museum of Art (''Nasjonalmusset'') in Oslo owns over thirty of his paintings including ''Brytningstid'' (1968), ''Epleblomst'' (1973), ''Blomster i sne'' (1973) and ''Inntrykk fra naturen''(1982). Additionally the museum has on display a number of his etchings dating from the 1940s and 1950s. The

National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

(''Museet for Samtidskunst'') in Oslo owns a collection of his works; among them the two early works ''Interior'' and ''Self-portrait'' from 1942, and an important work dated to the early 1950s – ''The United Nations'', inspired by the artist

Arne Ekeland Arne Ekeland (14 August 1908 – 28 February 1994) was a Norwegian painter. He was born in Eidsvoll. Among his works are ''Ser vi står på trappene'' from 1939, ''De siste skudd'' from 1940, and ''Kampen'' from 1943, all located at the Nat ...

Henie Onstad Art Center The Henie Onstad Kunstsenter is an art museum located at Høvikodden in Bærum municipality in Viken county, Norway. It is situated on a headland jutting into the Oslofjord, approximately southwest of Oslo. History The artcentre was foun ...

(''Henie Onstad Kunstsenter'') at

Høvikodden Høvikodden is a headland in Bærum municipality, Norway, by the Oslofjord near the populated area Høvik, whence its name was taken. It is the site of the Henie Onstad Kunstsenter. A small beach is nearby. Further east are the headquarters of ...

Bærum Bærum () is a municipality in the Greater Oslo Region in Norway that forms an affluent suburb of Oslo on the west coast of the city. Bærum is Norway's fifth largest municipality with a population of 128,760 (2021). It is part of the electora ...

, Norway owns several important works by Weidemann, among others ''The Capercaillie flyr av'' and the monumental works of the 1960s, ''Veien til Jerusalem'', ''The Crown of Thorns'', ''Tåke" i Gethsemane '' and ''Hommage à El Greco''. A typical work dated to his later years – ''Blue Rage'' – is also at Høvikodden. The

Stenersen Museum The Stenersen Museum ( no, Stenersenmuseet) is a Museum of Fine Arts located in Oslo, Norway. Stenersen Museum opened in 1994. It principally features exhibitions of contemporary art. The museum art exhibited originated with three private art co ...

(''Stenersenmuseet'') in

owns several early and important works by Weidemann, such as ''Studio Interior'', ''Insane'', ''Flag-raising/Liberation'', ''Partisan'', ''The Seaman's Widow'', ''The Steelworker'', ''Petrushka'', and ''Steinskulpturen''. The collection was gifted by

Rolf Stenersen Rolf Kristian Eckersberg Stenersen (13 February 1899 – 15 October 1978) was a Norwegian businessman, non-fiction writer, essayist, novelist, playwright and biographer. He was also a track and field athlete and art collector. Background S ...

to the Municipality of Oslo. The Astrup Fearnley Museum in Oslo also owns one important Weidemann; ''The Apple-tree and the Rainbow'' from 1964. Ringebu Vicarage at

Ringebu Stave Church Ringebu Stave Church ( no, Ringebu stavkyrkje) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Ringebu Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the village of Ringebu in the Gudbrandsdalen valley. It is the church for the Ringebu ...

displays a selection from the collection owned by

Lillehammer Art Museum Lillehammer Art Museum ( no, Lillehammer kunstmuseum) is an art gallery located in Lillehammer, Norway. The museum was founded in 1921 as a gift from merchant Einar Lunde. It has three main collections: one consisting of over 100 paintings from ...

(''Lillehammer kunstmuseum'') every summer. Weidemann was also commissioned for a number of permanent installations, such as the stained glass in

Steinkjer Church Steinkjer Church ( no, Steinkjer kirke) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Steinkjer municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the town of Steinkjer. It is the church for the Steinkjer parish which is part of the Stik ...

(1965), ''Mai'' inside the concert hall at

Maihaugen Maihaugen (''De Sandvigske Samlinger på Maihaugen, Lillehammer'') is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Lillehammer, Norway. Maihaugen, with close to 200 buildings, is one of Northern Europe's largest open-air museums and is one of th ...

in Lillehammer (1967), Alf Bjerckes Fabrikker in

Alnabru Alnabru is a neighbourhood of north-eastern Oslo. It lies in the middle of the southern part of the Grorud valley ( Groruddalen). The name – which means "Alna bridge" – comes from that of the Alna River, from which are also derived the nam ...

(1960);

Norsk Hydro Norsk Hydro ASA (often referred to as just ''Hydro'') is a Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company, headquartered in Oslo. It is one of the largest aluminium companies worldwide. It has operations in some 50 countries around the world ...

headquarters building in Oslo (1960–1961), Alfaset Chapel in Oslo (1971) and the M/S Royal Viking Sea (1973).

Personal life

In 1954 he married journalist Anne Marie Frøisland (1921-2010). In 1968, the artist moved with his wife to Ringsveen Farm in Lillehammer. In 1999, Anne and Jakob Weidemann founded a foundation (''Stiftelsen Ringsveen'') to provide young artists annual scholarships. Weidemann also donated his property to the foundation which administers the farm. In keeping with Weidemann's express wish, it is now a place where young artists can live and work.

Selected works

*''Selvportrett'' - 1942 (National Museum of Art, Oslo) *''Atelierinteriør''- 1945 (Stenersen Museum, Oslo) * ''Komposisjon'' - 1945 (National Museum of Art, Oslo) *''Storfuglen letter''- 1959 (Henie-Onstad Art Center, Bærum) *''Klovner'' - 1963 (National Museum of Art, Oslo) *''Tornekronen''- 1965 (National Museum of Art, Oslo) *''Veien til Jerusalem''- 1965 (Henie-Onstad Art Center, Bærum) *''Tåke i Getsemane''- 1965 (Henie-Onstad Art Center, Bærum) *''Inntrykk fra naturen'' - 1981–82 (National Museum of Art, Oslo)

References

Other sources

* Opdahl, John S. (2007
''Liss-Jakob Weidemann fra Påssåbyn''
(eget forlag) * Hellandsjø, Karin (2003
''Jakob Weidemann : storfuglen i norsk kunst''
(Oslo: Schibsted Forlag) * Koefoed, Holger (1998
i ord : Jakob Weidemann''
Oslo: Labyrinth Press) * Egeland, Erik (1998)
''Jakob Weidemann : portrett av en norsk modernist''
(Oslo: J. M. Stenersens Forlag)

External links

Jakob Weidemann Collection at the National Museum of Art, Oslo
{{DEFAULTSORT:Weidemann, Jakob 1923 births 2001 deaths People from Steinkjer Oslo National Academy of the Arts alumni Norwegian resistance members Norwegian people of World War II Abstract expressionist artists 20th-century Norwegian painters Norwegian male painters Norwegian contemporary artists 20th-century Norwegian male artists 21st-century Norwegian male artists