Viking Orion Art Collection

MAIN STAIRS | DECKS

MAIN STAIRS | DECKS 1–8 STUDIO SEM SCULTORI ASSOCIATI SRL ITALY X ITALIAN CARDOSO STONE Studio Sem was established in the 1950s by Sem Ghelardini, and is today recognized as one of the most important sculpture studios in Europe. When founding Studio Sem, Ghelardini’s vision was to create an inspirational space where young artists could learn and work alongside celebrated modern masters. Ghelardini’s passion for modern art and abstract forms has earned his studio a reputation as a pioneering and unique sculptor workshop. For more than 60 years, Studio Sem has collaborated with artists and sculptors to produce marble and granite works of all dimensions. Henry Moore, Helaine Blumenfeld and Damien Hirst have all had sculptural work produced at Studio Sem. Hirst worked with the studio for ten years, beginning in 2007, sculpting his pieces for the 2017 Venice exhibition. For Viking Orion, the creative artisans of Studio Sem surveyed some of the thousands of beautifully etched runic stones scattered throughout Sweden, Norway and Denmark. From these, they selected nine panels and have reproduced them on rough stone faces, staying loyal to the original spirit of Norse runes. The aft stair niches are adorned with their finely wrought recreations. About Ancient Viking Runestones Thousands of runestones have been unearthed throughout Scandinavia and each provides a glimpse into a culture whose people believed in the protection of the gods. These masterful works of passion and art are among the treasured relics that bring us closest to understanding the Vikings: Inscriptions tell us the names of the people who lived and died during the Viking Age, information about their travels, and stories about their achievements and fate. Runes are much more than the written language of the Vikings; they are the oldest existing original works of writing in Scandinavia and thus provide hints about ancient culture and society. Though their precise origin is shrouded in mystery, symbols resembling runes appear as cave markings as early as the Late Bronze Age. It was not until about 200 AD that the runic alphabet emerged. Runes and Norse mythology are inextricably linked. The Vikings believed runes were created when Odin, leader of the gods and “Father of the Runes,” speared himself to Yggdrasil, the cosmic and omniscient World Tree, in hopes of receiving secret knowledge. Indeed, “rune” derives from the Old Norse word meaning “secret knowledge and wisdom.” We hope you gain your own insights about Viking culture as you browse our special onboard collection. 24

RAMSUND RUNESTONE | 2018