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My take on this works as official portraits:
I am sure these are not the one and only paintings depicting the royals. I find it quite normal that an artist which is widely regarded as very influential in his country is commissioned to tackle the subject. To me it looks that he did so honestly, with the same attitude he has used toward other sitters and which has landed him this commission. Also if he is so well known, Norwegians will be visually used to his style.
He hasn't mocked the royalties or made them look ugly (see Freud's portrait of Elizabeth), rather he has worked on their iconic look: they are immediately recognizable as north european monarchs, the queen almost looks like a doll in her satately dress, the king like a lead soldier, which I have seen in other paintings by Gullvag on his website. I think he almost allude to their official persona almost as a role they have to play.
I believe these works will be hanged more as interesting works of art rather than " beware the king is watching you" painting, and as such I find them very respectable.
There is a dark side to them , is true, but I can't help being fascinated by these images.
I don't find them lame, David, it looks to me as this artist IS trying to include elements of abstraction and action painting, and that they do work in contest. But again it's a personal view.
Ilaria
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