ART OF MAX MAGNUS NORMAN:
Centaur, Flower boy and Kung-fu cat

A centaur is spreading leaves in the wind from the top of a cliff. Few of my works has stirred up so many opinions as this piece of decorative kitsch. When I've exhibited it people have either loved it and stared on it for long moments, or hated it and and loudly expressed their contempt. Some women have seen the centaur as a female entity and seen themselves in it and some homophobic men has seen it as a feminine man (and have seen themselves in it and hated it as they hate themselves). I myself have had a quite hard time accepting this painting and has painted on it from time to time since 1998 and the reactions from my colleagues visiting my studio have been the same; 'throw away that trash' or 'that's a damn strong painting' (it's current owner is one of Scandinavia's more successful artists). Since I've seen this painting as a vision I've had no choice in painting it so criticism i futile. There's also a smaller, earlier version of this painting somewhere else on this site.