Design: Ole Lislerud
"Lex Portalis" is an impressive work of art in Oslo Courthouse, where two curved concrete columns, each 32 metres tall and 4 metres wide, are covered with over 2,000 porcelain plaques.
In total, the artwork spans 512 square metres and functions as a visual portal that combines architecture with symbolism.
The artwork, which forms part of the entrance to Oslo Courthouse, bears inscriptions from important Norwegian laws: the Constitution, the Criminal Procedure Act, and Magnus Lagabøte's National Law. The dark porcelain surface covering the columns represents the gravity and importance of the laws inscribed upon them. The text on the tiles is mirror-reversed, as a symbol of the fact that the law can be difficult to interpret and fully understand.
Lex Portalis is an artistic expression of the foundation upon which society is built, offering a visually striking reminder of the central role of the law in our lives. The monumental artwork has become a distinctive and symbolically charged element of Oslo Courthouse.