Jan Valentin Sæther
Jan Valentin Sæther (18 March 1944 – 11 January 2018) was a Norwegian figurative painter, sculptor and gnostic priest. He was professor of figurative painting at the National Academy of the Arts in Oslo between 1996 and 2002. Sæther received his education from the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry (1963–65) and the Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts, painting under the direction of professor Reidar Aulie (1965–66) and sculpture under professor Per Palle Storm (1968–71).
Jan Valentin Sæther
- Born
- 1944 · Oslo.
- Died
- 2018
- Nationality
- Norway
- Occupation
- painter · sculptor · professor · illustrator · priest
- Education
- Oslo National Academy of the Arts
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In this article
Gnostic congregation
Gnostic congregation
He has presented numerous exhibitions, mainly in Norway and California. Sæther debuted in the prestigious Kunstnerforbundet in 1972, but prior to that he had participated in group the exhibitions "Spring Exhibition", Kunstnernes Hus 1968, "Figurative painting from the 1960s", Oslo Kunstforening (Oslo Arts Society) 1970 and "Romantik, realisme", Oslo Kunstforening 1971. During this period he went by the name Jan Isak Sæther. In 1973 he moved to Los Angeles, California. In addition to his work as an artist he ran several art schools during his 22 years there. Sæther moved back to Oslo in 1995. Between 1995 and 1996 he worked as amanuensis in charge of the models institute at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts. In 1996 he was contracted as professor of figurative painting there following a contentious and much publicized hiring process where the only competition that was to be considered qualified was his youth friend Odd Nerdrum. Following the hiring of Sæther in the professorship connected to figurative painting and sculptor Istvan Lisztes in the professorship connected to figurative sculpture, the emotions calmed down.
Sæther became an ordained reverend of the gnostic church in December 1988 by the regional bishop Stephan A. Hoeller of Ecclesia Gnostica in California. He has led a Norwegian congregation during later years.
Identity
Identity
Jan Valentin Sæther is recorded with the occupation illustrator. Recorded as painter, sculptor, professor, illustrator and priest.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1944
Jan Valentin Sæther was born on 18 March 1944.
2018
Jan Valentin Sæther died on 11 January 2018.
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Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Jan Valentin Sæther, revision 1370849314 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Jan Valentin Sæther er død; religioner.no, 12.1.2018
- 2.Grøtvedt, Paul: "Jan Sæther i Kunstnerforbundet". Morgenbladet, 6 October 1972.
- 3.Harr, Karl Erik: "Krystallklart sett". Dagbladet, 3 October 1972.
- 4.Parmann, Øistein: "Kunstforeningen: Romantikk og realisme". Morgenbladet, 21 October 1971.
- 5.Michelet, Johan Fredrik: "Romantikk og realisme i Kunstforeningen: Noen unge malere og de museale forbilder". VG, 20 October 1971.
- 6.Berggren, Aud: "Kunstskole for uvanlige". VG, 5 August 1987.
- 7.Korsvold, Kaja: "Norsk kunstner i californisk hete". Aftenposten, morning edition, 19 September 1984.
- 8.Jarto, Gro: "Norsk billedkunstner med kunstskole i Los Angeles". Morgenbladet, 1 August 1978.
- 9.Blom, Ina: "Akademi-saken ved veis ende". Aftenposten, morning edition, 25 June 1996.
- 10.Andersson, Rustan: "Professor mot alle Odds". Billedkunstneren, 7(96):12-13.
- 11.Hill, A.W.: "Exile in Godville: Profile of a postmodern heretic", L.A. Weekly, 19–25 May 2005
- 12.Gilhus, Ingvild Sælid and Einar Thomassen: "Forord", Gnostiske skrifter, page x. De Norske bokklubbene, 2002.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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