200 square meters of art in the Port of Bergen

Next time you’re waiting in line for the ferry to Denmark, you can enjoy art on the walls while you wait. The same applies to the thousands of cruise tourists who pass through the gates of the "cruise street" in Jekteviken every year.

Bergen municipality and the Port of Bergen have facilitated public artworks on 200 square meters of walls in Jekteviken.

Desire for more color and life

-This is originally a gray cargo port, and we thought it would be nice to bring a bit of life and color here, says port director Michal Forland.

The Port of Bergen aims to make port areas more attractive and accessible to the public, which is why the Port of Bergen contacted the Bergen municipality to collaborate on public art projects.

New artwork each year

The first artist is Manuel Portioli, a Bergen-based artist who has an atelier in Dokken. He has painted the piece “Ponente,” which references the word “West” in Italian, the artist's native language.According to the artist, the landscapes that form his impressions of Western Norway meet in the mural.

-I believe that art is essential in urban development, and that colors are a key element. Overall, I’m committed to the idea that creativity and art should happen in places other than museums, says Portioli.

The plan is for each art project to remain for about a year before being replaced by a new artist and a new work. This will happen in three phases.