Artist Carl Nesjar is dead – NRK

Carl Nesjar was pioneered abstract art in Norway. He belonged to the modernist postwar artists and was a painter, printmaker and sculptor. He also wrote a book about Norwegian art history.

Nesjar reacted strongly, like many in the artistic and art-historical environment domestically and abroad, as the government in the spring of 2014 decided to demolish the Y-block in the government quarter. Y-block and the high-rise – that is left – were created as a whole, said Nesjar.

From Larvik – and Brooklyn

Carl Nesjar grew up in Wilmington and Brooklyn in New York. He attended the National Art Academy and also studied in Copenhagen, New York and Paris. He was for many years married to Inger Sitter, also Norwegian painter of world format.

From 1935 to 1938 he studied at the Pratt Institute in New York. Here he was influenced by the attitudes that characterized American society in Roosevelt’s presidency, among other things, art in public spaces have a social perspective.

During the war went Nesjar on the illegal art academy in Norway, where he was influenced by Jean Heiberg, who had little in common with art sight to those in power in occupied Norway. After the war, the journey went to the Art Academy in Copenhagen, New York and Paris, where Nesjar followed lectures at several leading and different artists.

Picasso in natural concrete

Nesjar experimented with materials, and in the 1950s he collaborated with architect Erling Viksjø, who along with engineer Sverre Jystad had patented a technique for producing natural concrete – a mixture of cement mortar and stone.

Nesjar began a collaboration with Pablo Picasso, who was thrilled when he saw line drawing his transferred to natural concrete, in 13 x 8 meters, on the end wall of the Y-block.

Picasso and Nesjar art on Y- block in the government building.

Photo: Solum, Stian Lysberg / SCANPIX

– government quarter was the start of something completely new for Picasso, says Karin Hellandsjø, art historian and former director of the Henie Onstad Art Centre, told NRK.

It was also the beginning of a more than 20-year partnership between the two. Works by Picasso and Nesjar also hangs in the foyer of the Y-block and in the stairwell to the high-rise. Over much of the world has Nesjar and Picasso created sculptures. But Larvik said no – the municipality would not have a sculpture project signed the two artists that beacon at the harbor entrance. “The debate on this is still ongoing,” according to Norwegian biographical encyclopedia.

Fountains

Ice / water fountains are also one of Nesjar trademarks. He used including cooling technique in his sculptures.

A water sculptures “Prism Fountain” stands outside the town hall in Moss. The interplay of glass, iron and water pleasures passersby on their way to and from the ferry to Østfold and Vestfold.

Nesjar was born in Oslo, the former Brunlanes municipality. He was fond of the coastal landscape and changed surnames from Carlsen to Nesjar, after the place outside Helgeroa where Norway the first ever dated event and largest naval battle must have been in 1016.