”Øivind Nygård does not belong among those artists who in their experimental search towards many directions have established a fragmented æuvre. Instead he is the type who immerses himself into carefully chosen areas with wide stretching perspectives. This has been made still clearer in the pass of the last three decades, where he has been active as a sculptor. Nygård does not invest his energy into an unceasingly conquest of new territories […]. Instead he has worked on clarifying and sharpen those elements that caught him from the beginning.”
- Cited and translated from the Danish text ”Forskydningens kunst. Hovedlinjer i Øivind Nygårds skulpturer” i Øivind Nygård. Værker og tekster, 2008, by Anne Ring Petersen.
Øivind Nygård’s works take their starting point in the fundamental qualities and elements that constitute sculpture. With an eclectic approach to sculpture’s historical and classical foundations, Nygård’s works float between a traditional expression and an unconventional handling of shape and perspective. Nygård’s sculptures show a fundamental interest in basic geometric forms, Antique traditions, architectonic instruments and dynamic temporality. Well known shapes and motives are contrasted with abstraction, and as stated by Anne Ring Petersen, Nygård’s practice testifies to one long dedication to the nature of sculpture and a search towards perfecting its forms.
Øivind Nygård was born in Norway but lived in Denmark from 1966. He studied at The School of Decorative Art 1973-77 and at The Royal Danish Academy of Art in Copenhagen 1977-83 with Willy Ørskov as professor among others. He was professor at The Royal Danish Academy of Art in 1990-97 and received the Eckersberg Medal in 2002. From 2004 he was member of the artist association Grønningen. Øivind Nygård created several sculptures for public space, and his works are represented at museums such as Sorø Museum of Art, KØS Museum for art in public space, Horsens Museum of Art, Brandts Museum of art and visual culture, KUNSTEN Museum of Modern Art, Arken Museum of Modern Art and The National Gallery of Denmark.
Light Conductor, 1993, Glassfiber armed polyester, MDF
The Play, 1996, Polymer modified cast material
Kvinde ser på skulptur/ The Observer, 1992, Bronze
Model til et Museum for Meteorologi, 2001, Plaster, white beech
The Observer, 1989, Fiberglass armed polyester