Vigelandsparken: This is Life

Vigelandsparken is a 320,000 square feet urban park with an impressive and extensive open-air showcase of modern sculpture created by Norwegian artist Gustav Vigeland; Make no mistake, this park, or “sparken” in Norwegian, is the masterpiece that Vigeland put his heart and soul in. Gustav was a talented Norwegian sculptor and he was deeply influenced by Rodin. The park features more than 600 pieces of sculpture that focused on the most talked-about topic in the course of human life – birth, old age, sickness and death; love and hate; separation and togetherness, and much more. All these emotions are depicted vividly and honestly in the open space and displayed in front of our eyes. The life-like figures could be any one of us, and any visitors could somehow find their own favorite piece.

The Bridge

Follow the path and experience Vigeland’s interpretation of life. As we entered the bridge, there were already a lot (really a lot) to see. As the sculptures were erected intensely on both sides of the bridge and each of them is different.

I appreciate the clean lines and simple curves of these sculptures which have a hint of Rodin but also manifested in the artist’s own way. The life-like figures captured different stages and moments in life. As we were looking at each piece (not trying to mimic the moves of each one), we jogged memories of our lives, recalled some friends and family at home, and tried to interpret what the creator was trying to describe (because some of them are really wild and they’re up to viewers imagination).

The Fountain

Making our way up the stairs there was a beautifully crafted fountain in the center of the square. All sides of the fountain base are engraved with, again, depictions of life; and each of them is different. The fountain is also surrounded by sculptures of trees. Tree of life and cycle of water – to me it sounded like a symbol of the origin and the continuation of life. Like Gaudi, Vigeland created an organic piece of art that celebrates life!

The Monolith Plateau

As we go higher through the gate the 14 feet tall pillar that chiseled from three granites is called the monolith, and it took 15 years to complete. It was kind of like a grand finale (if not the artist’s intent) of the Vigelandsparken trilogy. The pillar featured 121 humans representing the different perspectives of life – were they all trying to reach the top and grow and finding a way to reincarnate from the cycle of life?

Anyway, we loved the park so much we visited the park again the next day, with picnic food in our hands. After all, it’s a nice, spacious, and green city park that opens to all locals and travelers to do all sorts of ‘park-y’ things like jogging, stretching, rolling on the lawns, picnic and etc.- We did them all!

Maybe, at that moment, just like the sculptures, we were depicting a moment of our lives.