Page 73 - Studio International - April 1968

sented Norway abroad. Weidemann typifies Norway and his pictures, from his prints, he has gradually evolved what he describes as
with their spring-like colours, are nature poems, joyous or mysterious. `material pictures', which grew originally from soldering wire on to
Rian is another intuitive artist, though his pictures relate less closely his etching plates. His art has wit, charm and grace; it can evoke a
to nature than Weidemann's. Rian's paintings consist of soft surfaces fairy-tale atmosphere and it can also be serious, but not earnest.
of rich yet mild colours, defined by sensitive, hesitant contours; the Knut Rumohr and Ludvig Eikaas are two other leading printmakers.
individual areas of colour have an intriguing, spatially suggestive Rumohr works on wood or lino to create a strange, slightly eerie
power. world, peopled by evocative, unusual beings. Eikaas is very versatile,
Gunnar S. Gundersen, the leading hard edge abstract painter, was working in most graphic media and his sensitive work ranges from
unfortunately not able to send work to this exhibition as he is prepar- witty portraits to imaginative abstractions.
ing his entries for this year's Venice Biennale. His surely-calculated Arnold Haukeland, the only sculptor represented, is the major
shapes and impeccable surfaces are something quite different from personality making public sculptures in a modern idiom in Norway
the work of most Norwegians. today. In his portraits and earlier monumental work he was an able
Since Munch's time, graphic art has been strong in Norway. Rolf figurative artist, but gradually he has changed to using abstract
Nesch, born in Germany but living in Norway since 1933, has a forms to evoke his message. More recently he has been interested in
well-established reputation in Germany and the United States. Apart the possibilities of extending beyond the materials of pure sculpture.

Johannes Rian
Yellow and red 1967
oil on canvas, 45 x 16+ in.