Artwork in Pier A
Norwegian painter Frans Widerberg and Danish glass artist Per Steen Hebsgaard worked together to create the beautiful glass artwork in the airport’s Pier West. Frans Widerberg painted the glass artwork created by Per Steen Hebsgaard. The result of their collaboration is a unique full-scale equestrian statue in painted glass. The work consists of 18 glass pieces and stands in the entrance area between Pier West and Pier A.
The painter and the glass artist have also created three huge, bright-coloured glass mosaics named after the mystical concept of “Arcadia”, comprising a total of 144 “small” pieces of glass (each piece measuring 0.72 m x 1.05 m). Frans Widerberg mainly works with images of flying creatures, humans and horses.
This artwork is a permanent feature of Pier West that allows natural light to penetrate through a gorgeous palette of colours in a symphonic interplay between glass and light. Passengers walking through the first part of Pier West (the area closest to the international terminal) will enjoy these strikingly beautiful mosaics.
Biography: Frans Widerberg:
1934: Born in Oslo, Norway, on 8 April in Oslo
1953: Private student of Birger Moss-Johnsen
1953-1955: Student at the National College of Art and Design in Norway, where he studied book design
- Studied writing and design under Ivar Bell
- Student and assistant to Wilhelm Rasmussen
1955: Student for four months at the Goldsmiths College School of Art,
University of London
1956: Kunsthåndværkerskolen school of applied arts in Bergen. Studied under Poul Christensen in graphics.
1957-60: National College of Art and Design; studied painting under Alexander Schultz
Separate exhibitions
1974: National Gallery, Oslo
1977: The festival plays in Bergen, the Bergen Art Society, Bergen
1978: The Venice Biennal
1978-79: Moderna Museet, Stockholm; Nordjyllands Kunstmuseum, Aalborg, Denmark; Nordic Art Centre, Helsinki
1981: The festival plays in northern Norway, Harstad
1983: Galerie Westersingel, Art Foundation, Rotterdam
1986: The National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh
1987: Hatton Gallery, University of Newcastle
Bede Gallery, Newcastle
Polytechnik Gallery and University Gallery Festival of Brighton
Saga Gallery of Scandinavian Art, London
Morley Gallery, London
The Nordic House, Reykjavik
Art Council Gallery, Belfast
1990: Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo
1991: Fondacion Colegio del Rey, Madrid
Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon
IFA Galerie Friedrichstrasse, Berlin
Ulmer Museum, Ulm
1992: Kunsthalle, Rostock
The Barbican Centre, London
Galerie SCAG, Copenhagen
1993: Amos Andersons Museum, Helsinki
Northumbria University Gallery, Brighton
Brighton University Gallery, Brighton
1995: Alex Gallery, Washington
Norwegian music and art fair, Kuala Lumpur
1996: Astrup Fearly Museum for Modern Art, Oslo
Galleri Christian Dam, Stockholm
Grafiska Säallskabet, Stockholm
The National Glass Centre, Sunderland, UK
2001: Molde Jazz Festival
Peer Gynt Festival, Vinstra
Gallerie Asbæk, Copenhagen
Distinctions and awards
Graphics award from Aktuel Kunst in Oslo
Morgenbladets Award, Autumn Exhibition, Oslo
1994: Oslo Municipality Artist’s Award, Oslo
1997: Awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Royal Order of St. Olav
2000: Anders Jahres Award, Oslo
Biography: Per Steen Hebsgaard
1948: Born 9 April in Thisted, Denmark
1967: Trained as a glazier, apprenticeship passed with a bronze medal
1970: Employed by L. Frese & Sønner
1975: Received the applied arts examination silver medal
Co-owner of L Frese & Sønner
1986: Own firm: Atelier for Internationale Glasudsmykninger i
København (“Atelier for International Glass Artwork in Copenhagen”)
1988: Organizer of glass exhibition “New Danish Glass Art” in France
(later opened in Copenhagen, Aarhus and Odense)
1991: Organizer of “Danish Glass Art” exhibition together with Robert
Jacobsen, Nordjyllands Kunstmuseum
1992: Visiting professor at the Royal Swedish School of Art, Stockholm
Exhibited at “Semaphore” at the Køge Bugt Kulturhus
1995: Glas/Kunst/Glas (“Glass/Art/Glass”), the Aabenraa central train station
1996: Øjne i Natten (“Eyes in the Night”), Copenhagen and Aarhus
Distinctions and awards
1988: The Velux Foundation Prize of Honor
1989: Prince Henrik Foundation Award
1992: Recipient of grant from the Ole Haslund artists foundation