CHRISTIAN SUNDE (2025)
From Iconic Heads to Light and Contrast - Christian Sunde (b. 1966) is a Norwegian contemporary artist, particularly known for his distinctive sculptural miniature heads, found both in urban settings and remote natural landscapes – across 12 countries as of 2025. Most of them are located in Norway.
He was educated at the National College of Art and Design in Oslo (1986–1993) and works with large-scale formats in plastic, wood, and steel – often exploring the interplay between light and lighting technology. Over time, his art has also made its way onto canvas.
Sunde has created numerous public artworks, where the pieces form part of the architecture or closely interact with interior and outdoor spaces.
After many years in the city, he has found peace on the island of Hidra in Flekkefjord, where he has transformed an old barn into an atelier. Here, he lives the good life in the countryside – close to nature and with the sea as his nearest neighbour. Hidra gives him time, balance, and artistic freedom.
THE SHADOW GUARDIAN (2025) “SKYGGEVOKTEREN”
A new guardian has entered the alleyways of Flekkefjord – not with noise, but with silence. The Shadow Guardian, the latest artwork by renowned artist Christian Sunde, has found its hiding place in one of the city’s dark backstreets – a place you may walk past every day without noticing. Until now.
Sunde is known for his iconic heads, now numbering over 1,000 across 12 countries. But it is in Norway – and now especially in Flekkefjord – that he lets the shadows take centre stage.
The Shadow Guardian is not a piece that shouts. It whispers. It hides in the city’s architectural in-betweens, where light and darkness play together. The artwork changes character with the light – and at night, when many artworks sleep, this one comes alive. Light art in the truest sense of the word. It is a tribute to the city’s forgotten spaces: the alleys, courtyards, and niches – places we usually don’t notice, but that are always there.
And the title? It says a lot – but not everything. In true Christian Sunde fashion, this is a work that invites you to interpret it yourself. To rediscover. Perhaps even to see the city with new eyes:
“It’s about becoming aware of something we always ‘see’, but don’t really pay attention to – the dark courtyards, alleys, and niches found between the buildings in our city,” says the artist.
The Shadow Guardian has already claimed its place in the city’s visual poetry. You’ll find him – if you look closely – at Anders Beers gate 6/8.
