By Dominique Catherina Foertig in Painting now — 15 Jan 2024

Laugh, Think, And Gaze: Dive Into Lena Trydal's World Of Witty And Provocative Painting

Welcome To The Captivating World Of Lena Trydal, Where Art Meets Satire And History Collides With Pop Culture. A Munchies Art Club Spotlight Artist now to discover

Lena Trydal: Unveiling Humorous and Thought-Provoking Paintings by Norway's Emerging Promising Artist, Exclusively on Munchies Art Club Magazine

LENA TRYDAL: WORLD OF WITTY AND PROVOCATIVE PAINTING

Discover The Bold, Humorous, And Thought-Provoking Canvases Of Norway's Rising Contemporary Artist Lena Trydal.

Join Us On A Journey Through Lena's Unique Lens, Transforming Global Icons And Socio-Political Narratives Into Unforgettable Artworks.

lena trydal contemporary artist and female painter with funny and thought provoking realistic paintings high vs. low culture — Lena Trydal with Mega Elon and Mega Jeff | 2023 | Photo Ole Erik Løvold | Image courtesy by the artist

‍The Munchies Art Club first showcased Lena's unique approach in our curated article two years ago, featuring Swimming Pool Paintings By 11 Contemporary Artists, which left a lasting impression on us.

lena trydal's the female artist in front of her paintings in her studio — Lena Trydal in her Studio 2022 | Photo Johanne Nyborg | Image courtesy by the artist

‍In Norwegian artist Lena Trydals (b. 1994) colorful, figurative paintings, iconic subjects or objects from western popular culture comes together in new constellations.

LINK SwimmingPool!

Her art deals with themes such as power, democracy, capitalism, mass media/internet, stereotypes, celebrities and high vs. low culture.

lena trydal artist with an humorful version sitting next to famous artist david hockney in an swimming pool — Lena Trydal *Mr. Hockney teaching me how to paint a pool* (2021). Oil on canvas, 138 x 168 cm (54 x 66 in). ©Lena Trydal/BONO

‍She frequently plays with kitsch and art historical references as a node to the history of figurative painting and its status today.

Artwork by Lena Trydal showcasing themes of democracy and power — Lena Trydal | *Gates of the World* (2021) | Oil on canvas | 207 x 268 cm (81,5 x 105,5 in) | ©Lena Trydal/BONO | Image Courtesy by the Artist

‍The paintings derive from images collected from Google Images and could be described as painted collages.

The Magic Of Painting Is That Everything Is Allowed. Here It Is Trydal Who Decides." - Geir Haraldseth, 2022, National Museum Of Art, Architecture And Design, Oslo.

‍Through the collage-technique, reality is blended with fiction, creating worlds that would otherwise not exist, but which at the same time make aspects of today's society visible.

‍LENA TRYDAL'S INSIGHTFUL TAKE ON CONTEMPORARY ISSUES

‍Trydal gained a lot of media attention in Norway for her satirical group-portrait of the Norwegian royal family, as it took part of the inaugural exhibition of the new National Museum in Oslo in 2022, “I Call it Art”, the most viewed exhibition of contemporary art in Norway ever recorded.‍

lena trydal: satirical portrayal of the norwegian royal family new painters from norway art radar — Lena Trydal | *Folkekongen* (2017-2021) | Oil on canvas | 200 x 145 cm (78,7 x 57 in) | Installation view from the inauguration exhibition “I Call It Art” on the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design in Oslo, 2022 | Photo: Nasjonalmuseet / Frode Larsen ©Lena Trydal/BONO | Image Courtesy by the Artist

‍The painting, Folkekongen (2017-2021) (The Peoples King), portrayed the royal family ordinarily dressed, in a classical setting for royal portraiture, and was to some perceived as so provoking and disrespectful that the museum received demands of removing the work from the exhibition.

Lena Trydal | Mark I (2022) | Oil on canvas | 130 x 100 cm (39,3 x 51,1 in) | ©Lena Trydal/BONO | Image courtesy by the artist -> right: Lena Trydal-with Mega Jeff-2023 |Foto Ole Erik Løvold

The painting was later acquired by the museum, Norway's most prestigious public art collection.

lena trydal painting satirical ms olympia iris Kyle contemporary painting art — ^{Lena Trydal,}*^{Ms. Olympia (Iris Kyle)}*^{(2023), Oil on canvas, 100 x 130 cm (39,3 x 51,1 in) | ©Lena Trydal/BONO | Image Courtesy by the Artist}

‍Trydal was born in Kristiansand in the south of Norway, in 1994.

