yblokkfoto.no

During this pandemic, the Norwegian state is demolishing the Y-blokk, a late-modernist government building that has been a key part of Oslo since 1970. In spite of widespread protests, this unique building – chosen as one of Europe’s seven most endangered cultural monuments by Europa Nostra and the European Investment Bank Institute – is being destroyed.  Oslo is the most pandemic-stricken place in all of Norway. With cultural institutions closed, bans on gatherings, and the media in pandemic mode, this assault against the city is not being given as much attention as it would do in more normal times. This is why photographer Adrian Bugge has taken the matter into his own hands and is photographing the destruction of this unique building as it happens.

The project began as an ongoing photo documentation on this website (scroll down for archive of photos) while the building was demolished in 2020 - 2021 and in the autumn of 2021 the photo book Y. The building that disappeared was launched by the art book publisher Uten tittel (Not Yet Titled Press)

Archive with the texts and selected photos from the block photo as it was while the demolition was going on:

Leave Y alone!

For my part, my interest in the Y-blokk started long before the decision was taken to demolish it. Back in 2011 I photographed a man who was taking a break in the sunshine in front of the former Deichman library, with the Y-blokk and Høyblokk in the background. The photograph exhibits a moment of calm before the government quarter was blown up just a few short months later.

The Y-blokk is more than just a building renowned for its particular architecture and the great value of its integrated art. It is also a symbol of a period of stability in Norwegian post-war history. The pandemic that has now struck us, however, is giving rise to uncertainty and putting the welfare state to the test more than ever before.  

At the very least, the government should put the demolition on hold until the outcome of the forthcoming court case against the state is decided. The campaign in support of saving the Y-blokk, the National Association of Norwegian Architects, the National Trust of Norway and Oslo Architects Association have been working together to put a halt to the demolition. Unfortunately, their application for a temporary court injunction was not upheld. On 7 April 2020, Oslo City Court gave Statsbygg the all-clear to begin demolition. With that, the dismantling of the integrated artworks will begin as early as April. If the court case comes up in the autumn, it will already be too late. 

Before the 22 July terror attack in 2011, the building was on the verge of being granted protected status – but in its aftermath the process was stopped. In approaching the construction of a new government quarter, I think that greater account should have been taken of the artistic and historical value of the Y-blokk and Høyblokk. Moreover, the demolition can be viewed as an extension of the socially devastating act of terror. In purely aesthetic terms, I do not believe that the notion of retaining the Høyblokk while demolishing the Y-blokk is good enough. It is wrong to hack away at ”Måken” and ”Fiskerne”, Y-blokk’s integrated artworks, in order to use them as decoration in the new government quarter. What was unique about the government quarter was that the edifices and the art of Viksjø’s buildings were one and the same.   

Adrian Bugge, Oslo, 19 April, 2020

The unique building

Both the Y-blokk and the Høyblokk are built in natural concrete, a material designed by the architect Erling Viksjø and civil engineer S. Jystad. Stones from Norwegian riverbeds were cast into the concrete and are shown in the unpainted, sandblasted surface of the facade and interior of both buildings. The artworks ”Måken” in the foyer and ”Fiskerne” on the wall facing Akersgata are also in sandblasted natural concrete. They are based on drawings by Pablo Picasso after an idea by Viksjø and the Norwegian artist Carl Nesjar, who was responsible for the technical workmanship.

The windowless end walls of the Høyblokk are also adorned with sandblasted reliefs. These are Viksjø’s own designs. Within the Høyblokk there are a number of sandblasted artworks produced according to drawings by Carl Nesjar, Kai Fjell, Tore Haaland, Inger Sitter, Odd Tandberg and Pablo Picasso. In addition, both buildings are replete with ornamental art designed by Viksjø. 

Concrete has a hard, grey appearance that is not liked by everyone. But within the natural concrete, Viksjø has blended the cement with Norwegian nature. At a close range, river stones are clearly visible. The National Trust of Norway has compiled Natural concrete – Is it possible to love?, a presentation that is available online. (in Norwegian, but with pictures)

Unfortunately there are no interior photographs of the Y-blokk here at Yblokkfoto.no. This is because Statsbygg has not granted permission for photography inside the building, but pictures from the interior are available to view in the National Museum’s presentation Y-block: Art and architecture in inseparable interaction (in english)

The government quarter

The government quarter consisted of a number of buildings in the squares at Akersgata and Grubbegata in central Oslo.

During the 22 July 2011 terror attack, several of the buildings were so badly damaged that the decision was taken to build a new government quarter on the same site. Many of the buildings have already been demolished, but protests resulted in the Høyblokk (originally called the H-blokk) being saved, while as a compromise it was decided that the Y-blokk, which suffered less severe damage, would be demolished. Read more about the area with a historical review of the government’s plans for the government quarter (initially in Norwegian, but the texts can be read in English)

About yblokkfoto.no

Since most exhibition spaces are closed due to the pandemic and the demolition of the Y-blokk is not getting the attention from the media that it would have received in normal times, artist and photographer Adrian Bugge has established this website as a digital protest exhibition for the Y-blokk, which is also accessible to those who are unable to come out to see it for themselves.

Adrian Bugge made his debut at the Autumn Exhibition in 2007 and later showed his work at many regional, group, and solo exhibitions. His most recent solo exhibition was of images of Oslo’s urban development at Fotografiens Hus in Oslo in 2019, the same year he released the photography book Den nye byen/The new city through art book publisher Uten Tittel. He is a member of the arts organisations Forbundet Frie Fotografer (FFF) and Norske Billedkunstnere (NBK), and is executive director of the foundation Stiftelsen Bjørka (an artist-run production workshop for photography), where he also has a studio.

See more of Bugge’s projects at his website www.adrianbugge.no 

Kunstkritikk (Nordic journal of contemporary art) has also written a review of yblokkfoto.no:

Links

The demolition plans have encountered huge public opposition and many professional circles at home and abroad have registered their objections. Yblokkfoto.no has collected a selection of links. This site is currently in Norwegian, but if you follow the links you can choose other languages on several pages. Links

See also the English website GrayScape coverage on the demolition of the Y-block, with selected images from yblokkfoto.no

Selected photos during the pandemic

Please note that this page is not updated as often as the Norwegian main page and are not in strict chronological order
©Yblokkfoto.no. Adrian Bugge 2020. Copyright all pictures: Adrian Bugge –no photographs to be used without permission.

February 2, 2020: View of the demolition site from the church tower. There is not much left of the Y-block now. Also not much to see from street level due to the fences. Therefore, there are less frequent updates here now, but in the spring I will publish a book with pictures from the demolition, many of which have not been published before. Photo: Adrian Bugge

Y-blokka, Akersgata 44, 0180 Oslo, Norway