[2][3][1] His funeral service was held in Nidaros Cathedral, where Minister of Culture Lubna Jaffery, Åge Aleksandersen and Arve Tellefsen were among the attendants.

In 1950, he participated in the etching class at the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry under Chrix Dahl.

[2] Media said in 2025, that he became part of ['Group 5'] Gruppe 5; they were five artists in Trondheim; furthermore, in that group there was "abstraction and modernism and principles from architecture that was used to create art".

He illustrated such works as Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen, Haugtussa by Arne Garborg, Mysteries by Knut Hamsun, Babette's Feast by Karen Blixen and Dalen Portland by Kjartan Fløgstad.

[5] In December 2010, thieves broke into Bleken's storage room and stole nine of his paintings, seven of which were cut out of their frames in such a manner that they were badly damaged.

[5] On 4 September 2009 the Norwegian Royal Court announced that Harald V of Norway has promoted Bleken to Commander of the same order "for his work as an artist".