As a child, she frequently copied figures from cartoons and comics, such as from Moomin, and later the teen magazine W.I.T.C.H.

Visual representation of satire and absurdity in Lena Trydal's art — Lena Trydal | *Fountain of Youth (Donna)* (2023) | Oil on canvas | 120 x 170 cm (47,2 x 66,9 in) | Installation view from Kunstnernes Efterårsudstilling (KE) 2023 at Den Frie Udstilling, Copenhagen, 2023 | Photo: Ole Erik Løvold ©Lena Trydal/BONO | Image courtesy by the artist

‍She obsessed with celebrities and cut in celebrity gossip-magazines she came across, collecting images of female pop cultural icons of the 00s and making collages of them.

All off which has influenced her art.

Mark Zuckerberg, Close-up of Lena Trydal's figurative painting technique — Lena Trydals Studio working on Mark 1 ( Zuckerberg) | Image Courtesy by the Artist

Lena Trydals Studio working on Mark 1 ( Zuckerberg) | Image Courtesy by the Artist

‍‍At 17, Trydal studied figurative painting at Liceo Artistico (Artistic high school) in Pavia, Italia, painting with oil for the first time.

She continued her art studies at International Workshop Metàfora (Barcelona) and Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (The Hague, Netherlands).

Artistic collage by Lena Trydal mixing reality and fiction — ^{Lena Trydal |}*^{Reclining Nude}*^{(2020) | Oil on canvas | 100 x 140 cm (39 x 55 in) | ©Lena Trydal/BONO0 | Image Courtesy by the Artist}

She later pursued a bachelor's degree in Aesthetic Studies from the University of Oslo. Trydal currently resides in Oslo, Norway.

Trydal's notable exhibitions include "The 135th Autumn Exhibition" at Kunstnernes Hus in Oslo and "I Call It Art" At The National Museum Of Art, Architecture and Design.

National Museum of Art with the work of Lena Trydal

The Tea Party" (2020) is another testament to the artist's ability to meld political satire with her unique artistic vision.

Norwegian artist Lena Trydal's painting Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo, 2022 — Lena Trydal | *The Tea Party* (2020) | Oil on canvas | 203 x 246 cm (79,9 x 96,8 in) | Installation image from the 135th Autumn Exhibition at Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo, 2022 | Photo: Vegard Kleven/NBK ©Lena Trydal/BONO | Image courtesy the artist

‍This work, along with others like her portrayal of the Norwegian royal family, highlights her skill in pushing the boundaries of traditional art forms to create something truly modern and engaging.

Lena Trydal Artworks: Last supper (2022) | Oil on canvas | 46 x 38 cm (18 x 15 in) | ©Lena Trydal/BONOSiesta -> Bag, large, Blue (2022) | Oil on Canvas | 85x 110cm -> Siesta#2 (2022) | Oil on canvas | 120 x 90 cm (47,2 x 35,4 in) | Photo: Lena Trydal | Image courtesy by the artist

Lena Trydal | 3 shades of Haaland (2023) | Oil on canvas (x3) | 50 x 40 cm (19,7 x 15,7 in) | ©Lena Trydal/BONO | Image courtesy by the artist

Trydal's work stimulates and engages its viewers, leading to thoughtful discussions and thought; her art, going beyond simple visual appeal, offers insights into contemporary issues, marking her as a promising talent in the realm of modern art.

lena trydal painting of kim karrdasian sitting of trash bags — ^{Lena Trydal | Studio view with}*^{Whatcha gonna do with all that junk}*^{(2022) | Oil on canvas | 160 x 205 cm (63 x 80,7 in) | Photo: Lena Trydal | Image Courtesy by the Artist}

In February 2024, she shows the 2x3 meter painting “Over my dead body” (2023) at Søgne Gamle Prestegård (Søgne, Norway), a double portrait of Lionel Messi and Christiano Ronaldo that thematizes the Qatar championship of 2022 and sportswashing.

As in several of Trydal's works, "Over my dead body" thematizes power, capitalism, pop culture and morality, with satire and absurdity.

lena trydal paints steve jobs waring headphones as portrait — Lena Trydal | *St. Steve* (2023) | Oil on canvas | 80 x 60 cm (31,5 x 23,6 in) | ©Lena Trydal/BONO| Image Courtesy by the Artist

Enjoy the vibrancy and wit in her work, as Trydal redefines the traditional art narrative, giving a voice to contemporary issues through her impactful and engaging artworks.