Henrik Hagtvedt
Encyclopedia
Henrik Hagtvedt is a Norwegian
visual artist (born January 6, 1971 in Sandefjord
, Norway) working predominantly with acrylics
and oils, as well as with sculpture
, graphics
and other media. In the years following his studies at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence
, Italy
, his work had a rapid rise to fame and was exhibited in a number of galleries in both Europe
and Asia
, ranging from the Museo Montelupo in Italy to the Cultural Foundation
(national gallery) in the United Arab Emirates
. Although he has painted in a variety of styles, from abstract
to photo-realism, Henrik Hagtvedt is most famous for a thickly textured
and highly expressive style which gained him a great deal of critical acclaim and media attention early in his career. It was presumably this style that earned him the nickname “The Northern Light,” first given to him in Italy. However, little time elapsed before Hagtvedt began declining exhibitions and distancing himself from the contemporary art scene, thus virtually disappearing from both the public eye and from mainstream art institutions, almost as suddenly as he had appeared upon the scene some years earlier.
Hagtvedt's sudden departure from the mainstream art scene coincided with a decision to conduct scientific research pertaining to, among other topics, the psychological impact of art and the intersection of art and marketing. After completing a PhD in Business Administration, he is now a marketing professor at Boston College. As a scholar, his main areas of expertise include art, aesthetics and luxury. His research appears in academic journals in disciplines such as marketing, psychology and neuroscience, and it has also received attention from the international press.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
visual artist (born January 6, 1971 in Sandefjord
Sandefjord
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sandefjord. The municipality of Sandefjord was established on 1 January 1838...
, Norway) working predominantly with acrylics
Acrylic paint
Acrylic paint is fast drying paint containing pigment suspension in acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic paints can be diluted with water, but become water-resistant when dry...
and oils, as well as with sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
, graphics
Graphics
Graphics are visual presentations on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, computer screen, paper, or stone to brand, inform, illustrate, or entertain. Examples are photographs, drawings, Line Art, graphs, diagrams, typography, numbers, symbols, geometric designs, maps, engineering drawings,or...
and other media. In the years following his studies at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, his work had a rapid rise to fame and was exhibited in a number of galleries in both Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, ranging from the Museo Montelupo in Italy to the Cultural Foundation
Cultural Foundation
The Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation was founded in 1981 as a center of art and learning. It is located in the middle of downtown Abu Dhabi, UAE, off Khalifa Street and next to the White Fort, also known as Qasr al-Hosn Palace. The center hosts a variety of events, including art exhibits, lectures,...
(national gallery) in the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
. Although he has painted in a variety of styles, from abstract
Abstract art
Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world. Western art had been, from the Renaissance up to the middle of the 19th century, underpinned by the logic of perspective and an...
to photo-realism, Henrik Hagtvedt is most famous for a thickly textured
Texture (painting)
Texture in painting is the look and feel of the canvas. It is based on the paint, and its application, or the addition of materials such as ribbon, metal, wood, lace, leather and sand. The concept of 'painterliness' also has bearing on texture. The texture stimulates two different senses; sight...
and highly expressive style which gained him a great deal of critical acclaim and media attention early in his career. It was presumably this style that earned him the nickname “The Northern Light,” first given to him in Italy. However, little time elapsed before Hagtvedt began declining exhibitions and distancing himself from the contemporary art scene, thus virtually disappearing from both the public eye and from mainstream art institutions, almost as suddenly as he had appeared upon the scene some years earlier.
Hagtvedt's sudden departure from the mainstream art scene coincided with a decision to conduct scientific research pertaining to, among other topics, the psychological impact of art and the intersection of art and marketing. After completing a PhD in Business Administration, he is now a marketing professor at Boston College. As a scholar, his main areas of expertise include art, aesthetics and luxury. His research appears in academic journals in disciplines such as marketing, psychology and neuroscience, and it has also received attention from the international press.