Ever been to a stone quarry? No, neither had I. Until, urged by a local acquaintance, I visited Johansens Monumenthuggeri in Skjeberg near Sarpsborg last month. Turned out to be very interesting, as it happens. This quarry, the largest of its kind in Norway, produces gravestones, cobble stones and the like, but what makes it really special is that it also attracts its fair share of artists.

Some 80-90 of them come to work here every year, including some big names like Kristian Blystad, one of Norway’s most famous contemporary sculptors. Even Morten Harket and Magne Furuholmen, of a-ha fame, both of whom are keen amateur sculptors, have spent some time here. Really. The quarry even has its own artist in residence, Kazuhiro Nomura, a Japanese sculptor from Nagoya, who has been coming to Norway for several years now. He spends his summers in his outdoor studio at Johansen’s, making good use of the natural light and a vast array of very specialised tools the quarry puts at his disposal.

The quarry imports stones from all over the world, as well as using local stones such as Iddefjord granite or Larvik stone (Larvikitt). The blocks of white Italian marble that were used for the new Opera House in Oslo were cut here. The quarry, now in the hands of the fifth generation of Johansens, handles a lot of similar big projects.

Walking around all these statues in the making is a surreal experience. Behind the workshop is a big open space where discarded artworks await their fate amid big blocks of rock and piles of gravel. Last summer they held a light and sound show here. I can imagine the quarry walls, cut straight in the mountain side, making quite a special background for it. I’ll most certainly check it out next year.

Skjebergveien 206, Klavestadhaugen (offices). Tel: 69 16 36 33, www.johansenmonument.no. Visits by appointment only.