The Artist - Gediminas Urbonas

Gediminas Urbonas trained at the Vilnius Academy of Arts, and participated in the Summer Academy of Fine Arts in Austria and a summer symposium in Canada.In 1988, Urbonas began working on a series of rock sculptures,which gave the joint title "Archeology of Purpose". The idea behind this series of sculptures was to present in rock form well-known objects created by humans or objects created by nature (bird's nests). They are so common we almost don't notice them anymore. They are part of life, part of our everyday surroundings.

Because these objects are recreated in stone, they gain a new temporal dimension. Rocks have both a past and a future. It takes a very long time to shape the objects from the hard material, and Urbonas works methodically with the shaping; it becomes almost like a form of meditation, whereupon the spectator can sense the energy that went into providing the sculpture with its perfect shape.The sculpture at Saltdal is placed in a prominent location. This deliberate choice of location offers an interesting optical situation, because the sculpture can be seen from so many different angles and distances. From a distance, it stands out as a relief in the landscape. When you move in close, you can study the fine details and feel the texture.