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Demons of the deep - Karl Erik Harr

From 10 June to 26 November 2023, the artist Karl Erik Harr will exhibit in the Norwegian Maritime Museum at Bygdøynes. The exhibiton will feature a brand new series of around 30 paintings, titled and themed 'Demons of the deep'.

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    The artist Karl Erik Harr working on "Herr Petter i eventyret" Foto: Christian N.B. Christensen

Northern Norwegian creatures of the sea are the focal point of the exhibition. The motifs stem from Karl Erik Harr's extensive work as an artist and cultural historian. Through books, paintings and performances, he has tackled the folklore of the sea. In 1992 Harr published Der trollbåra bryt published by Cappelen. In this book the artist has rewritten and illustrated folk legends that were collected by Ole Tobias Olesen and Olaus M. Nicolaysen in the second half of the 19th century.

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    "Kraken" by Karl Erik Harr Foto: Christian N.B. Christensen

In the upcoming exhibition at Bygdøy, the 83-year-old Harr shows his new interpretations of creatures such as the Draugen, Kraken and Marmælen. Some of these creatures are well known, but there are many new mysteries to unravel. Harr himself has stated that "northern Norway is full of creatures in the sea and on land. It is time to summon them again. They are part of the people's subconscious life". They are also part of an understanding of nature that we must not forget.