Archive for April, 2010
Vebjørn Sand: Live Ice Project
Posted by admin in Art, culture and literature on April 29, 2010
Visit www.norway-un.org/News/Archive_2007/071218_SandIceBridgeUnveil/ for more on the Ice Bridge (Live Ice) project.
Live Ice (part 2) is available on Youtube www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUnpBDMKdKo
Østfold artist Vebjørn Sand
Posted by admin in Art, culture and literature on April 29, 2010
A Norwegian painter and artist, born in 1966, Vebjørn Sand grew up in Vesterøy, Hvaler, and is part of a well established family of artists – his dad is the painter Øivind Sand, and his twin brother the film director Aune Sand.
Vebjørn Sand had his first exhibition in Fredrikstad Library as a 17-year-old, before moving on to study art in Oslo, Prague and New York. The move paid off, and his career took off – today Sand is one of a handful of contemporary Norwegian artists to have achieved success at international level.
Primarily renowned as a painter, and very much inspired by the Renaissance and Baroque style (he’s been all his life a stark defender of the classic European tradition), he’s now better known for his public arts projects, such as the Da Vinci Bridge in Ski (2001), the 60ft high Kepler Star (aka Norwegian Peace Star) outside Oslo Gardermoen Airport (2000), and the Troll Castle in Holmenkollen, Oslo (1997-1998).
Vebjørn Sand is fascinated by the Antarctic (he went on several expeditions to Queen Maud’s Land in Antarctica), a source of inspiration for many of his paintings, as well as for his Live Ice Project, an effort to raise awareness about global warming.
He now divides his time between Oslo and New York, and was awarded earlier this year the Plankebærer prize in recognition for his role as an ambassador for Fredrikstad. Some of his paintings are for sale at Gallery Sand in Gamlebyen.
For more information, in English, see www.gallerisand.com
Live Ice (Antarctica 2006, NYC Dec 2007) www.liveice.com
Feeding the goats just outside Gamlebyen
Posted by admin in Travel and practical stuff on April 28, 2010
Top 5: Activities for kids in Fredrikstad
Posted by admin in Travel and practical stuff on April 28, 2010
Not sure how to keep the kids entertained during your stay in Fredrikstad? Fret not – the options are plentiful. Here are some activity suggestions for children of all ages:
- Bo Grønt Lund’s: This garden centre in Torsnes doubles up as a mini animal park, featuring a pleasant playground with many slides and climbing apparatus, as well as farmyard animals such as sheep, rabbits, etc. Ideal for the little ones. Why not bring a picnic and make an afternoon of it? Torsnesveien, Torsnes (about 5km from Gamlebyen). Prices: 50Kr per person. Open 10am-7pm during the week, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun noon-5pm. Tel: 69 34 92 66, www.bogront.no/lunds/ (Norwegian only)
- Go-karting: Cheap it ain’t (a 9 minute heat, about 10-15 laps, will set you back 155Kr), but go-karing is fun if you want to spoil the kids, or give yourself a bit of an adrenaline kick. Why not indeed. Open Mon-Fri 4pm-9pm, Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 2pm-8pm. Tomteveien 21. Tel: 40 00 19 36, www.activcenter.no (Norwegian only)
- Ice-skating: Nothing better than a spin (or two) on the ice to burn off excess energy. Luckily Stjernehallen, Fredrikstad ice-rink, is open to the general public Wed-Fri 10am-2pm, and Sun 10.30am-12.30pm, and even better, skating here is free! Utfarten 16 (between Bratliparken and Fredrikstadmarka). Tel: 69 36 83 00, www.stjernen.no (Norwegian only)
- Horse riding: There are several riding centres in the area. Try Fredrikstad Riding Centre, just behind the Old Town (Bekkevold 1. Tel: 69 32 31 74) or Hogde Shetland Stud Farm (Hogde 2. Tel. 90 51 74 26), which has Shetland ponies.
