was born July 31, 1942 in Drammen, Norway.
Triztan G. Vindtorn first studied textile technique in England and Sweden. Later he worked as a light technician at the Norwegian Theatre in Oslo and at Oslo New Theatre for a period of 13 years.
From the age of 19 to 21 he worked as sailor on ships all over Latin America, Mexico, the United States and the West Indian islands. He was in the middle of the war zone during the so-called Cuban Crisis, on his way to that very island, but his ship was redirected to Vera Cruz. Since then he has continued travelling, and has published numerous books of poetry strongly influenced by impressions from his travels. Among these books are two books of poetry from China, as well as from Mexico and Brazil. He considers Brazil one of the main reasons for his starting to write poetry seriously.
During his years of theatre work he was elected employee representative to the theatre board for a number of years, as well as leader of the employee union at the same workplace. He also sat on the negotiating committee that negotiated working conditions and wages for the theatre employees with the State representatives. In addition he was elected member on the executive board of the Norwegian Authors’ Union.
Triztan G. Vindtorn published his first book of poetry in 1970, and has recently published his 29th book.
Over the years he has been awarded many important literary prizes, grants and travel grants. Among these are: the Great Travel Grant from the Norwegian State twice, his publisher’s (Aschehoug Publishing Company) Great Travel Grant, the Norwegian Authors’ Union’s Great Travel Grant, the Norwegian State Work Grant for one year, the Oslo City Grant, the Brake Prize awarded by Drammen Library, the Cultural Grant of the Municipality of Drammen, the most prestigious Norwegian literary grant – the Aschehoug Prize – awarded by the Norwegian Union of Literary Critics, the Dobloug Prize – awarded by the Swedish Academy, the Critics’ Kiss awarded by the Critics’ Journal, Drakabygget’s Great Travel Grant, the Artist Grant of the Municipality f Bærum.
He has also been bestowed knighthood by Drakabygget in 2005. Drakabygget is an artists’ center in Skåne, Sweden, founded in 1960 by the painter brothers Jørgen Nash and Asger Jorn, the latter world famous for his contribution to the international painters’ movement COBRA.
Triztan G. Vindtorn has represented Norway at a large number of international festivals of poetry and literature in many parts of the world: at Struga (Macedonia) twice, Mexico City, Rotterdam and Amsterdam (the Netherlands), Leuwen (Belgium). He has also played an important role at innumerable festivals of literature and poetry in: London (United Kingdom); Bruxelles and Gent (Belgium); Stockholm, Skellefteå, Arvika, Skövde and Örkeljunga (Sweden); Roskilde, Copenhagen, Nakskov, Samsø (Denmark); Helsinki (Finland). In Norway he has taken an active part in most important literary festivals, like Molde Literary Festival (the Bjørnson Festival), Lillehammer Literary Festival, Oslo Poetry Festival, Stavanger International Literary Festival, and the International Poetry Festival at Håkonshallen (Bergen).
Many of his poems have been translated into other languages – 19 different languages in all - and published in anthologies, literary magazines, newspapers and student publications and the like.
Triztan Vindtorn often works with visual techniques and effects, contentum, scenic versions, and has collaborated with musicians from the world of jazz. He has contributed to several CD productions, in Germany and Japan in addition to Norway.
He has performed with his own bands, reading his poetry. He has held poetry readings in the Poetry Tent at Roskilde International Rock Festival (Denmark) on three occasions, as well as recited his poems at Norwegian jazz festivals at Kongsberg, Voss and Molde, as well as at North Sea Jazz (the Netherlands).
Triztan G. Vindtorn also creates art objects, exhibits large scale photographs – often from Cuba, and has lectured on “the Avantgarde in European Art from 1900 to 2000” at the University of Groningen and the University of Utrecht (Netherlands), at Gent (Belgium) as well as at the University of Bergen and the University of Tromsø, Norway. He has given poetic performances in the Hague, Amsterdam, and Scheveningen (the Netherlands), in Helsingborg (Sweden) and at Centre Pompidou (Paris, France).
Over the years he has lived abroad for long periods of time – in Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Greece, the United States (New Orleans), Mexico (Yucatan), Cuba, the Philippines, Indonesia, and India (Goa).
Since 1983 he has received the Norwegian State Guarantee Yearly Income for Artists.