Oslo is no stranger to creative displays—you’ll find murals, sculpture, and street art everywhere you turn when walking these streets. And while much of the art in this European capital makes a statement, the nomadic art project called SALT calls back to a simpler time in the country and invites us to sit back and relax—and reflect.
Having made its way around Norway, SALT is now on display in Oslo through October 2018. Of course, SALT is vastly popular for its three saunas, bars, coffee shop, event space, and beautiful view of the sea and opera house, but it’s the project’s message that truly resonates. But it also doesn’t hurt that after you walk along the shoreline and under a massive fish rack—one of several large wooden constructions on the site—you can sit at one of the surrounding picnic tables drinking beer by the water all day.
The art project comes from the north, from a land of Arctic people who have long lived in harmony with a harsh climate, moving in keeping with the seasons and animal migration. SALT looks at how the ocean has given Norwegians many resources, and how future generations will also need these resources, drawing attention to the effects of climate change on the country’s own coast.
Organizers say the pyramid-shaped fish rack is a monument to the Norwegian way of life. Fish were dried on the rack and prepared for export, connecting the country with other parts of the world and generating great wealth. SALT aims to celebrate this history while emphasizing the challenges that lie ahead.
“We know little about the consequences of climate change and the effects of environmental pollutants on the Norwegian coast,” SALT’s mission states on Facebook. “What we do know, however, is that if we are to reach climate mitigation goals and perpetuate a sustainable management of the ocean’s resources, we must change our view of the ocean and the way we relate to it.”
Learn more about SALT here.