- Swimming: Kongstenhall swimming pool complex just outside Gamlebyen is the perfect place to cool off on a hot summer day. It boasts an outdoor Olympic size pool, paddling pool, 10m diving board and pool, and a water slide, plus a smaller indoor pool. Prices: 50Kr adults and 40Kr children for access to the outdoors complex. Open 7 days a week, times vary, ring for info. Trosvikveien 12. Tel: 69 95 82 98.
Stunning modern architecture in Norway
Posted by admin in History and architecture, Photos and videos on April 27, 2010
The National Tourist Roads Project
Posted by admin in History and architecture on April 27, 2010
It all started in 1994, as a trial project aiming to improve the driving experience in Norway, and attract more tourists. The idea: offering motorists an alternative to the main roads, and stunning architecture along the way. A special council was set up, a team of international architects put together, and before you knew it unusual, striking constructions were beginning to pop up at every bend along Norwegian roads.
This being Norway, the focus has all along been on quality, and many of the 200 or so buildings and structures (most of them information centres, rest areas or observation platforms) have already won awards in their field. The jaw-dropping Stegastein viewpoint at Aurlandsvegen, a wood and glass platform jutting out 650m high over the green waters of the Aurlandsfjord, might be the most photographed, but there are many other equally interesting structures.
This visionary project, which was the brainchild of the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, will have been 20 years in the making when completed in 2015. It focuses on 18 roads covering 1,850km nationwide. It’s financed for the most part by the Norwegian government, and the final bill is expected to come in at around 2.3 milliard crowns. A big, but clever investment that is already giving a real boost to Norwegian architecture.
Read more about the project, and see some great pix here (article in Norwegian only) http://www.dn.no/d2/arkitektur/article1695413.ece
A telltale sign that spring’s arrived…
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors, Photos and videos on April 26, 2010
Wood anemone (Anemone nemerosa)
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors on April 26, 2010
This flower, which announces the arrival of spring, can be seen as early as April in Norway. It is normally found in shady deciduous woodlands, sometimes in grassy roadsides too.
Each stem has a white star-shaped flower, often flushed with pink or purple. As in all anemones, the flower has no real petals, but instead sports modified sepals (usually 6 or 7) which assume the colouring and characteristics of petals.
The flower can be up to 2.5cm (1 inch) in diameter, although younger specimen are smaller, and the whole plant can grow up to 25cm (8 inches) tall, although 10-12cm (3-4 inches) is more common (at least in Norway).
Most of the year this plant is hidden from view. But a fast-growing underground root system allows it to grow, and carry out its annual life-cycle in the few weeks of spring, before the shade from the trees above becomes too dense.
It does not require fertilization by insects and has no scent. What it lacks in perfume, however, it makes up for in prettiness – a carpet of wood anemones in the spring is a sight to behold (see pic above).
The plant contains poisonous chemicals that are toxic to animals (including humans). Although herbalists no longer use the plant medicinally, various parts of the wood anemone used to be recommended for a variety of complaints, including headaches, gout and rheumatism.
The wood anemone is a member of the buttercup family. It is also known under the name of windflower and smell fox, and is called hvitveis in Norwegian.
The Storedal Culture Centre
Posted by admin in Art, culture and literature on April 25, 2010
The Storedal Culture Centre in Skjeberg, Sarpsborg, is quite unique. Although open to all, it was designed to provide a stimulating experience for visually impaired visitors by engaging all the senses, not just sight. The centerpiece, the 19.5m high metal sound sculpture ‘Ode to Light’, which was designed by artist Arnold Haukeland and represents arms reaching out towards the sky, comes to life through 28 loudspeakers connected to light receptacles. The more light, the more complex the music, and vice versa – in other words, avoid visiting on a really dark winter day, as the sculpture will be almost completely quiet. The complex also has an outdoors amphitheatre and a herb garden featuring over 250 different plant species, which you can touch and smell, as well as replicas of the rock carvings along nearby Oldtidsveien, with descriptions and explanations in Braille.
Storedalveien 215 (off Rv110 between Skjeberg and Fredrikstad). Tel: 69 16 92 67, www.storedal.no (Norwegian only)