Architecture and art in dialogue
Lecture by Kjetil Trædal Thorsen and Jorunn Sannes
In connection with the exhibition Monolithos by Kristian Blystad, Vigelandmuseet and The City of Oslo Art Collection host a lecture with Snøhetta architect and co-founder Kjetil Trædal Thorsen and artist Jorunn Sannes.
Since the late 1980s, the integration of art has been a defining element of Snøhetta’s architectural practice, exploring how artistic expression can be shaped through dialogue with buildings and their surrounding environments.
The longstanding collaboration with sculptor Kristian Blystad has influenced several of Snøhetta’s landmark projects. One prominent example is the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt, where monumental stone walls are hand-carved with signs and symbols from languages around the world. The stone pattern creates a powerful visual interpretation of the library’s universal content. This concept was developed by visual artist Jorunn Sannes and further realized in collaboration with Blystad as a living work in stone.
Kristian Blystad and Jorunn Sannes worked with a team of local stone masons who hand carved signs and symbols into the wall of Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt.
Photo: Snøhetta
Kristian Blystad working on a prototype of the wall in Norway.
Photo: Snøhetta
Sannes and Snøhetta have continued to work with Blystad on major projects including the Norwegian Embassy in Berlin and the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet. The Opera House roof, composed by Blystad, Kalle Grude and Sannes, consists of 33,000 marble pieces forming a three-dimensional landscape of light, shadow, and texture.
On 27 August, Kjetil Trædal Thorsen and Jorunn Sannes offer a rare insight into their collaboration with Kristian Blystad, highlighting the dynamic interaction between art and architecture.
