Yayoi Kusama, Shine of Life, 2019, Kistefos © YAYOI KUSAMA, Courtesy Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo/Singapore/Shanghai and Victoria Miro, London/Venice. © YAYOI KUSAMA, Photo: Einar Aslaksen
The sculpture park
Kistefos has 55 sculptures by prominent contemporary artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Claes Oldenburg, Olafur Eliasson, Anish Kapoor, Fernando Botero, Jeppe Hein, Tony Cragg, and Elmgreen & Dragset. The works range from the monumental to the unobtrusive, the profound to the playful. The sculpture collection is permanent and many of the sculptures are site-specific - meaning that the artist has created the artwork especially for Kistefos, directly inspired by the history, cultural heritage or nature of the place.
Octopus by Bjarne Melgaard looks as if it has risen directly from the river Randselva. Photo: Frederic Boudin
Path of Silence by Jeppe Hein in front of the old pulp mill. Photo: Knut Arne Breibrenna.
'Female Torso' is unmistakably recognizable as a Fernando Botero artwork. Photo: Einar Aslaksen.
Every visit to Kistefos should include a walk in the sculpture park. The sculpture park is also available even offseason, and it´s a beautiful experience to see the sculptures change their appearance and character in line with the surroundings. In the sculpture park, you can find tranquility, inspiration and aesthetic pleasure, all year round. The sculptures emerge as surprising elements placed in the scenic surroundings.
The three eras of the sculpture park
National contemporary art
In the first years after the opening of the Kistefos Museum in 1999, the sculpture park expanded mainly with sculptures by Norwegian contemporary artists.
Time by Nico Widerberg was unveiled in 1995. Photo: Einar Aslaksen.
Blue Tulip by Edgar Ballo was unveiled in 1993. Photo: Einar Aslaksen.
'Stallion' by Beate Juell was unveiled in 1999. Photo: Einar Aslaksen.
Going international
After a few years, the sculpture park went international with the unveiling of sculptures and installations by well-known international artists.
I´m Alive is one of four sculptures by Tony Cragg. This one was unveiled in 2005. Photo: Frederic Boudin.
Articulated Column is one of four sculptures by Tony Cragg. This one was unveiled in 2001. Photo: Frederic Boudin
Welcome to our Planet! by Shintaro Miyake can be seen as a commentary on the ongoing environmental debate. Photo: Einar Aslaksen.
Site-specific artworks
From 2005, the sculpture park developed further, and we unveiled the first work in a series of several site-specific works. This means that the sculptures are made exclusively for Kistefos after the artist has been inspired by the magnificent area following a visit. Thus you will find themes such as water, energy, industry, and nature in many of our sculptures.
'Tumbling Tacks' by Oldenburg and van Bruggen is heavily inspired by the site’s industrial history, with paper as a common denominator for both tacks and the wood pulp that was once manufactured at Kistefos Træsliberi AS. Photo: Einar Aslaksen.
Pulp Press (Kistefos) by John Gerrard awakens the pulp mill and resumes the manufacture of wood pulp, nearly 60 years after the production stopped. Photo: Jiri Havran.
River Man by the artistic collective A Kassen took form as liquid bronze was poured directly into the waters of the Randselva river. Photo: Kistefos.
Everything I commission must be site-specific. I want the artist to be triggered by the picturesque landscape and its history
Christen Sveaas in an interview with Christie´s
Castor & Pullox is one of four Tony Cragg-artworks at Kistefos. It tells the story about the twins Castor and Pollux from Roman mythology, who were immortalized and united in the sky as two stars. Photo: Einar Aslaksen.
Path of Silence by Jeppe Hein is a favorite of many - including the children, who use it as a fountain in it in the summer. Photo: Einar Aslaksen.
All of Nature Flows Through Us by Marc Quinn is a true copy of Christen Sveeas' iris. By leading the river through the eye, the artist emphasizes the direct connection between man and nature and encourages us to take responsibility for nature and our surroundings. Photo: Vegard Kleven.
In the following years, the park has expanded by one or more large site-specific installations per year. The development of the sculpture park has been made possible thanks to generous gifts from Christen Sveaas.
The Ball by Ilya Kabakov can be perceived as a reflection of the human urge to explore, to create, to conquer, and to reach the top. The sculpture was unveiled in 2017. Photo: Kistefos.
From the installation Silent Studio by Mark Manders - one of five new artworks at Kistefos in 2019. Photo: Einar Aslaksen.
'Energy-Matter-Space-Time' by Petroc Sesti was unveiled in 2006. Photo: Einar Aslaksen.