Magnar Moen

Magnar Moen is a Norwegian artist. He is known for his large black and white drawings where charcoal floats above the white paper in volatile forms. It is almost as though the lines and curves have the quality to change their shape while looked upon.

Moen holds his education from Bergen School for Handicraft and West Coast Art Academy in Norway. He has exhibited at a large range of private and public galleries and art institutions in Norway since 1974. Moen has received numerous grants, and has received the Norwegian National Guaranteed Income for Artists since 1995.

Moen’s works are included in a vide range of collections; Bergen Art Museum, Bergen Municipal Power Company, Nord-Trøndelag County Gallery, Levanger Municipality, the Norwegian Art Council, Bergen Art Gallery and Haugesund Art Gallery.
Photo courtesy of Geir Brekke

WORKS

Magnar Moen works with drawing. His materials are charcoal, coal dust, soot and graphite. The drawings are developed through various processes. When coincidences happen, he takes care to implement them in his works. Thus giving quirky events the opportunity to transform into personal experiences and new sensations.

Moen is attracted by charcoal as material. It´s transparency, flexibility and homogeneous colour make drawing an immediate language that requires his attention and presence.

Drawing reflects the basics of existence; action and perception. The simplicity and flexibility of it makes it a unique tool for obtaining visual experiences. When Moen works, he focuses on the encounter of the strokes with the paper surface. He draws intuitively and is inspired by the interaction between charcoal and paper.

Moen wants his drawings to be places open to subjective interpretations. In his works both the pleasurable and disastrous may be present.