In my previous post, I mentioned my most memorable visit to view the fantastic collection of the lifelong sculpture works created by Gustav Vigeland installed in a vast public park in Oslo. The official name of the park is Frogner Park. All the sculptures are of nude human figures depicting men and women in childhood, teenagers and adults, middle age, and old age. These sculptures are created as a single person, in 2 or 3, or as a group. They are made in bronze and granite found in Norway. There is a monolithic column of human bodies piling on one another at the park’s highest point. There is also a Fountain of Life, surrounded by single or more nude bodies holding on to trees with many branches.
Frogner Park is the most popular tourist attraction in Norway, attracting 1 to 2 million visitors each year, and is open to the public. Frogner Park is the largest park in Oslo and covers 45 hectares; the sculpture installation is the world’s largest sculpture park made by a single artist. The sculpture area in Frogner Park covers 80 acres (320,000 m2) and features 212 bronze and granite sculptures, all designed by Gustav Vigeland.
The Bridge was the first part to be opened to the public in 1940. The Bridge forms a 100-metre-long, 15-metre-wide connection between the Main Gate and the Fountain, lined with 58 sculptures, including one of the park’s more popular statues, Angry Boy. At the end of the Bridge lies the Children’s Playground, a collection of eight bronze statues showing children at play. Most of the statues in the park are made of Iddefjord granite. The bronze Fountain is adorned with 60 individual bronze reliefs and surrounded by an 1800 square metre black and white granite mosaic.
Please enjoy a virtual tour and views of the beautiful park and sculptures through the photos shared with this message.
Tan It Koon
Before retirement, Dr Tan It Koon was, among many appointments, Head of Clinical Biochemistry at SGH’s Dept of Pathology. He was the Deputy Chairman of the National Theatre Trust and Chairman for Grants and Scholarships of the Spore Cultural Foundation. He received the National Day Awards, PBM, and PPA, for his contribution to cultural and community development and excellence in Public Administration.
