Transition: The Artist Who Recognized Nobel Laureates

Lalit Khambhayata

In 2012, I was giving an interview to the Nobel Committee. There was an art director position. The committee asked me what would you do to creatively present the identity of the Nobel laureates when they are announced? I said that instead of photos, I would make pictures, which would be projected on the screen. It will be innovative, creative and over time will become the identity of the Nobel Committee. Especially if Nobel does not have photos of everyone, that will also be covered. The Nobel committee liked the idea. 'Then do as I was told…' * * * His name is Nickels Elmhead. He is the Art Director of the Nobel Committee. In particular, when the Nobel Prizes are announced, instead of photos of the winners, paintings are presented on the screen, which Nickels does the work of drawing. He has said the above in a video interview with us. Nickels has been involved with the Nobel Committee since 2012. In particular, he works in the 'Nobel Prize Outreach' section of the committee. In 2013 he created portraits of Nobel laureates, presented experimentally. At the same time, several newspapers published the pictures and the Nobel Committee praised the artistry of revealing the faces of the laureates. Prior to 2012, the names of the Nobel laureates were announced along with an old-page, low-resolution photo of them as they were received. The idea of ​​replacing photos with the names of the Nobel laureates was welcomed and widely used in 2014. It also got wide publicity. Since then, when the Nobel Prizes are announced in October, gold-colored pictures with the names of the winners are displayed on the screen, which is the work of art by Nickels. Two to five people who know who will win the Nobel this year include nickels. * * * After the announcement in October, the Nobel Prize distribution ceremony is held on 10th December every year, as that day is Alfred Nobel's death anniversary. So instead of the winners we literally shine the artist who shines the winners. * * * 'How long does it take to make a picture?' When asked about it, Nickels says that it is our confidential detail so we don't talk about it, but this operation is very challenging. Having said that, Nickels gave very interesting information. Do we think that the Nobel Committee, which gives the world's most expensive prize, is missing something? But there is much less! What is missing the most is the photos of the winners. Adds Nickels: 'It's just that photos of winners are not easy to come by. We need high-resolution photos from multiple angles to create a picture. Now, according to the Nobel rule, the winner (Nobel Laureates) cannot be invited because in doing so, the information about who is going to get the Nobel will be leaked. Likewise, photos cannot be obtained from any other organization associated with the Nobel to be announced. All Nobel laureates must be such fools that they have not had their photos taken. So often you get a passport size photo. A photo of a scientist was 30 years old. Sometimes someone's head is cut off in the photo and sometimes someone's beard is gone. I have to prepare a picture by imagining all that.' What is more surprising is that the Nobel laureates who have received the Nobel Prize are not particularly interested in the glittering pictures of the entire world of nickels. So no one came up to Nichols and said, 'Wow, you've made a really nice picture of me!' Thus, when the Nobel ceremony is held every year, Nickels is not interested in going among the laureates and taking selfies or saying 'I make your pictures…'. Yes, families or friends of Nobel Laureates sometimes ask for pictures of Nickels. Nickels is basically a motion graphic creator. Creates samples of paintings, graphics, arts as per people's needs. He has also done artwork for Sweden's football team. The portraits of Nobel laureates that appear are prepared by Nickels on 70 cm by 70 cm square art paper. Prepares the picture with black acrylic paint. Golden is returned as needed with gold foil on it. Black, yellow and gold are the only three colors used to create the picture and are used and appreciated all over the world. The rationale behind minimal color usage is that these images are used as breaking news. So instead of adding more colors to it, what can be said more in less colors is important. A single black color is enough to paint the winner's face on paper. If the decoration is of golden color then the matter is over. The use of the golden color has also started since 2017, as it was decided that year that the Nobel Committee would make its art department more impressive. Since then gold is glued with a special type of glue. However, the artist has to put in a lot of effort to create the picture that we see shining. Giving an example this time, Nickels says: 'The Nobel Peace Prize this year was decided to be given to the Japanese organization Nihon Hidankyo. At that time, instead of a person, the logo of the organization had to be drawn. When I saw the logo, I realized that it was created using origami, the Japanese art of paper folding. Its picture was a bit challenging. At that time one of my colleagues suggested that why not make such a paper sample? The idea was very good. I first made a paper model of Nihon's symbol. Then prepared a picture keeping it in front.' Nickels works for the Nobel Committee. But the committee has given him full freedom of creative work. So it can decorate Nobel laureate artists. }

'I was melting Nobel medals while soldiers marched through the streets.' This was the situation in Copenhagen when the Nazis invaded Norway during the Second World War, the Nobel committee wrote on its website as a memoir of a Norwegian author. The Nobel Prize started in 1901 but there were no medals then. The medal was produced in September 1902. Medals designed by the Swedish sculptor Erik Lindenberg began to be issued the following year. The peace and economics medals were designed by Gustav Vigeland and Gunvar Sves, respectively. The Nobel Prize in Economics, added since 1968, weighs 185 grams, while the rest of the medals weigh 175 grams. Until 1980, medals used to weigh 200 grams. These medals are minted in Sweden and Norway mints.

Many websites provide us with pictures, photos, graphics that we want. This operation has become possible due to artificial intelligence. So the question is, is AI a disaster or an opportunity for artists, especially painters? Nickels says that there is disaster and there is also opportunity. In the 1960s, when music bands began to explode, the question arose as to what would happen to solo singers and musicians. But all of them got work in the band itself. AI also has to take the help of artists to create good pictures. Yes, an artist has to improve and improve his skills with time.