BROKEN THRONES (2020)
Nineteenth-century European pavilions meet modern materials in Camilla Løw's sculpture, located in the popular outdoor area surrounding lake Nordbytjernet in the municipality of Ullensaker. The artist hopes that people visiting the area will feel ownership of the sculpture and use it as they wish.THE SCULPTURE
– Before I decided on the look of the sculpture, I took many trips to Nordbytjernet to get to know the place, says Løw.
– It became clear that this is an area that many people love and it’s used all year round. I knew early on that I wanted to create a sculpture that could not only to be viewed from a distance, but that people can get close to and use physically. The park-like surroundings made me want to create something reminiscent of a classic pavilion – the ones that were popular in European gardens and parks in the nineteenth century and were used both as decoration and for festive occasions. I’m very interested in English "follies", where the ideal was for the pavilion to look a bit ruin-like, and I also wanted the sculpture to be reminiscent of architecture from other historical eras, such as Roman temples. But I used modern materials like aluminium, spray-painted green and white, and ceramic tiles with mirror-shiny steel elements. The sculpture reflects the surroundings with its shiny water and tall upright birch trees.
– It’s important that an artwork in the public space is exciting to look at, but just as important is that the art makes you look at the surroundings in a new way. I hope the sculpture will open people up to a more poetic reading of the surrounding landscape.
– I also hope that those who visit the area will feel ownership of the sculpture and use it in whatever way they want, whether to admire the view, play, sunbathe, have a picnic or go skiing between the columns. The sculpture can also be used as a stage for concerts and other events.
CAMILLA LØW (b. 1976)
Camilla Løw is a Norwegian artist educated in Glasgow, Scotland. She creates her sculptures in close dialogue with the place in which they are located, whether inside a gallery or outdoors in public place. She often uses materials associated with architecture and design, such as concrete, metal elements, spray paint and Plexiglas in strong, clear colours. Her abstract artworks have associations with modernist sculpture and American Minimalism. Each sculpture has its own unique identity, emerging from Løw’s personal and site-specific approach.
Løw has made a number of works for the public space. In this context, she is concerned that the public should feel free to put her sculpture to use.
– An example is the two sculptures Neon Winter and Social Geometry that I produced for Henie Onstad Kunstsenter's sculpture park in 2012, says Løw. – They’re made for climbing and sitting on, and I think it's great that people actually do that.
Løw’s work has been exhibited and purchased by museums and galleries in Norway and internationally. In 2012 she had a solo show at the National Museum in Oslo.
Camilla Løw
Photo: Carsten Aniksdal
Broken Thrones seen from above.
THE PLACE
The municipality of Ullensaker has Jessheim as its administrative centre and is one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Norway. Løw's monumental sculpture is the area’s first public artwork on such a scale.
The small lake, Nordbytjernet, and its surrounding green areas are the most important recreational spaces in Ullensaker. The lake is surrounded by both large parks and varied natural sites, with rich bird life and several red-listed species. Large parts of the area are designated a conservation site due to the special geological phenomenon of pothole lakes, of which Nordbytjernet is an example. Trails and paths around the lake provide excellent hiking opportunities all year round.
Løw's sculpture is situated on the gentle slope down to the water, and appears when you round the bend from the public beach.
Skulpturstopp is a gift from Sparebankstiftelsen DNB to Norwegian municipalities.
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