They create reflections in the water, reach upwards and invite people to gather together, friends and strangers alike. That is the real purpose of the benches: to be a place where everybody on the island can meet casually, coffee in hand, Thermos flask at their feet. Chat and connect. Cry on a shoulder. Sit and reflect. Admire the view. Watch the boats coming in. Think. Relax and just be; alone or with someone. And the benches help to fill people’s dreams, visions and expectations with down-to-earth, tangible significance, reflecting the beating heart of everyday island life in the here and now.
In line and in chaos The benches look to be arranged in a line, in harmony and good contact. But when you look at them from a different angle the lines are broken, and chaos arises. The sisters are no longer in concord. What happens here at the quayside is the same as otherwise in life and between sisters: everything is fluid and ever-changing. The iconic construction of the benches in natural Norwegian pine also provides a subtle hint of the hotel that is currently being planned on the island’s ocean shore.
The benches were put up in September and from the minute they arrived at Fedje’s quayside they have been attracting people of all ages!