Håkon Bleken has returned with his fourth solo exhibition «Kampen», thus marking the beginning of a varied and exciting autumn program at BGE. Håkon Bleken was born in Trondheim in 1929, and today works and lives in both Oslo and Trondheim. After spending three years at Statens kunstakademi in Oslo, he finished his education in 1954 at Statens sløyd- og tegnelærerskole in Notodden. He quickly gained recognition as artist, and says he was one of the few lucky ones to avoid financial worries. His career is characterised by his social involvement, self-discipline and large production, but he also finds the time to follow young, new artists. He has experimented with techniques and inspirations, whilst also unwaveringly keeping his distinctive mark on his art.
Bleken was one of the first painters to combine photography and painting on large collages in Norway. His inspiration can be traced back to the cubists, but also to Kurt Schwitters, the dadaist and Merz-artist, who from the 1930s added textual quotes and everyday objects such as train or cinema tickets to his works. Tickets and newspaper articles are made from cheap materials to last but a short period of time, and the traditional view of what deserves to be immortalised in a piece of art is thus challenged. We recognise the documentary’s everyday story of the collage also in Bleken’s works. In addition, we see that the attached photographs and newspaper articles often introduce a greater earnestness than what can be perceived from afar.
A clear goal for Bleken has always been to describe the internal as well as the external, and for his creations to resonate with others. When it comes to theme and choice of materials, he seems to juggle effortlessly between what is important and not, and between the mythical and the ordinary phenomena. Moreover, we see examples of Bleken’s ability to compose a balance between what is tightly constructed and what is dissolved. Bleken has always used heavy, religious symbols like the cross, in combination with contemporary and current topics. The interchange between the universal and the current in his art allows the viewers space to make connections with their own lives. Much of his dislike of the dogmatic can be tied to his childhood and adolescence when he sought recognition from his brother and his authoritarian father. His mother is described as empathetic and supportive and was his chosen accompaniment to art exhibitions and museums.
The works in this exhibition were made in 2023 and 2024, and include woodcuts, oil paintings and collages. The title, «Kampen», (“The struggle”), refers to Henrik Ibsen’s play «Hedda Gabler», which is considered a classic of realism. Hedda’s fight for liberation from the patriarchy has been a recurring theme in Bleken’s art. In 1987, he made the graphic art production «Hedda Gabler-mappen», with two young art students as his assistants; Are Andreassen and Kurt Edvin Blix Hansen. Now, more than 40 years later, the three artists have again cooperated on the triptych "Heddas kamp" which is first shown at BGE. We see Hedda and the eagle in middle panel, the return of Ejlert Løvborg in the panel on the left and the handover of the gun in the panel on the right.
After a 70-year long career, Bleken’s production is still influenced by his creative enthusiasm and social involvement. He notes several advantages to growing older: «I see everything less obscured than when I was young. Nature is clearer, and life is more transparent. My life contains fewer unnecessary props today».