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Summer EveningGreen Self PortraitWooden HorseWooden Horse IIICompositionThree BrothersActor Leif JacobsenWith Dog and GlassesClapperHorseman and NestThe National Portraits: King and CowMirrorMeetingBoy with DogAbout Being a DuckLars Tiller ILars TillerLars Tiller on HorsebackThe JourneyTrophySelf Portrait with MallardRequiemThe EggPortrait of a HorsemanSymbiosisBoy on a ChairLieutenant GlahnEdvardaÆsopProfessor John UgelstadEdvardaEditor Arve SolstadArve Solstad IThe BranchThree Phases of TravelJourney in a Chair IWild Seedling IJourney in a ChairClapperMeeting ILate Night PartyStill LifeSelf Portrait in ChairJack RabbitHRH King Harald VH. M. King Harald VH. M. Kong Harald VH.M. Queen SonjaStill Life IStill Life I (detalj)Rut TellefsenEllen HornHenrik IbsenAir MattressBattle Scenesofa idyllRed SofaColosseum2005Peer Gynt 2007Peer GyntPeer GyntTerritory20072007201020102010201020102010HundCarlos IVLesende eselGoya, selvportrettDen som ikke kanFalk og klodeFløytespillerenKontorstol IPortrait of an equestrianAviator IThe Birds of Gaza2009200820092009200920092009Requiem for the children of Gaza 2009The Collection2009Ramzi AburedwanFamily PortraitGuardians of the SecretThe TreeMøte IGutt med hundA New MeetingJente med falk IJente med falk II2011 Parafrase2011 ParafraseCarlos IV, Paraphrase over GoyaAugust Von MackensenInfante Francisco De Paula Antonio Ludwig I of BavariaCrown Prince Rudolf of Austria-HungaryLouis XVInfanta Maria Teresa, Paraphrase over Velazquez The children of Charles I, Paraphrase of Van DyckDon Fernando, parafrase over GoyaWenche FossNils Aas KunstverkstedNils Aas KunstverkstedNils Aas KunstverkstedNils Aas KunstverkstedPhoto: Henning Lystad/Nils Aas Kunstverksted.
The beginning and student days 

Already at thirteen Gullvåg began studying at the private painting school of the Trønder-painter Roar Matheson Bye (1895-1988). The main themes here were portraits, still life and landscapes, in drawing as well as painting. Two years later, in 1976, his talents gave him the possibility to begin evening courses at the Art Academy in Trondheim (until 1977 Trondheim Art School). John Anton Risan led the evening courses. The following year Gullvåg turned 17 and was finally old enough to begin as a regular student. Now he studied with the Swedish painter and art-pedagogue Georg Suttner, who brought important impulses to his academy years. Suttner has remained an important discussion partner throughout Gullvåg’s entire artistic practice.

From an early age Gullvåg developed a solid knowledge of Trondheim Art Museum’s rich holdings (up until 1997 Trondhjem Art Society), as well as of the European tradition of art, through, among others, the comprehensive library of the Nordenfjeldske Museum of Applied Art. In the course of years we find a number of paintings paying homage to works in Trondheim Art Museum’s collection, among others, Echo (1993) is a paraphrase over Ludvig Karsten’s Paraphrase over Rembrandt’s Bathsheba.

His clear emphasis on contours and composition descry inspiration from Bjarne Ness (1902-1927), an artist who, in spite of his short career, managed to attain a significant possitionposition in Norwegian art history. The youthful Gullvåg greatly admired Bjarne Ness and often sought out the museum’s large collection of Ness drawings and paintings. As with Ness, Gullvåg developed his drawing skills early on and was proclaimed to be a young genius. This was a romantic notion, a short and , intense artist’s life, in which every sacrifice was made for art. Also Gullvåg sacrificed much for art; he was, among other things, exempted from military service on the grounds that he was a “compulsive painter”. In drawing this parallel, it is worth noting that he who survives must demonstrate his superior quality repeatedly, for the rest of his life.


An important exhibition in 1981: “27 Young Painters”, Kunstnernesens Hus (“The Artists’ House”)


Two central paintings from this period:

Green Self Portrait, 1979 (Trondheim Art Museum)
Summer Evening, 1979 (Debut UKS, Spring Exhibition, Kunstnernes Hus)
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