Little People Amassed

Here's a rather fun piece of urban art from central Oslo that many people probably pass by on a daily basis without really realising what they're missing, because you have to get down to ground level to fully appreciate the wit and intricacy of this splendid installation. From above you don't really see the details or individuality of these tiny people, just a mass of odd-looking protrusions in the pavement that may be mistaken for plants, or a special kind of slab or a drainage system. I always stop when I pass this spot and am constantly intrigued by the slightly anarchic nature of the sculpture. And contrary to what one may think it is certainly robust -you can even walk over it without injuring or damaging the figures, for they are packed so densely together that they form almost a single entity, just like a real crowd does. There are echoes of the famous Chinese terra cotta warriors, and of "united we stand" workers (the people seem from this angle to be carrying the paving slabs, but the piece seems less political than quirky The "real" person walking past in the background puts the figures into some sort of perspective but it's difficult to see their true size here because I deliberately wanted them to appear bigger and consequently photographed the installation from ground level. Each of the figures is in fact perhaps two or three inches high. I like to think of them coming alive when nobody is around, but that's just me! Location: Oslo, Norway