Odd Nerdrum was sentenced unjustly on August 17, 2011, to two years in prison for tax evasion. The article below was printed in Norwegian in Aftenposten 21.08.11.
The Murder of Nerdrum
The Murder of Andreas Baader in a new version: The Norwegian government paints the Murder of Odd Nerdrum.
Equality before the law does not mean that all people are the same. Go backwards into the future with your face enlightened by the past, Nerdrum says. His values are old fashioned. He chooses to own a bar of gold rather than ten credit cards in his pocket. Without thought of profit he receives students from all over the world. Their curious gazes encourage him to paint his masterpieces. In prison this will end.
Nerdrum chooses to paint new pictures rather than to trust insurance companies. Why has not the judge considered that Nerdrum compensated the owners by replacing scores of paintings that were destroyed, and that he put aside funds to cover future compensation claims?
The average Norwegian will find the verdict just, as he can never himself become a Nerdrum. The tax legislation is perfectly adjusted to his work as an employee.
When you punish a painter without prior convictions, whose plea has not been heard in court, you commit political murder. By isolating him in prison without a brush and a palette you kill the man whose only wish–without any intention to deceive the state– is to fulfill his life’s work.
Helene Knoop, Painter and former Nerdrum student
Gerald Maximilian Bliem, Galleri PAN
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Artikkel på trykk i Aftenposten.21.08.11.
Mordet på Nerdrum
Mordet på Andreas Baader i ny versjon; Den Norske Stat maler Mordet på Odd Nerdrum.
Likhet for loven betyr ikke at alle er like. Gå baklengs inn i fremtiden med ansiktet opplyst av fortiden, sier Nerdrum. Hans verdiholdninger er gammeldags. Han velger å eie en gullbarre fremfor 10 kredittkort i lommen. Uten tanke på profitt tar han imot elever fra hele verden. Deres nysgjerrige blikk stimulerer ham til å male sine mesterverk. I et fengsel vil dette ta slutt.
Nerdrum velger å male ødelagte bilder på nytt fremfor å stole på forsikringsselskaper. Hvorfor har ikke dommeren tatt hensyn til at Nerdrum erstattet et titalls ødelagte malerier og satte til side egne trygdepenger?
En alminnelig nordmann synes nok dommen er rettferdig fordi han selv aldri kan bli en Nerdrum. Skattereglene er jo perfekt tilpasset hans jobb som ansatt. Et politisk drap begås når man straffer en maler uten tidligere straffedommer og som ikke blir hørt i retten. Ved å isolere ham i fengsel uten pensel og palett tar man livet av han som kun ønsker å gjennomføre sitt livsverk uten intensjoner om å lure staten.
Helene Knoop, malerinne og tidligere Nerdrum-elev
Gerald Maximilian Bliem, Galleri PAN