Art in the New Government Quarter in Oslo

KORO is responsible for the art projects in the new Government Quarter in Oslo, one of the largest construction projects in Norwegian history. Once the first phase of the development is completed in 2026, visitors to the area will find themselves surrounded by numerous artworks from the past hundred years; from reliefs made in the 1950s that were originally an integral part of the H-block (Høyblokka) to entirely new art projects on facades, in entrance lobbies, and in public spaces outside the buildings.

About the project

The Government Quarter is an ensemble of new and existing buildings, streets, squares and parks in the Hammersborg district of Oslo. All government ministries, with the exception of the Ministry of Defence, will eventually be gathered here in one place. The project has been planned in three construction phases and is due to be completed in 2030. Construction began in January 2021. Since 2020, KORO has surveyed and registered works already in the collections of the various ministries, initiated a raft of new art projects, purchased new works, and worked on curating new placements of older art. In spring 2026, some of the ministries will move into their new premises, with over 250 artworks being installed around the same time. Construction phase 2 began in 2025, and work on art projects for the envisaged C-block and the new government park is already underway.

In January 2021, KORO developed a comprehensive Art Strategy for the New Government Quarter (in Norwegian only). This has since been supplemented by the Art Plan Version 2: Art in the New Government Quarter, published in autumn 2023, as a refinement of the first art plan, published in autumn 2021. These documents are publicly available for download in both Norwegian and English.

About the art

During construction phase 1, KORO was busy with the management of various artistic projects, curation, and overseeing major new integrated artworks such as the city floor Sebastia by Jumana Manna (b. 1987), the majestic AAhkA by Outi Pieski (b. 1973), and Damla Kilickiran’s (b. 1991) ten large reliefs on the A-block, Sites of a Breach, Delays in a Dream; A Surface Half Asleep.

Both the city floor and the two large art projects for the A-block were commissioned following invited competitions. In addition, there have been purchases of art, open competitions have been held for works for the entrance areas of the A and D blocks, and new curatorial approaches developed to rehouse works that already had a place in former government buildings. The curation handles both existing ministry collections and earlier KORO projects. Hannah Ryggen’s (1894–1970) large textile works Trojansk Hest / Picassoteppet and Vi lever på en stjerne, which were made for the H-block (Høyblokka) in the 1950s, are included in these plans. Artworks by prominent Norwegian artists in a variety of techniques are well represented, such as paintings by Anna-Eva Bergman (1909–1987), significant textile works by Carin Wessel (b. 1944), and large ceramic works by Marit Tingleff (b. 1954), Lisbeth Dæhlin (1922–2012), and Elisabeth von Krogh (b. 1947). In addition, paintings, prints, textiles, and photographs by artists including Edvard Munch (1863–1944), Inger Sitter (1929–2015), Per Kleiva (1933–2017), Jakob Weidemann (1923–2001), Per Barclay (b. 1955), and Kåre Kivijärvi (1938–1991) will be moved from the old ministry buildings to new premises.

Earlier KORO projects from recent times include Do Ho Suh’s (b. 1962) Grass Roots Square (2012). Specially made for the Government Quarter, this work was originally located outside the R6 ministry building in Teatergata. In the spring of 2023, it underwent extensive conservation before relocation to Einar Gerhardsens plass in the heart of the Government Quarter. The three large paintings by Vanessa Baird (b. 1963), Lyset forsvinner – bare vi lukker øynene (2012), Lenge gikk jeg tidlig til sengs (2013) and To Everything There Is A Season (2014) were also commissioned for the R6 building and will be reunited in the D-block.

An earlier artwork in glazed stoneware by Irma Salo Jæger (b. 1928), I flokk letter fuglene (1985), has been installed at the top of the A-block, in what is known as the formal dining room. An older textile work by Ann Rasmussen (b. 1952), Mot lyset (1993), which KORO loaned to NRK for the TV series Makta, has now become a permanent feature of the real-life Government Quarter in the H-block (Høyblokka).

In 2023, KORO administered the purchase of fifteen sculptures from Ahmed Umar’s (b. 1988) Glowing Phalanges series. A sketch by Arne Lindaas (1924–2011) for Edens have (1971), which was part of a competition submission for a frieze that adorned the road tunnel under Hammersborg, has also been purchased. In 2024, Otobong Nkanga (b. 1974) was commissioned to create a new work for the H-block (Høyblokka).

Following an open competition for artists in Norway and Sápmi in the summer of 2024, Elise Storsveen (b. 1969), Else Marie Hagen (b. 1963), Damien Ajavon (b. 1990), and Mari Slaattelid (b. 1960) were commissioned to create separate artworks for the entrance areas of the A and D blocks. During the same period, Hilde Skancke Pedersen (b. 1953) was commissioned to create a work specially for the D-block, resulting in the large textile work Bassi várri, giđđadálvi – Sacred Mountain, Spring Winter, installed in autumn 2025.

Ask Bjørlo (b. 1992) is now working on a preliminary project for the C-block, which is currently under construction.