You are strolling through the center of Oslo and suddenly come across a five-meter hand clutching a rose in its fist. The hand literally breaks through the pavement, like a tree. This monument looks both romantic and brutal at the same time.
Many associate the composition with the social-democratic movement, since this very image - a rose in a fist - often appears as the logo and symbol of political parties of that persuasion. However, the history of the creation of the sculpture initially had nothing to do with politics.
The municipality of Asker, a suburb of Oslo, hired sculptor Ola Enstad to create a local monument. He did everything as he saw fit, but the client rebelled and refused to accept the work, considering it excessively political. Ola Enstad objected that it was pure art. Asker agreed to pay the artist for the work, but refused the sculpture. A scandal erupted, and many Norwegian artists said they would boycott Asker.
And then the metalworkers' union unexpectedly stepped in, deciding to buy the sculpture in honor of its 100th anniversary - after all, it is made of metal (the hand is bronze and the rose is steel), so it would become a worthy symbol of metallurgy. The Oslo City Council approved this decision, and since 1990 the unusual sculpture has adorned Lilletorvet Square; it can be seen opposite the Trade Union building.
