Henrik Aarrestad Uldalen, born in Korea in 1986 and adopted to Norway at an early age. What began as an artistic quest sparked by the death of his grandparents gradually evolved into a confrontation with the “walls” of his own mind, and ultimately into a journey of facing the long-suppressed secret of his origins.

The Death of Grandparents and the Beginning of Self-Exploration

Whitestone Gallery Seoul

- What inspired your journey as an artist?

Uldalen: Although I’ve always been interested in the act of art making- drawing, acrylics, watercolours, it wasn’t until my early teenage years that I found a more pressing need of expressing myself more accurately. It was triggered by the death of my grandparents, which I took incredibly hard. I didn’t know how to deal with it in a healthy way, so the only thing that made sense was to work through that with art. I spent a long time after their death sheltering myself from harm by building up walls around me. I was protected, but felt little of anything. I was flat-lining slowly. The works at the time reflected that fact, cold and desaturated. 

When I achieved some of my lifelong dreams at the time and felt nothing, was when I realised I needed to do everything in my power to break down the walls. I spent years travelling, exploring and working to understand myself and the defence mechanisms in my life, with painting and art as my main tool, and over time I gradually broke through. My life and art has ever since been mostly about being able to understand myself and my mental health, so that I can help other people who might be in similar positions.

Resonance of Technique and Emotion

Whitestone Gallery Seoul

- Could you tell us about the materials, techniques, and processes you value most in your practice?

Uldalen: I’m predominantly an oil painter, and it’s been my go-to medium for the last 18 years of working with art. I grew up loving classical European art, late Renaissance, baroque, neo classicism. It was a gentle preciseness that I valued a lot, and it suited my temperament at the time. It soothed me, like silent mantras in Yoga. I was captivated by all things beautiful. 

Over time this changed quite a bit. I found myself less patient and more emotional, due to the fact that my state of mind was now open and all walls had been broken down. I was no longer in a safe place, so my techniques, materials and processes changed with it. I was suddenly completely unable to make art that I had always envisioned myself making. I had lost my patience, but gained knowledge about my emotional temperament. I always strive to be the most authentic I can be, and I realised that the way of old was no longer me. It would be similar to making cover songs of past albums. I will not make grand Sistine Chapel paintings, those days are gone. But I will make true art that accurately portrays my state of mind and temperament- and with it, different modus operandi to achieve that. Different use of time, one that reflects a more immediate image of my current feelings, different mediums to accommodate for the new time use.

Evolution of Expression and the Search for Existence

Henrik Arrestad Uldalen “DEBRIS” 2018, 120x180cm, Oil on Wood

- How has your work evolved over time, from your earlier hyper-realistic paintings to your current style?

Uldalen: With the change that I described within me, a change of visual aesthetic was inevitable. The new paintings have become a much more accurate description of my immediate state of mind. While before I would work on an idea for weeks, plan everything out in advance, and simply execute an almost paint-by-number approach, the way I work now is the exact opposite. In my early days I could work on paintings for months at the time, and barely remember why I was making the work by the end of it.

A desire to be great, to be seen as talented, and to show off technique also marked my early works. I was a people pleaser, making “best of” albums. I now work directly, mostly based on intuition. I would only really plan out the grand ideas of an exhibition for a longer period, the painting of the works would be the act of art, more akin to performative art. In this performance I would find answers, come to understand myself and raise new questions, like a dialogue with my subconscious. The works look raw and primitive, there’s no filter or sugar coating, and most of all, no ambition to impress. The works are for me, and I think art that serves the artist first is always the most impactful, even for others.

Whitestone Gallery Seoul

- What core themes or emotions do you aim to explore through your work?

Uldalen: At the core of my work lies existentialism. To find purpose where it’s seemingly none. Ever since I was a young child, I would lie in bed and wonder why I was here. What was the point of waking up early to go to school or work every day, only for everything to be forgotten in a couple of thousand years? For a long time I was concerned with immortality and legacy, but no longer. I have accepted that nothing will remain, and that here and now is where I belong. A simple and true life with honest work, modest needs, and helping those around me who have gone through difficult paths. My work is still centered on existentialism, and it will follow me for my whole life. To help others, I must first help myself and confront my own struggles. All my works are about understanding myself.

Finding a True Voice Outside the Institution

Whitestone Gallery Seoul

- You are a self-taught artist. How has this shaped your approach to painting and your artistic identity?

Uldalen: In my early years of painting, I applied to art schools and academies. In retrospect I’m glad I wasn’t accepted, though I do see the value of an art education—for access to different ideas, tools, and other passionate artists. Still, I remain skeptical of most institutions. Learning and journeying through life is a vital part of my creative process. To go out into the world, make mistakes, try new things, reach my own conclusions, and grow is what makes life worth living. And when you are truly living, art becomes interesting. Having someone hand you all the right answers feels to me like the death of creativity.

I now hold workshops of my own, where the focus is on exploring new ideas, breaking the mold, and finding one’s true voice. Most of all, I stress that I do not have all the answers. Only you can know what your art should be. As for myself, I know I will never be ahead of trends, and that is fine. What matters is to remain true to myself at every moment. That takes me out of my comfort zone and keeps me changing. It does not always result in the greatest paintings, but the journey itself is what matters. The missteps and wrong turns along the way are what have led me to new ways of working.

Journey to the Roots: Confronting Identity as an Adoptee

Whitestone Gallery Seoul

- Korea is part of your roots. What does this exhibition mean to you?

Uldalen: This exhibition is about walking a path I’ve never taken before. I have never talked about the fact that I’m adopted. I grew up in a loving home in Norway, and as a child all you want is to fit in. The moment my parents asked me if I wanted to see my file or want to know about my past, I swiftly shut the conversation down. All I wanted was to be like other children, with blond thin hair and slit eyelids. 

My recent years of self exploration prompted me to confront everything I would normally avoid, regardless of how hard it would be. With all the recent writing in the media about wrongdoings in the adoption processes in Korea over the last 50 years, made me think a lot about what else lies lurking behind the facade. 

I have now read my file, but I now question its validity. I want to know more. I want to know who my adoptive parents are and their reasons. I want to know about other adopted children's backgrounds and stories. I want to know what the people of Korea think and feel about this part of their history. Seemingly a part that most Koreans historically have avoided talking about. 

- Are there any new forms of expression or projects you would like to explore in the future?

Uldalen: I would like to explore deeper into this theme of adoption, particularly other people's stories. Like I mentioned, help yourself so that you can help others. I want to hear their backgrounds, their lives, good or bad. See where they are in life and whether or not they have found a resolution to their own search for truth. I want to tell their stories and create further dialogue around the issue. But things can quickly change for me. If I find myself in a position where I no longer have the need to do it, and want to explore something else, I will. 

Henrik Arrestad Uldalen “Untitled #5” 2021, 32 x 24cm, Oil on panel

From classical realism to expressions that lay bare the depths of the soul, Henrik Aarrestad Uldalen’s works trace the ever-changing path of a human spirit. By letting go of perfection, he has uncovered truth—one that now reveals to us new possibilities for art.

HENRIK AARRESTAD ULDALEN: LOST/FOUND