Lilith & Olaf (September 2015) by Ella & PitrNuart
Lilith & Olaf
This record breaking mural takes inspiration from a biblical story, as Lilith is sometimes presented as Adam's first wife. She was created from the same clay as Adam but refused to submit and later rebelled against both God and her husband.
Lilith & Olaf (September 2015) by Ella & PitrNuart
Because of her desire for independence and equality, Lilith is seen as a symbol of feminism.
Lilith & Olaf (September 2015) by Ella & PitrNuart
The work depicts a monochromatic female figure wearing shorts and a tank top while curled up on the rooftop.
Ella & Pitr regularly incorporates the physical limits of the surface in their paintings. In this case, the rooftop edges act as a frame while simultaneously constricting the movement of the main subject.
Lilith & Olaf (September 2015) by Ella & PitrNuart
King Olaf
The crowned man in the corner, falling from Lilith's fingers, represents King Olaf I of Norway, who was ruler from year 995–1000.
Various sources list his birthplace as an islet in Frøylandsvatnet, a lake situated just metres from where the mural is painted on the Block Berge Bygg building.
Lilith & Olaf (September 2015) by Ella & PitrNuart
The enormous scale of the mural means that the only way to see it in its entirety is from a bird's-eye view.
Lilith & Olaf (September 2015) by Ella & PitrNuart
The gigantic scale and rooftop placement meant that on specific routes, the work was visible from planes flying in and out of Stavanger Airport, Sola. At the time, certain routes were adjusted to allow passengers a better view.
Lilith & Olaf (September 2015) by Ella & PitrNuart
Lilith & Olaf (September 2015) by Ella & PitrNuart
"Lilith & Olaf" acts as a companion piece to the M-City work covering the control tower at Stavanger Airport. The tower was constructed by Block Berge Bygg and decorated by the Polish artist as part of the 2013 Nuart Festival.
Lilith & Olaf (September 2015) by Ella & PitrNuart
Lilith & Olaf (September 2015) by Ella & PitrNuart
Ella & Pitr's rooftop mural Lilith & Olaf, painted in Klepp, Norway, was created for the Nuart in September 2015. At the time, it was the world's largest outdoor mural, covering over twenty-one thousand square meters. The work was completed over just four days with the help of a large team of volunteers, many from the Block Berge Bygg construction company whose roof the work graces.
Lilith & Olaf (September 2015) by Ella & PitrNuart
Biography
Ella & Pitr are a French street art duo best known for their larger than life figures in a fairytale-like style. The real-life couple hails from Saint-Etienne, France, and have been working together since 2007. Their best-known works are monumental interventions that embrace perspective and scale as artistic tools. Stylistically, they represent a mix of traditional children's book illustration, comic books and graffiti – often painting human figures somewhat ill at ease in their surroundings.
Design and project management: Studio Bergini
Photography: Eirik Halvorsen, Kalevkevad, Nuart
Copy Editing: Erik Sæter Jørgensen
Curated by Martyn Reed for Nuart
