Welcome to the opening of the exhibition Monolithos by Kristian Blystad at Vigelandmuseet on Saturday 6 June at 3 PM.

The exhibition marks the artist’s 80th birthday and is a collaboration between Vigelandmuseet and Oslo kommunes kunstsamling. Over the course of six decades, Blystad has established himself as one of Norway’s most significant sculptors, known for monumental works in stone and a distinct approach to the sculptural medium.

The title Monolithos may be read as a reference to Gustav Vigeland’s monumental stone column, but in Blystad’s case it also points to an artistic practice characterised by a consistent sense of monumentality in both form and content. The exhibition presents a broad selection of works spanning the artist’s career and highlights Blystad’s engagement with stone, craftsmanship, and form over several decades.

The collaboration between the Vigeland Museum, one of Norway’s leading venues for sculpture and three dimensional art, and Oslo Municipal Art Collection, which manages the country’s largest collection of art in public spaces, makes this exhibition particularly significant. It is the first time two municipal art institutions have joined forces on such a large and ambitious project, which also serves as a tribute to Blystad’s long standing contribution to and work with art in public spaces.

We invite you to join us for the opening in the museum courtyard, including speeches and the official marking of the exhibition. All speaches will be conducted in Norwegian.

The exhibition opening is free and open for all. Welcome!

We would like to thank the following supporters for their generous contribution to the exhibition at Vigelandmuseet:

• Sparebankstiftelsen DNB

• Lucy Høegh Stiftelse

• Pecunia