Jakob Weidemann
Encyclopedia
Jakob Weidemann was a Norwegian artist
. Jakob Weidemann is regarded as one of Norway’s more important artists of post-war Modernism
.
. His mother married 1930 with life insurance inspector and later art dealer Einar Johansen (1907-82). Weidemann moved to Oslo
at age 11 to live with his mother. He was educated at the Bergen Art School (Bergen Kunsthåndverkskole) (1939), Ole B. Eide's art school in Bergen (1940–41) and the Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts
in Oslo (1941). Jacob Weidemann's first exhibition at Blomqvist's Fine Art (Blomqvists kunsthandel) in Oslo during 1946 was his breakthrough.
Weidemann is considered one of the more influential artists within Norwegian modernism
in the 1950s. He pioneered abstract
painting in Norway
in the decades following the Second world war. Weidemanns work Storfuglen letter (1959) was elected as one of the twelve most important Norwegian artworks by Morgenbladet
.
Weidemann joined the Norwegian resistance forces during the Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
, was arrested, but escaped to Sweden
. Here 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.
Abstract, expressionistic paintings with nature as inspiration is characteristic for Weidemann. After some experimentation with different styles in the 1940s and 1950, Weidemann finally settled in what can be called expressive, lyrically abstract art with nature as inspiration and basis. Several of his late works are Inntrykk fra naturen (Impressions from Nature), Interiør (Interior), Veien to Jerusalem (The road to Jerusalem), Storfuglen letter (The great bird lifts off), Tåke i Getsemane (Fog in Getsemane) and Hommage à El Greco.
In 1968, the artist moved with his wife, Anne, to Ringsveen Farm in Lillehammer
. Weidemann donated the property to the Ringsveen Trust in 1999 which administers the farm. In keeping with Weidemann’s express wish, it is now a place where young artists can live and work.
, Jakob Weidemann's work was shown in a number of notable exhibition festivals and galleries. During his lifetime, Weidemann's works were shown at Bergen International Festival
twice, and was featured at the Venice Biennale
in 1967. Kunstnernes Hus
displayed his 'Woodland floor' series in 1961.
Museet for Samtidskunst in Oslo owns 19 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.
Henie-Onstad Kunstsenter at Høvikodden
in Bærum
, Norway
owns several important works by Weidemann, among others “The Capercaillie flies off”, and the monumental works of the 1960s, “The Road to Jerusalem”, “The Crown of Thorns”, “Fog in Gethsemane” and “Hommage à El Greco”. A typical work dated to his later years – “Blue Rage” – is also at Høvikodden.
The Stenersen Museum
in Oslo
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 “The Stone Sculpture”. The collection was gifted by Rolf Stenersen
’s to the Municipality of Oslo.
The Astrup Fearnley Museum, also in Oslo, owns one important Weidemann; “The Apple-tree and the Rainbow” from 1964.
Weidemann was also commissioned for a number of permanent installations, such as the stained glass in the basilica in Steinkjer
, Steinkjer Church
(1965), Mai inside the concert hall at Maihaugen
in Lillehammer
(1967), Alf Bjerckes Fabrikker in Alnabru
(1960); Norsk Hydro
’s headquarters building in Oslo (1960-61), Alfaset Chapel in Oslo (1971) and the M/S Royal Viking Sea (1973).
Many of Weidemann's works are also found in private collections around the world.
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
. Jakob Weidemann is regarded as one of Norway’s more important artists of post-war Modernism
Modernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
.
Biography
Weidemann was born out of wedlock and spent the first years of childhood with his mother's parents in SteinkjerSteinkjer
is a town and a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherad region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Steinkjer, which is also the seat of the county government...
. His mother married 1930 with life insurance inspector and later art dealer Einar Johansen (1907-82). Weidemann moved to Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
at age 11 to live with his mother. He was educated at the Bergen Art School (Bergen Kunsthåndverkskole) (1939), Ole B. Eide's art school in Bergen (1940–41) and the Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts
Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts
The Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts is a Norwegian university offering studies in the areas of specialization painting, photography / video / film, digital art, sound art, sculpture, installation, performance art, and art theory.-History:...
in Oslo (1941). Jacob Weidemann's first exhibition at Blomqvist's Fine Art (Blomqvists kunsthandel) in Oslo during 1946 was his breakthrough.
Weidemann is considered one of the more influential artists within Norwegian modernism
Modernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
in the 1950s. He pioneered 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...
painting in Norway
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...
in the decades following the Second world war. Weidemanns work Storfuglen letter (1959) was elected as one of the twelve most important Norwegian artworks by Morgenbladet
Morgenbladet
Morgenbladet is a Norwegian weekly newspaper. It was founded in 1819 by the book printer Niels Wulfsberg, and was the country's first daily newspaper. For a long time, it was also the country's biggest newspaper. It was closed down by the German Wehrmacht during World War II...
.
Weidemann joined the Norwegian resistance forces during the Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...
, was arrested, but escaped to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Here 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.
