Morning 1973

Odd Nerdrum's 'Morning' captures a scene of vulnerability and introspection, rendered with a raw, unflinching gaze. Nerdrum emerged as a controversial figure in the art world during an era dominated by conceptual art, performance, and large-scale photography. Here, he returns us to painting, and that commitment to craft is part of his politics. The painting’s stark setting and the figure's disheveled state evoke a sense of isolation and despair. The discarded objects – the empty bottle, the basin, the scattered pills – speak to the darker aspects of human existence, perhaps a nod to the artist's own struggles with mental health. Nerdrum doesn’t offer us a romanticized view of suffering; instead, he presents a stark, unadorned reality. Nerdrum seems to suggest that within our moments of greatest vulnerability lies a profound truth about what it means to be human. 'Morning' invites us to confront our own demons, to acknowledge the pain and suffering that is an inherent part of the human condition.