Brødre (Brothers)

Brothers draws inspiration from the Norwegian artist brothers Gustav and Emanuel Vigeland. Rooted in the same family, their lives unfolded in different directions. I imagine a quiet encounter between them in Gustav Vigeland’s studio in Oslo, 1926.

Emanuel and Gustav Vigeland

Gustav Vigeland (1869–1943) is best known for the monumental sculpture park in Oslo that bears his name, comprising more than 200 works. His younger brother, Emanuel Vigeland (1875–1948), was a painter and decorative artist, today particularly recognised for the fresco-covered mausoleum Tomba Emmanuelle in Oslo.

The brothers’ relationship was complex and, at times, strained.

The Wall

The wall is constructed using styrofoam as a base, combined with wooden elements. I wanted it to suggest a timber-framed structure, while also drawing inspiration from the interior of Gustav Vigeland’s studio. I added wainscoting and built-in shelves to evoke the character of the space.

The Outfits

Vintage fabrics are an important source of inspiration when I make the clothing for my characters. I select small fragments that suit the scale and pattern of the miniature garments.

Gustav Vigeland often wore a white studio coat while sculpting. In this scene — where he is presenting a new sculpture to his brother — he remains in his shirt and trousers, his white working coat  draped over the back of a chair.

Creating characters

Descriptions of the brothers point to striking differences in temperament and presence. In sculpting them, I sought to translate these contrasts into posture, gesture and subtle shifts in physical attitude, guided by archival photographs and written accounts.

The Sculptures

The shelves are filled with small replicas I sculpted in polymer clay, then painted and stained. I selected a range of well-known works by Vigeland, reimagined in my hybrid language — part mouse, part human.

During visits to the Vigeland Museum in Oslo, certain sculptures resonated with me more strongly than others, and these became the starting point for my selection. I also included several of his portrait busts of well-known Norwegian artists from the same period.

Details

While studying photographs of Gustav Vigeland in his studio, I became attentive to the objects that suggested routine, concentration and the passing of time: an alarm clock, an ashtray, fresh flowers in vases, a cigar box, and the sculptor’s tools laid out within reach.

Recreated in polymer clay, paper and wood, these elements add texture and variation to the miniature space.