The Seven Muses
01.12.2006
The Seven Muses at Hålogaland Theater, The Theatre Square, Tromsø, Norway
The seven muses and the theatre mascots by Inghild Karlsen, in collaboration with Bo Bisgaard, stand right by the theatre’s main entrance. The work consists of seven monumental sculptures in white concrete and marks the theatre as a house of art in a playful, but profound way. The sculptures honour those who once founded the theatre.
The faces of the muses have different expressions and shapes: a young girl’s face, a jar shape, a Buddha-like face, a skull face and a baby face.
In ancient Greek mythology, the muses refer to the protectors of poetry, song, science, and music. The sculptures’ doll-like heads can also be associated with ancient theatre masks. From the theatre foyer, on the quay outside, you can spot a small red bronze dog gazing out to sea. When a performance starts inside the theatre, it wags its tail. This is one of the theatre’s two mascots. The other dachshund sculpture is located on the roof of the old Rådstua from 1864, which was Hålogaland Theatre’s first hangout in the 1970s.
Collaboration with Bo Bisgaard
Photo: Ola Røe +
