French Toilets of Spikersuppa: a celebration of Norwegian independence, or public art gone wrong?

“A contemporary Statue of Liberty”: that’s how Norwegian artist Lars Ramberg called his creation made out of three French public toilets, an artwork caused debate and conflict already a long time before it was realised.
And this is its history.
Well, Olso is capital of Norway, but for many also a wonderful travel destination as well as gateway to the country’s wonderful fjords, known all over the world.
The city is home to some of Norway’s iconic places, including the King and Queen’s Palace, Vigeland Sculpture Park, as well as the Viking Ship Museum.

And it sounds good but, while walking through Oslo, you might have an urgent search for a public toilet.
However, If you’re in the Spikersuppa area, you’re in luck, even though you might be surprised by the three public toilets in namesake Square.
In fact, curious enough, each toilet is stylized as a stripe of the French flag, also topped with the words “Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité.”
It seems, though, these are not just an eccentric piece of public art, but they have a much deeper meaning behind them.

The toilets are the brainchild of the above-mentioned Norwegian artist Lars Ramberg, who created them to celebrate one hundred years of Norwegian independence, calling the work, not by chance, “a contemporary Statue of Liberty.”
But what do French toilets have to do with Norwegian independence?
The artist wanted a French symbol as a base, figuring that the two nations shared certain democratic values, and that presumably explains the words.
All good, again, but toilets?

About Norwegian history, to European nation building and to a global contemporary discourse addressing national and political identity, the artist developed a concept based on the French as a provider for both the highest and the lowest institution for society: the democratic constitution and the democratic invention of public toilets.
Research was made in Oslo and Paris, searching for both symbols and true collective values. In the streets of Paris, there exists an interesting house made for only one person: a narrow concrete building, the original Version One, which made its own revolution in the 1980s, more precisely the first robotized toilet in the world!
This was of course a French innovation, just like modern democracy itself.
And so, connected to the history of the legendary Norwegian outdoor toilet from the WWII, this would be a national monument and a toilet at the same time, referring to Norway as well as France, to constitution as well as the private individual.
Well, upon the unveiling of the work, known as “Liberté,” a local newspaper stated that the freestanding toilets are the smallest cells of public architecture, representing the smallest cell of the people, that offers privacy physically as well as psychologically, yet it is in public.
Slightly manipulated and restyled, it supports the idea of individual freedom, physical hygiene and national identity, as a new “statue of liberty” for both countries.
Even more interesting, World War II speeches of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Charles de Gaulle and Norway’s King Haakon play from speakers inside the toilets when a patron enters.
Back in 1886, the French sculptor Bartholdi interpreted the French Liberté and created the Statue of Liberty for New York in USA, referring to the ties between the two countries.
Like the Statue of Liberty, which was given by France, these toilets were the perfect «gift» from France for the Norwegian anniversary.

As you can imagine, the toilets have some controversy, with two years of public squabbling, debates, and attempts to reject the project before finally getting the go-ahead.
His history began in 2003 with a sort of competition to award an artist with a project to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Norwegian independence.
Lars Ramberg’s toilets won, but all hell broke loose as the museum where they were to be placed rejected the idea as vulgar and off the wall, and they were especially upset that the toilets were actually functioning, considering it a slap in the face to the noble idea of Norwegian independence. Of course, a debate ensued, several resignations were thrown about, and the public joined in the fight.
The new director of the National Museum, Sune Nordgren, had followed the debate and invited the piece as a part of the official celebration.
Some populist journalists were critical: how can the National Museum buy a “Norwegian flag you can shit on?”
Luckily, or not, the toilets saw the light of day only after a new location, the Spikersuppa Square, was found, even though they haven’t caught on as a beloved Oslo icon and leave most people scratching their heads still today.

The toilets are still fully functioning today (more or less), but have been mostly denigrated on Google Reviews due to frequently being out of order or dirty.
In any case, love them or hate them, you can agree Oslo needs more public toilets!