The painter, draftsman, and storyteller Kjell Pahr-Iversen is one of our finest artists. In art, we often cannot separate the art from the artist, and with Kjell Pahr-Iversen, this is entirely impossible.
The Painter – He is renowned for his adventurous use of color and metaphorical concepts. Kjell is a consummate conceptual artist, known for iconic themes such as Icons, Herbarium, Columna Vertebrae – “The Crooked Shall Be Made Straight” – among others. Recently, we became acquainted with “the street artist” in him through his paintings directly on concrete at Tjensvoll School in Stavanger. His exhibitions, both in Norway and abroad, particularly in recent years at Warsaw’s Cultural Center, have become remarkably extensive over his long artistic career. New York, Barcelona, Madrid, Lucerne, and Paris are just a few of the cities that affirm his artistic stature. A “true European” – born in Hillevåg, a working-class and industrial district in Stavanger. His upbringing and origins are integral to everything he does, including one of his most recent decorative commissions, for Hillevåg Church, based on one of his most iconic motifs – Icons.
His distinctive paintings, in particular, have earned him a central position as a modernist in contemporary Norwegian art.
“He dips his brush in the sun,” wrote Alfred Hauge in an interview with the artist in 1966, ahead of his first solo exhibition in his hometown of Stavanger. Today, more than 50 years later, this remains an apt description of Kjell Pahr-Iversen’s art. He spreads light, enthusiasm, and engagement in abundance.
Kjell Pahr Iversen
The Draftsman – and the artist’s “side glance” – represents, in many ways, Kjell Pahr-Iversen’s unique ability to delve into the complexities and role-playing of humanity. Call it “side observations” or reflections. Playful, curious, revealing, vain, and rooted in the bright and shadowy sides of life. The artist has a rare talent for being both a friend and a reflective observer when encountering people on the street, actors, role players, and eccentrics. “Angel from Jæren” is a humorous character and an apt description of the personality of those from Jæren, while “The Strollers” depict a seemingly aimless group wandering with vacant expressions, so familiar that we feel we just passed them on the street earlier that day.
With pencil, crayons, charcoal, chalk, watercolor, or even as lithographs on paper and other intriguing materials, the artist almost doodles his way to the final result. “The Actor Putting on Makeup” – an observation of the “self-absorbed” – emerges with movements akin to the artist’s own before the makeup mirror. Likewise with “The Peddler” and “The Accordionist.” These are born from the artist’s presence in the theater, his engagement with literature and poetry, and, not least, his metaphors about the skies of Jæren, inspired by both his imagination and curiosity.
Kjell Pahr-Iversen’s drawings are perhaps a lesser-known aspect of his artistry but are immense in their diversity and remarkably descriptive of a long life spent being present and observant.
The Storyteller – as a fellow human being, full of presence, listening, and understanding. Like many in this category, the artist’s ability to observe and reflect becomes the foundation for his storytelling nature. Sharp yet sympathetic, critical yet understanding, and humorous but never judgmental, Kjell Pahr-Iversen is a walking library of stories and tales. He knows everyone, and everyone knows Kjell. In his studio, all are welcome, and even when the timing isn’t ideal, his gesture is always gracious: “Please, find yourself a chair,” while offering coffee and chocolate – most often from a “Twist” bag. This choice is no accident, as he gauges your personality by your selection of color and pattern.