JUBILEE EXHIBITION: at RDM-Sámiid Vuorká-Dávvirat/De Samiske Samlinger (The Sami Museum) in Karasjok.
Exhibition period: 10/12/2020 – 06/06/2021
Sámi Dáiddaguovddáš (SDG)/ Samisk senter for samtidskunst (The Sami Centre for Contemporary Art), together with RDM-Sámiid Vuorká-Dávvirat/De Samiske Samlinger i Karasjok, wishes to mark the centenary of the birth of Oddmund Kristiansen, who was born on 2 June 1920 and died on 28 November 1997.
THE ARTIST & THE ARTWORK
Our exhibition has a small selection of graphics from Kristiansen’s rich production together with a glass painting. A larger, more comprehensive exhibition to show the breadth of his artistry, in which paintings, glass paintings, book work and graphics complement each other, would have been desirable. However, such an exhibition would be a large undertaking, suitable for a museum of art at some time in the future.
From 1983 Kristiansen was a member of the Sami artist organisation SDS (established in 1979) where he was highly respected by his fellow artists. He left northern Norway early in his career in order to get an education and relevant work experience. However, he never forgot his northern background, a sign of which was his membership of SDS at the age of 63. He also exhibited his work on several occasions at Den nordnorske kunstutstilling (the annual north Norwegian art exhibition) and in exhibitions under the direction of SDS and the then called Samisk kunstnersenter (SDG) in Karasjok. Kristiansen was one of the post-war artists that worked with many different materials in the spirit of modernism.
In 1997 the Samisk kunstnersenter (SDG) had planned an exhibition of Kristiansen’s work. However, Oddmund Kristiansen tragically died on 28 November, the very day the exhibition was due to open. Suddenly an artist’s voice fell silent, one that had been active right up to his death. Towards the end of his life he lived in Ommen in Nummerdal. He was born in Balsfjord i Troms, of Sami lineage on his mother’s side.
The exhibition is accompanied by a booklet about the artist.
The Sami text is translated by Marit Gunhild Sara.
Norsk Kunstnerleksikon: Oddmund Kristiansen
Storfjord kommune: Oddmund Kristiansen
Profile photo: Monotypi 16/16, Oddmund Kristiansen, 1989. Photo: Anita Bjørnback/Sámi Dáiddaguovddáš.
Portrait photo: Oddmund Kristiansen taken in1993, on loan from Sámi Dáiddaleksikona/Samisk Kunstnerleksikon / Photographer: Harry Johansen
