Rolf Groven exhibition2010-03-08
The art of controversy
"Nordic Horizons" is one of the sections of this year's edition of the OFF PLUS CAMERA festival. By focusing on two countries (Norway and Iceland), we will attempt to make people familiar with their culture, mentalities and customs by cooperating with people such as Hronn Marinosdottir (director of the IFF in Reykjavik). The most important portion of the program will be the viewing of the region's 10 newest films (5 Norwegian and 5 Icelandic) with Dagura Kari's "The Good Heart" at the head. But that's not all. The screenings will be accompanied by the music of Transjoik, who will add some splendor to the festival's opening as well as to two Norwegian art exhibits.One of the heroes is going to be the very popular, though controversial painter and caricature artist Rolf Groven.
Groven, who is considered to have pioneered the genre with his uncompromising work, uses heavy doses of satire to present challenges facing today's society. His controversial politically and socially engaged works that provoke and force one to think make him on the one hand a cult artist in certain circles while on the other he is equally an enfant terrible of Norwegian art.
Born in 1943 in Groven, he took on odd jobs earlier in life. He worked as a sailor and a carpenter, studied urban planning in Manchester and finally earned a degree in architecture in Trondheim. However, he found true fulfilment painting, which tremendously helped him express his views: a radical "no" to the Vietnam War, an emphasis on environmental protection and later his critical attitude towards Norway joining the European Union.
Groven has often taken his artistic inspiration from classic works by the likes of Rembrandt, Käthe Kollwitz and Adolpha Tidemanda. In addition to well-known political images in his paintings, you will also find landscapes and portraits of people at work or carrying out daily tasks often with a generous dose of warmth and humor. Rolf Groven also doesn't shun combining techniques. He does oil paintings but also often utilizes digital processing. Many of his works have been displayed as posters.
The controversial artist's work can be seen as part of the exhibit at the Festival Center.
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Supported by a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Financial Mechanism and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism.
