The work of Norwegian painter Alfredo Andersen and 3 Norwegian photographers will be exhibited in Centro Cultural Correios in Rio de Janeiro from September 5- October 6, 2013.
Photo courtesy of artists and Museu Alfredo Andersen.On September 4, 2013, the Norwegian Consulate General in Rio de Janeiro is hosting a reception for the grand opening of the exhibition, and vice-consul André Mundal hopes that the Norwegian business community in Rio de Janerio takes the opportunity and uses the exhibition for socializing and networking with their Norwegian and Brazilian business partners. More than 500 people have been invited to the reception, among them representatives from Brazilian authorities, from Petrobras, the ANP and BNDES, all institutions of importance for Norway-Brazil relations.
The Norwegian painter Alfredo Andersen (1860-1935) was based in Curitiba from 1902 and onwards, and is considered the “father of painting in Paraná”. He is however not very well known in Norway, and the last time his paintings were exhibited in Rio de Janeiro, was back in 1984.
“As far as I know, there has never been an exhibition of Norwegian art of this size and importance here in Rio de Janeiro. We hope the business community sees the exhibition as a potential meeting place, an alternative arena for networking”, Mr. Mundal says.
The exhibition is taking place as a result of an initiative taken by by Mr. Jens Olesen, Norwegian consul in São Paulo.
“The objective is to expand the knowledge about Alfredo Andersen, “the Norwegian painter in Brazil” who is known as the father of Brazilian impressionism”.
According to a Norwegian Enciclopedia Alfred Emil Andersen is like a “character from a fairytale” in Norwegian art history: Due to a shipwreck, he got stuck in Brazil. He fell in love, started a family and founded a painting academy.
Alfredo Andersen grew up in Kristiansand, but moved to Oslo to become an art student of Norwegian painter Wilhelm Krogh in 1877. He made several journeys, and in 1892 decided to stay in Paranaguá in Brazil. Shortly after, he met and married Anna de Oliveira, and together they had 4 children. Ten years later, in 1902 he founded an arts school in Curitiba, and in 1907, he held his first individual exhibition.
Alfredo Andersen passed away in 1935 in the very building that today houses the Museu Alfredo Andersen in Curitiba. His paintings, sculpting and ceramics are exhibited in long-term exhibitions in the museum. Personal objects are also exhibited.
Andersen’s work and activities had a strong impact on the art world of Paraná until the 1950s. His works have previously been shown in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, Oslo and Kristiansand, but the last time his paintings were exhibited in Rio de Janeiro was back in 1984.
Self-portrait. Courtesy of Museu Alfredo Andersen
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