Under the Northern Lights
At Tromsø Airport in Tromsø, Norway, a mosaic mural featuring nearly 48,000 mosaic tiles from Artaic was created near the restrooms, greeting visitors in the terminal. The 54-square-foot mural was inspired by a photograph of the Northern Lights over Tromsdalen, whch was taken by Norwegian photographer, Ole Salamonsen.
After receiving several submissions from other mosaic producers throughout Europe and Asia, Peab Bogstrand, a local contractor based in Tromsø, turned to Artaic in the U.S. to successfully carry out the mural using its Tylist software. “The other submissions were not quite what the customer had imagined, so they actually wanted to drop the mosaic and art from the project,” explained Eirik Dalby, department manager at Peab Bogstrand. “Peab Bogstrand refused to give up and we started to search the Internet. Then we found Artaic. After very good customer service and help from incredibly skilled people at Artaic, we got a suggestion on how we could solve these problems. The result was a fantastic work of art in glass mosaic, which of course, our client also loved.” Salamonsen’s photograph is set in Tromsdalen, an urban neighborhood within Tromsø that showcases expansive mountain views. “In the picture, there are several landmarks from the city,” said Dalby. “Tromsø is a small island connected to the mainland by this bridge. The white/blue church in the middle of the picture is one of the most famous architectural pearls in the city. It is shaped like a mountain outside Tromsø, called Haja.”
Artaic’s team used its Tylist software to design the mosaic, which was then puzzled together by the company’s in-house robot. The mosaic tiles delivered to Tromsø either weeks after the order was placed and the installation was completed within two days by one tiler. “The reactions have been exceptional,” said Dalby. “There was cheering and applause when the mosaic was unveiled. The customer is delighted and airport managers at other airports are envious, which is a good sign.”
