Ila School, Trondheim
In a stairwell at Ila School Gullvåg has allowed himself to be inspired by the sound of children’s feet running up and down these stairs for almost a century. He has therefore painted different sorts of shoes – from today’s sandals and colourful jogging shoes, to old “rentables” found in the school’s attic. These were shoes poor children could rent from the school. Thus with a simple device Gullvåg avails himself of the school’s history in his decoration.
The shoes are painted in 1:1 on wooden panels, and mounted behind glass in recesses cut into the wall. Moreover, there are actual pairs of shoes in two of the niches. The works establish small columns stretching upward in the huge stairwell.