COMPETITION program: MONUMENT TO Elisiv OF Kyiv


BACKGROUND
Harald Hårdrådes plass is situated in Schweigaardsgate in Oslo’s old town, Gamlebyen, between Klosterenga Park and the medieval ruins of Middelalderparken. The area is of great historic significance for Oslo. The square contains a granite monument to King Harold Hardraade, with a bronze relief by Lars Utne. It was unveiled in 1905 (the year Norway became an independent country) and has the following inscription: HARALD SIGURDSÖN HAARDRAADE/NORGES KONGE/OSLOS GRUNDLÆGGER/ 1015–1066 (HARALD SIGURDSSON HAARDRAADE/KING OF NORWAY/OSLO’S FOUNDER/1015–1066). Elisiv of Kyiv, originally Elisaveta Yaroslavna of Kyiv (born 1025, died after 1067) was a princess from Kyiv. She was King Harold Hardrada’s wife and queen. The project is intended to highlight medieval Ukrainian and Norwegian history and the historic ties between the two countries.


STIPULATIONS
Participants in the closed competition will receive a competition fee of NOK 30,000 for the preparation of a sketch showing the monument in situ.
The artist who is awarded the commission will receive NOK 350,000 to cover production costs and their fee for designing the monument. The sum must also cover any travel relating to its execution. Groundwork and installation costs will be paid by the client. The Norwegian Sculptors Society (NBF) will manage the competition and follow up the work’s production.

The monument must be tailored to the limited space available at Harald Hårdrådes plass. The monument may be flush with the ground or have a three-dimensional form of no more than 1 metre in height. The monument must be made of weather-proof materials that can withstand the Norwegian climate all year round.


REQUIREMENTS - SKETCH

  • Project sketch (idea) – digital or paper

  • Technical drawing

  • Illustration of the memorial site showing correct scale in the intended environment

  • Material description - NB there is a requirement for weather-resistant materials that can withstand the Norwegian outdoor climate

  • Maintenance plan including expected lifetime/expected conservation/restoration needs

  • Overview of subcontractors

  • Budget

  • Project schedule with dates

DEADLINES AND IMPORTANT DATES
14. August 2023: Deadline for submission of sketches
28. August 2023: Award of the commission
8. April 2024: Sculpture completed
25. April 2024: Sculpture unveiled


HARALD HÅRDRÅDES PLASS
Harald Hårdrådes plass is designed as an island in the middle of Schweigaards gate. The square has access from 2 sides and is mainly used as a pedestrian crossing. Trees and lighting are managed by Bymiljøetaten, while other vegetation, the street structure and use are managed by Gamlebyen district. The space is regulated for pedestrians.

Locals in the area want to use the space for social activities and recreation. The district finds this positive and supports more activity from the locals at the site.

There are no concrete plans for Harald Hårdrådes plass other than the local initiativ and a new waste bin. Gamlebyen district welcomes the new monument and is happy to enter into a dialogue with the project about future facilities on the square.


TECHNICAL INFO (see park plan illustration below)

  • Outdoor flooring: gravel and paving stones/cobbles.

  • 4 light poles

  • Trees

  • Shrubs/hedge

  • Roses and some perennials

  • Christmas tree stand (see marking on map)

  • Information sign for the Harald Hårdråde monument (to be removed)

  • The trees cannot be affected, but the operating department is open to dialogue about plants, outdoor flooring, new facilities such as benches etc.

  • No integrated light or sound is allowed in the new artwork. Additional lighting of the artwork can be carried out afterwards. In that case, this will be done as part of a new lighting plan for the entire area, after the new memorial and any new facilities are ready.

  • When placing of the artwork one must deal with existing cables in the ground. See the attached cable identification for an overview of cables and guidelines for digging.

    See also the detailed technical form and pictures of the space in separate attachments at the bottom of the document.


PARKPLAN

LOCAL INITIATIVES
There are some local initiatives involved in the space, wanting increased use and recreation on the site. A Christmas tree is put up every winter and benches have been placed outside temporarily. There is no specific agreement on use, but Gamlebyen district welcomes initiative from the local population. The space for the Christmas tree can be involved in the new memorial if the local population's use is taken into account. See the marked point for the Christmas tree on the map.


