Faldbakken's Memorial Mosaic Unveiled in Oslo Government Quarter
Norwegian artist Matias Faldbakken (b. 1973) has introduced 'En opprettholdelse' (2026), a grand stone mosaic located in Oslo's new government district, honoring the victims of the 2011 terrorist attacks. Curated by KORO, the selection process was open and included a seminar in June 2024 at the National Museum, where ten groups of artists and architects showcased their designs. The mosaic features a striking red exterior facing Johan Nygaardsvolds plass and a more subdued interior crafted from approximately 300,000 stones, developed with insights from survivors. It displays an image of a common snipe and the names of the 77 victims in metal. Resistant to vandalism, the memorial embodies Faldbakken's somber perspective on the future and was inaugurated 15 years post-attacks.
Key facts
- Matias Faldbakken created 'En opprettholdelse', a monumental stone mosaic memorial in Oslo's new government quarter.
- The memorial commemorates the 77 victims of the 2011 terrorist attacks in Oslo and Utøya.
- The work was curated by KORO and selected by a jury after a public process including an open seminar at the National Museum in June 2024.
- The mosaic is made of approximately 300,000 stones in collaboration with Fantini Mosaici from Milan.
- The work features a common snipe (hvidklire) from Tyrifjorden and the names of the victims embedded in metal.
- Faldbakken's work was chosen over proposals from nine other artist and architect groups.
- The memorial is designed to be vandalism-resistant, reflecting security concerns.
- The unveiling took place in 2026, 15 years after the attacks.
Entities
Artists
- Matias Faldbakken
- Jonas Dahlberg
- Pablo Picasso
- Carl Nesjar
Institutions
- KORO
- National Museum
- Fantini Mosaici
- AUF (Arbeidernes Ungdomsfylking)
- Nasjonalmuseet
- Paragone
Locations
- Oslo
- Norway
- Utøya
- Tyrifjorden
- Milan
- Italy
- Johan Nygaardsvolds plass
- Høyblokken