Day Tripping From Oslo

When it comes to art, one doesn’t tend to think about cartoons.  An overlooked medium, it not only provides humor but a window on society that’s sometimes lost on the average reader.  I wondered, for example, how much time the average read for a cartoon is, especially one that pokes fun at politics or pop culture, like Stephan Pastis’ nutty puns which are just meant for a cheap laugh. Would you believe seven seconds?

As old as news itself, cartoons provide comic relief and there’s one particular Norwegian cartoonist who attempts to use his art form to pay tribute to one of his inspirations, Edvard Munch. His name is Steffen Kverneland, a famous, award-winning illustrator. Born in Haugesund in 1963, Kverneland has made a name for himself in Norway as a profoundly unique cartoonist. He is known for his use of caricatures to depict famous authors, painters, and other artists.  In 2006, he undertook a project with another popular cartoonist, Lars Fiske. Fiske has also had success in Norway, particularly with the publication of his award winning comic book “Kom så løper vi” (Come as we run). The project these two began came to be known as KANON, a critically acclaimed series of cartoons, with Kverneland focusing on the life of Edvard Munch.

“Why Munch? “I’ve always been interested in his art and his lifestyle,” answers Kverneland. His motivation for this series stems from the desire to break away from the typical myths that have stuck to the artist.  Many believe that Munch was mentally unstable, or at least a depressed recluse as suggested by the darker colors often used in his paintings.

In Kverneland’s depiction he creates a heterogeneous character, one that suffers from anxiety but is capable of a sharp repartee. “I use trivial anecdotes to spice up and invigorate the material,” he says. As opposed to traditional biographies, Kverneland didn’t want this project to be simply about Munch’s life from cradle to grave so he opted to use actual quotes from Munch and his contemporaries for a more lighthearted approach.  This allowed Kverneland to illustrate scenes from a bohemian lifestyle and Munch’s own life, which was influenced by the sickness and death around him.

After years of illustrating, Kverneland has decided he’s going to retire with a bang.  From November 3^rd up until November 9^th, Kverneland will showcase caricatures from his series at an exhibit in Sarpsborg, less than 100 kilometers from Oslo in southeast Norway, as part of literature week.  The KANON series was recently published in its entirety in Norwegian, German, and Dutch. It is arranged to be released in the United States in the near future.  Kverneland’s dedication to his art only gives more of an incentive for visitors to Oslo to see the countryside and embrace the glorious art form of cartooning.