THE OCEAN MAN
Welcomes everyone
In '95 the sculpture of the British sculptor Antony Gormley was unveiled in the harbor basin. The sculpture is a significant part of Figurlandskap Nordland, an art project that ended with one sculpture in each of Nordland's many municipalities. Havmannen, or The Ocean Man is made of granite, weighs 60 tons and has a height of 10.15 meters. Originally, the intention was to make the sculpture in steel or pig iron, but the closure of the local ironworks prevented this, and the sculpture is therefore carved in stone.
The granite in the sculpture comes from Lødingen, farthest north in Nordland, and Havmannen consists of nine parts placed on top of each other. The plans for the sculpture where a little further from land, but the ground conditions did not allow this. Quick clay means that the sculpture rests on piles that stand on rocky ground. The tide water changes the visual height of the sculpture. It is always surrounded by water, but at high tide the sea level reaches up to the thighs. The Osean Man stands facing the sea, to greet long-distance travelers, either home or on a visit.
​
Both Havmannen and the Kulturlandskap Nordland were controversial and created a great local debate. The local newspaper Rana Blad received countless reader contributions and more than three hundred satirical poems about the sculpture. Some were upset about the sculpture's lack of male genitalia, which according to the most indignant, did not correspond with other local men.
​
Havmannen has contributed to the cultural festival Havmanndagene (The Ocean Man Days) which is arranged every other year under the auspices of Rana Library. The North Norwegian Book Prize The Havmann Prize also has its origins in the sculpture, and for some years there was also a running relay with a link to the sculpture.
​​
​​
Carsten "Home"
I see you on the shoreside
Silent, not a word
You're scouting out the open fjord,
at your shoulder sits a bird