– It was with terrible sadness that we were told that Leonard Rickhard had died. We have lost one of our truly great ones, says director of the Astrup Fearnley Museum, Solveig Øvstebø. For three years, she and Rickhard have planned what was to be his biggest exhibition to date. It is called “Between construction and collapse”, and opens at the Astrup Fearnley Museum on 26 January. An exhibition that news’s own art critic Mona Pahle Bjerke has referred to as one of the most exciting exhibitions in 2024. Leonard Rickhard in his studio, May 2023. Photo: Helle Holm Wanted the exhibition to go as planned According to Øvstebø, Rickhard unexpectedly fell ill in December. She also had contact with him after it became clear that he would not make it to the opening day. – He was reconciled with the situation because he knew he had completely finished with the artistic side and we had made a good plan. So it was very important to him that the exhibition went as planned. But I would really like to have him here so that we could do the rest together. – He has meant an enormous amount to Norwegian art life, says curator and director of the Astrup Fearnley Museum, Solveig Øvstebø. Photo: Astrup Fearnley Museum It was the Astrup Fearnley Museum that first announced in a press release on Sunday that the visual artist had died. The website Subject mentioned the case first. Several of the largest art museums in Norway have today paid tribute to Rickhard after his passing. The National Museum about Leonard Rickhard – A significant artist, writes the National Museum about Rickhard on its Facebook page. – A great artist has left us – His importance in Norwegian art history will remain, writes Henie Onstad Art Center on its Facebook page. Code with tribute – We share the grief with the rest of art Norway, writes Kode in Bergen on Facebook today. – A special place in the region’s artistic life – One of Norway’s most striking and significant painters, Kunstsilo writes about Rickhard’s importance. – One of Norway’s leading painters has passed away – Rickhard had a great impact on Norwegian art life, writes Stavanger Art Museum on its Facebook pages. Tribute also from Trondheim Art Association – Our thoughts go out to his family, writes Trondheim Art Association in their memorial. – A loss for the entire art community Director at Kristiansand art gallery, Cecilie Nissen, believes that there are few surviving artists who have the same integrity, quality and uncompromisingness that characterized Rickhard. – It is said that people can be replaced, but he can’t. Rickhard was a completely unique person. It is a loss for the entire art community in Norway that he has now passed away, she says. Cecilie Nissen at Kristiansand Kunsthall says she is thinking of Rickhard’s wife Berit and daughter Helene now. Pictured here on another occasion. Photo: Heidi Ditlefsen / news Throughout an artistic life of over half a century, Leonard Rickhard has distinguished himself as one of Norway’s leading painters. The work “Trett modellflybygger” (1985) was named one of Morgenbladet’s twelve most important works of art in 2005. Artwork by Leonard Rickhard: Figure Against Red Bird Cabinet, 2006-2007. Photo: Thomas Tveter / Astrup Fearnley Collection Leonard Rickhard, Spring model against red background, 1995. Private collection. Photo: Alf-Georg Dannevig Leonard Rickhard, Model table II, 2002-2004. Telenor art collection. Photo: Jens Hamran Leonard Rickhard, Winter night, 2014-2018. The Astrup Fearnley collection. Photo: Jens Hamran The cotton factory’s father, Leonard Rickhard, was born in Tvedestrand in 1945, and has lived and worked in Arendal. There he became a driving force behind the establishment of the Bomuldsfabriken. An art center that has become a nationally important arena for contemporary art. – It is an enormously sad day for us at Bomuldsfabrikken, says acting manager, Kari Skippervold. She does not think Arendal would have had this important art offer if it were not for Leonard Rickhard. – He was absolutely decisive for the establishment here, but he has also been a foundation wall in the art conversation in the city and the region. He has shown through his artistic practice that he was not only a wonderful artist, but also a wise man who was generous with his knowledge. Rickhard was 78 years old. Leonard Rickhard is described as a generous and warm person, in addition to being one of Norway’s leading visual artists. Photo: Erlend Aas / NTB
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– It is a loss for the entire art community that Leonard Rickhard has passed away – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
