THE MEDAL'S FACE, FRISKLIVCENTRET, PORSGRUNN, NORWAY 2003

Frisklivscenteret, Porsgrunn, Norway, 2003
Each "arc" is 3.20 m long. The material is white cement and used medals.

 ”To dare is to lose your footing for a moment. Not to dare is to lose yourself."

This quote (freely adapted from Søren Kierkegaard) forms the basis for the sculptures in the entrance hall of the building, which includes sports, culture as well as health. The fronts of the figures are full of medals molded into the cement like a mosaic. They become a kind of local "history of heroes". People in the area were asked via the press to send in all types of medals. Everything from swimming badges to world championship and war medals was donated. - 373 for the man and 75 for the woman. (The history of the medals has been archived). An important memory from my childhood in Skien was "Verdenskongen" ("The King of the World") who came (and still comes) to all festive occasions in a uniform covered entirely with medals for everything that it is possible to get a medal for. His dignity and pride under the weight of all this achievement puts Janteloven (Tall Poppy Syndrome) into stark relief.

THE MEDAL'S FACE - press for large pictures