Abstract, expressionistic paintings with nature as inspiration is characteristic for Weidemann. After some experimentation with different styles in the 1940s and 1950, Weidemann finally settled in what can be called expressive, lyrically abstract art with nature as inspiration and basis. Several of his late works are Inntrykk fra naturen (Impressions from Nature), Interiør (Interior), Veien to Jerusalem (The road to Jerusalem), Storfuglen letter (The great bird lifts off), Tåke i Getsemane (Fog in Getsemane) and Hommage à El Greco.
In 1968, the artist moved with his wife, Anne, to Ringsveen Farm in Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
. Weidemann donated the property to the Ringsveen Trust in 1999 which administers the farm. In keeping with Weidemann’s express wish, it is now a place where young artists can live and work.
Notable exhibitions
In addition to regular exhibitions in galleries such as Galerie Ariel (1963-1988) in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Jakob Weidemann's work was shown in a number of notable exhibition festivals and galleries. During his lifetime, Weidemann's works were shown at Bergen International Festival
Bergen International Festival
Bergen International Festival is an annual international music and cultural festival in Bergen, Norway. The festival is the largest in the Nordic countries in its genre and has a large number of activities in music, dance, literature, visual arts, folklore etc...
twice, and was featured at the Venice Biennale
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it. So too is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years...
in 1967. Kunstnernes Hus
Kunstnernes Hus
Kunstnernes Hus 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. It is also a prominent example of Functionalist architecture and houses the Office for...
displayed his 'Woodland floor' series in 1961.
Present collections
Ringebu Vicarage displays a selection from the collection owned by Lillehammer Kunstmuseum every summer. In addition, a number of museums has parts of Weidemann's work in their collections.Museet for Samtidskunst in Oslo owns 19 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.
Henie-Onstad Kunstsenter at Høvikodden
Høvikodden
Høvikodden is a headland in Bærum municipality, Norway, located by the Oslofjord near the populated area Høvik, from whence its name was taken.It is the site of the well-known Henie-Onstad Art Centre. A small beach is located nearby....
in Bærum
Bærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
, Norway
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...
owns several important works by Weidemann, among others “The Capercaillie flies off”, and the monumental works of the 1960s, “The Road to Jerusalem”, “The Crown of Thorns”, “Fog in Gethsemane” and “Hommage à El Greco”. A typical work dated to his later years – “Blue Rage” – is also at Høvikodden.
The Stenersen Museum
Stenersen Museum
The Stenersen Museum is an art museum in Oslo, Norway at Munkedamsveien 15.The museum shows both international and Norwegian art. The museum also houses three main art collections, donated to the Oslo municipality by Rolf E. Stenersen, Amaldus Nielsen's heirs, and Ludvig O. Ravensberg...
in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
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 “The Stone Sculpture”. The collection was gifted by Rolf Stenersen
Rolf Stenersen
Rolf Kristian Eckersberg Stenersen was a Norwegian track and field athlete, businessman, art collector, non-fiction writer, essayist, novelist, playwright and biographer.-Personal life:...
’s to the Municipality of Oslo.
The Astrup Fearnley Museum, also in Oslo, owns one important Weidemann; “The Apple-tree and the Rainbow” from 1964.
Weidemann was also commissioned for a number of permanent installations, such as the stained glass in the basilica in Steinkjer
Steinkjer
is a town and a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherad region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Steinkjer, which is also the seat of the county government...
, Steinkjer Church
Steinkjer Church
Steinkjer Church is a parish church in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the town of Steinkjer. The church is part of the Steinkjer parish in the Nord-Innherad deanery in the Diocese of Nidaros...
(1965), Mai inside the concert hall at Maihaugen
Maihaugen
Maihaugen 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 the largest cultural facilities in Norway.-History:The founder, Anders Sandvig, collected from old houses and...
in Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
(1967), Alf Bjerckes Fabrikker in Alnabru
Alnabru
Alnabru is a neighbourhood of Oslo. It is located in the middle of the southern part of Groruddalen. The name Alnabru comes from the area around Alnaelva and the old Alna Gård. This has also given its name to the suburb of Alna where the neighbourhood of Alnabru is located.The neighbourhood is an...
(1960); Norsk Hydro
Norsk Hydro
Norsk Hydro ASA is a Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company, headquartered in Oslo. Hydro is the fourth largest integrated aluminium company worldwide. It has operations in some 40 countries around the world and is active on all continents. The Norwegian state holds a 43.8 percent...
’s headquarters building in Oslo (1960-61), Alfaset Chapel in Oslo (1971) and the M/S Royal Viking Sea (1973).
Many of Weidemann's works are also found in private collections around the world.
Other sources
- Opdahl, John S. Liss-Jakob Weidemann fra Påssåbyn (eget forlag, 2007) ISBN 978-82-997389-1-0
- Hellandsjø, Karin Jakob Weidemann : storfuglen i norsk kunst (Schibsted, 2003) ISBN 82-516-1982-3
- Koefoed, Holger Portrett i ord : Jakob Weidemann (Labyrinth Press, 1998) ISBN 82-7393-073-4
- Egeland, Erik Jakob Weidemann : portrett av en norsk modernist (Stenersen, 1988) ISBN 82-7201-157-3