Lot 58: Bedri Baykam (born 1957) La Bohemia of Christiania (Hans Jaeger and the Others),

La Bohemia of Christiania (Hans Jaeger and the Others), lenticular print, signed and dated 2010 upper left, 185 x 240cm (72 13/16 x 94 1/2in).

This work is number one from an edition of three. This work is from the series Hommage A Edvard Munch.

Exhibited and Published:

Exhibition Catalogue, Carte Blanche a Bedri Baykam: Hommage a Edvard Munch, Paris 2010, p.41, illustrated.

The Bohemia of Christiania (Hans Jaeger and the Others)

The present work forms part of the series of Bedri Baykam's Hommage to Edward Munch in which he immerses himself in his idol's paintings and life as a bohemian in early 20th century Christiania (the former name for Oslo). These works came about after Bedri's extensive research and visit to Munch's house in Aasgaardstrand in Norway.

All the characters depicted influenced Munch in his search for meaning in his tragic life especially the anti-establishment and anarchist role that his friend and poet Hans Jaegar played in forming his art. He taught Munch to live by the code 'a passion to destroy is also a creative process'. Munch credits his brawling, alcoholic and bohemian lifestyle to his increasingly Expressionist style which made him famous.

The portrait on the extreme left of the work is that of Christian Krogh, the painter who taught Munch and who was extremely influential at this time in the Norwegian art scene. Moving to the right, the man in a hat is Hans Jaeger, who was a central figure in Munch's life whose writings mirror Beykam's own political activism as a member of theKemalist party.

A few other key figures dot the scene, such as Arthur Cravan, a poet and art critic who promoted the Dada and Surreal movement in Paris. Next to him, with her arms behind her is Oda Krogh, wife of Christian Krogh, an intellectual notorious for her love affairs and ménage a trois. The girl on the bed (which resembles Munch's bed in his home) is Charlotte, a Norwegian model in BedriBaykam's photography. The painted figure to the right of a seated Jaegar, is 'Wanda' from Bedri's 1985 work Wanda meets the Turks. On her head, is a photograph of a young Munch. To her right, is Milly, Munch's first lover. As we move further right we see Van Gogh's 'Madame Ginoux' who was an inn keeper who supported Van Gogh in Arles, and appropriately the empty wine bottles are scattered around her. To the far right, is a reproduction of a nude painting by Munch and in the background is Oslo's Grand Café, the main centre for the city's Bonhemian artists.