Håkon Bleken was one of Norway’s leading artists. He was born in Trondheim on 9 January 1929 and lived and worked all his life in Trondheim. In 2008, Bleken donated a collection of his works, known as Kunstgaven (The Art Gift). At Trondheim kunstmuseum, you can experience one of Norway’s most significant art gifts.
Few artists have achieved a position on the Norwegian art scene and in public life comparable to that of Håkon Bleken. He made his debut as an artist at the age of 23, in 1952, when he had his first solo exhibition in Trondhjems kunstforening. Death, love, music, literature, and politics are preoccupations that recur in his works. He often makes use of literary references in his discussions of man, society, and the times we live in.
The significant donation of his artworks is held by and continues to be presented and readdressed in various ways at the museum. Through the exhibition “Vinden stryker natten vekk: Kunstgaven Håkon Bleken” (The wind sweeps the night away: Art Gift Håkon Bleken), the museum takes its visitors on a journey through Håkon Bleken’s rich artistic legacy. The title, which is borrowed from one of Bleken’s charcoal drawings, suggests that something previously hidden comes to light. The exhibition is a marriage of timeless stories and an innovative approach to collection management.
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Bleken is probably best known by the general public for his colorful paintings and prints, but it is his charcoal drawings that have received the most acclaim from art critics and historians. The charcoal drawings are sombre, complex, and precise, but at the same time, the charcoal takes on a guise of softness and life.
Håkon Bleken passed away on 21 January 2025 (96 years old).
Trondheim Kunstmuseum has two venues: TKM Bispegata and TKM Gråmølna. TKM Bispegata is the museum’s main venue, located at Nidaros Cathedral, where you can find its beautiful museum shop. In TKM Gråmølna in Trenerys gate at Nedre Elvehavn, you will find works from Kunstgaven Håkon Bleken and other exhibitions.
One of Norway’s Most Significant Art Gifts – in Trondheim, Tor Kjolberg reporting.
Feature image (top) © Stein Slettebak Wangen/Britannia Hotel