HISTORY
The area around the monument on Harald Hårdrådes plass was originally a large open space. With the advent of the car, Schweigaardsgate eventually became one of the major roads in Oslo, running through a central residential area. The street was eventually regulated as an environmental street and was upgraded in 1994 with stone paving and planting. In 2014, the monument was preserved and the square was at the same time renovated and got a new bed of flowers and a new information sign. See the attached info folder at the bottom of the document below for a broader historical presentation.


MEMORIAL SITES TODAY
The existing monument to Harald Hårdråde was created in a time when heroic memorials were common. The new monument must consider both the history of the square and at the same time be a memorial of our time. Torgrim Sneve Guttormsen, member of the jury, (PhD) archaeologist and senior researcher (researcher I) Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research (NIKU), has made a selection of articles on memorial sites, which are attached to the competition program below. He also recommends the lecture “The Stages of Memory” by James Young which can be watched here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VEbNkt_DTs


MAP / SITUATION PLAN (1:500) (click on the map to download)
New maps can be obtained from, among others, Norgeskart.no

ELISIV OF KYIV

Elisiv was the daughter of Yaroslav the Wise, Grand Prince of the Kyven Rus, and his Swedish-born queen, Ingegerd. In Norwegian history, Elisiv is known as Harald Hardrada’s wife and the kingdom’s first non-Scandinavian queen. Despite her illustrious lineage and key role, we know very little about Elisiv’s life. To the extent that she is mentioned in the sources, it is as a voiceless minor character in the story of powerful men. As a result, it is not possible to say anything about her personality or how she fulfilled her role as queen.

Elisiv’s father was among Europe’s most powerful princes, which is reflected in the marriage policy he pursued. His daughters Anna and Anastasia were married, respectively, to Henry I of France and Andrew I of Hungary, while Elisiv was given in marriage to Harald Hardrada, brother of Norway’s King Olav Haraldsson (St Olav). According to the sagas, Harald had to ask twice for Elisiv’s hand in marriage. The first time was when Harald was a young man, around 17 years old. Some years earlier, he had fled Norway after having fought on the losing side in the Battle of Stiklestad, where his brother, King Olav, was slain. At that time, Yaroslav refused Harald’s request. According to the sagas, Harald had made Yaroslav a good offer, but was not rich enough and lacked a crown. When Harald returned to Yaroslav seven years later, after a period in the service of the Byzantine emperor, he was an extremely wealthy man. This time, Yaroslav accepted Harald’s request for Elisiv’s hand in marriage and, according to the sagas, Harald gained the father-in-law he desired.

Harald and Elisiv’s wedding probably took place in 1044, either in the Tithe Church or the Cathedral of St Sophia in Kyiv. The sources give no clarifying information about the wedding, or about their marriage or lives together. Harald is said to have returned to Norway in the spring of 1045. It is presumed that Elisiv accompanied him, but this cannot be asserted with any certainty. Back home in Norway, Harald was acclaimed king and shortly afterwards took a new wife, Tora Torbergsdatter, with whom he had two sons. Tora was never accorded the title of queen but was mother to the king’s heirs.

The Norwegian sources do not mention Elisiv again until 1066. By now, she had become queen of Norway, thanks to her husband’s exploits, and had two daughters: Maria and Ingegerd. Harald had now set his sights on conquering England. Elisiv accompanied him to the Orkney Islands, where she remained with her daughters while Harald took his army south to England. The battle for England would be Harald’s last. By the time news of his death reached Orkney, Elisiv had also lost her daughter Maria. She is said to have died suddenly, apparently on the same day as her father. Elisiv returned to Norway the following spring. She brought back the body of her husband and was accompanied by her surviving daughter and step-son, Olav. It is not known what happened to Elisiv after she returned to Norway or how long she lived.

Beate A. Pedersen, Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research (NIKU)

QUESTIONS/CONTACT:
The Norwegian Sculptors Society (NBF) will manage the competition and follow up the work’s production.

For questions contact:
Linda S. Olsen
Producer
Norwegian Sculptors Society
linda.olsen@skulptur.no
Mob: 41 65 46 33


ATTATCHMENTS: