Torbjørnsbu gruver is part of the Arendalsfeltet, an iron mining district that supplied roughly two-thirds of all iron ore used by Norwegian ironworks. Mining here started around 1574 and continued for four centuries until the last pits closed in 1975.
After closure, the open-pit mine was forgotten and used as a landfill. It has since been reclaimed as a public art arena by Bomuldsfabriken Kunsthall. A walkway leads through the old workings, and an exhibition space occupies the third floor. The exposed rock walls of the pit give a raw backdrop to the rotating art installations.
After closure, the open-pit mine was forgotten and used as a landfill. It has since been reclaimed as a public art arena by Bomuldsfabriken Kunsthall. A walkway leads through the old workings, and an exhibition space occupies the third floor. The exposed rock walls of the pit give a raw backdrop to the rotating art installations.
