Watercolours – Sandnes Municipality’s European Capital of Culture project 2008.

Sandnes Municipality is an active and dynamic partner of The European Capital of Culture, Stavanger2008. During the planning of our contribution, the council decided to develop projects that:

• Create participation and activities for everyone
• Emphasize the most important qualities of the city, creating visual changes in the city’s image
• Create sustainable values building and enhancing the identity of a fast-changing society
• Use light as the artistic medium presenting the young and modern city of Sandnes, and the beautiful and dramatic landscape of its surroundings.

Sandnes is characterized by contrasts that are reflected in our largest culture- and city development project, Watercolours. We are a municipality and an agrarian county, with trade, industry, farming, - neighbour to the fiord and the sea, fishing, shipping, oil exploration and advanced technology. The natural beauty is dramatic, from the sweet landscape of Jæren and its beaches, to the steep mountains and dark valleys. Watercolours cover all of it, using light, water and colours.

Watercolours intend to enhance our city identity and make us more visible. In addition to our own expertise, creativity and infrastructure, we have partnered with famous architects and performing artists, employing new technology, in order to present the best of Sandnes –the city, the buildings and architecture, the fiord, the Vågen bay area, the landscape, and also the people of Sandnes. They are offered the opportunity to be active, creative and artistic performers using the Watercolours installations.

The German company phase7 performing.arts, www.phase7.de, has developed the watercolours-installation “The Wishing Well”. This is an interactive flooring installed at Ruten in the centre of Sandnes. Multicoloured light images and sound pictures are created by movements on the floor – the users dynamically create all the artworks. Phase7 is internationally renowned for its use of advanced technology and their ultra-modern performances. The have won international acclaim over many years from large festivals and many occasions, a.o. the opening performance of the new German Chancery in 2002. The Wishing Well installation is active during the 1^st quarter 2008.

The Snøhetta Architects, www.snoarc.no, enjoys a spectacular international reputation for its advanced architectural designs, a.o. the new Opera in Oslo, the Alexandria Library in Egypt, the Turner Contemporary Museum, WTC Cultural Centre, and the King Fahad National Library. Snøhetta was selected to develop the Watercolours concept as a 2008-project, and also as a decisive city development concept over several years for the Sandnes City Centre. Partnering with Snøhetta enhanced our position as a contributor to The European Capital of Culture, Stavanger2008.