We are spending a quiet evening at home after a long afternoon of hemming and hawing over this and this and this at IKEA (if you’re keeping a tally, that’s five IKEA visits in four weeks, a new record).
G appears to be coming down with the cold I am just getting over, so we’ll probably lay low for the rest of the weekend. I thought I’d share with you some photos I took a couple of weeks ago at Vigelandsparken (also called Frognerparken) in Oslo. This sculpture park is only a block from our apartment and was the creation of Gustav Vigeland, a Norwegian artist. The park has over 200 bronze and granite sculptures, most of which are part of certain installations. Wikipedia has a decent write-up about the park. It was constructed between the late 1920s and 1944, part of which was done while the Nazis occupied Oslo. I love the expression and movement of the sculptures. This was one of the first places G and I visited when we came here in May to check out Oslo. I’ve included some of those photos as well (guess which photos were taken when?). Enjoy.
Bronze sculptures line the bridge leading to the monolith plateau (it was very icy).
Bronze sculptures line the bridge leading to the monolith plateau (it was very icy).
One of the bridge bronzes; this is one of my favorites.
The fountain with bronze sculptures is very...interesting. Babies fill some of the trees.
Ornate metal gates guard the entrances to the monolith.
Dozens of figures lead up the stairs to the base of the monolith.
The wheel of life overlooks the far end of the park.
Another awesome thing about the park: during the summer, it is the perfect place to have a picnic lunch or dinner. Put this park on your must-see list if and/or when your travels ever take you to Oslo.
Colleen,
ReplyDeleteMike and I went to Vigeland's Sculpture Park when we were in Oslo in 2008. It was really cool. We were there in the summer so the ponds weren't frozen though.
We took the bus there from our hotel, so it's fun for me to imagine that I could find my way to your apartment to see you.
Keep posting about your adventures while the newness/strangeness is fresh. What I found living abroad is that soon it will all seem normal to you. It took us six months to fall into a good rhythm. At a year, when we had to come home, none of us wanted to leave.
There is a very similar monolith at the Holocost Memorial in Miami. The difference is that all the figures were frantically trying to climb up and out. It was very visceral.
ReplyDelete@ sam: I didn't know you guys lived abroad. Or maybe I did. Yes, I can't wait for the newness to wear off. ;-) @ Courtnay: a lot of these sculptures are more hopeful than that, though. You'll just have to see when you come.
ReplyDeleteI'm totally loving the monolith.
ReplyDelete@Warren, yeah, it's totally amazing. See, now you'll have to come visit too! :-)
ReplyDelete