Matias Faldbakken's 'Upholding' Memorial for 2011 Norway Attacks Completed
Public Art Norway (KORO) has unveiled 'Upholding,' a poignant memorial crafted by artist Matias Faldbakken to honor the lives lost in the 2011 terror attacks in the country. This impressive artwork measures 40 feet in height and 50 feet in width, featuring a steel frame adorned with a mosaic of 300,000 stones in the shape of a wader bird. Located in the Government Quarter of Oslo, the memorial was inaugurated as part of the 15th-anniversary observance. The project saw the participation of over 2,000 contributors, with the final stone placed by a bereaved parent from the tragedy.
Key facts
- Memorial titled 'Upholding' by Matias Faldbakken completed in Oslo's Government Quarter.
- Work is a 40-foot-high, 50-foot-wide steel rig with a mosaic of 300,000 stones depicting a wader bird.
- Commemorates the 2011 attacks: bomb in Oslo (8 killed) and Utøya shooting (69 killed).
- Inspired by steel rig that secured Pablo Picasso's mural 'The Fishermen' after bomb damage.
- Over 2,000 people contributed to fabrication; final stone added by chair of National Support Group after July 22.
- Selected in 2025 after a three-year inclusive process involving curators, artists, politicians, and victims' representatives.
- Replaces earlier scrapped memorial 'Memory Wound' by Jonas Dahlberg that proposed slicing a gap in Utøya.
- A previous memorial of 77 bronze columns opened at the mainland ferry quay in 2022.
Entities
Artists
- Matias Faldbakken
- Pablo Picasso
- Jonas Dahlberg
Institutions
- Public Art Norway (KORO)
- National Support Group after July 22
- Venice Biennale
Locations
- Norway
- Oslo
- Utøya
- Y-Block
- Johan Nygaardsvolds Square
- Venice Biennale