BERGEN? Sign at Bergen Airport Flesland - The Story Behind the Artwork

The giant yellow letters spelling BERGEN? at Bergen Airport Flesland are not a sign, but a permanent artwork by Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson. Titled This Must Be the Place, it was first lit on 15 August 2017, two days before the new terminal opened, and has since become a popular photo spot for visitors to Bergen.

Photo: Giovaunni / CC BY 4.0

Why does the sign say BERGEN?

The question mark is the key to understanding the artwork. Rather than simply announcing the name of the destination, Kjartansson invites travellers to ask what Bergen means to them. 

Is this the place you have been looking forward to visiting? The place you call home? A gateway to a journey into the Norwegian fjords? Or somewhere entirely new, waiting to be discovered? 

The artist wanted the work to explore the experience of modern life, in which people are constantly travelling from one airport to another and can sometimes feel disconnected from their surroundings. By combining humour with a more reflective, almost melancholic perspective, the installation encourages people to pause and consider the place they have arrived in.  

There is no single correct interpretation. The question mark leaves room for each traveller to bring their own expectations, experiences and emotions to the city. 

Who created the BERGEN? artwork? 

Ragnar Kjartansson is an internationally recognised contemporary artist from Iceland, known for works that combine humour, emotion, performance and repetition. His artistic approach often explores universal human experiences, inviting audiences to reflect on familiar situations in unexpected ways. 

Kjartansson also has a personal connection to the city. Bergen was where he held his first exhibition outside Iceland as a young artist, and he has described it as a magical place for him. BERGEN? was also the first time he had created a work for an airport. (Source: Bygg.no)

The artwork at Bergen Airport was selected through an art competition organised in connection with the development of the new terminal. The winning proposal was chosen for its artistic qualities and its playful, poetic approach to Bergen’s identity, including our city’s characteristic sense of humour and self-irony.  

When the proposal was presented in 2016, it sparked lively debate in Bergen, with some locals dubbing it the city’s own “Hollywood sign” and others finding it embarrassing, yet today it has become an attraction in its own right. 

Where can you see the BERGEN? sign? 

The artwork is located on the rock face directly opposite the terminal at Bergen Airport Flesland. You can see it through the terminal’s large glass façade, and it is clearly visible as you walk out of the arrivals area. You do not need to plan a separate excursion to find it. It is part of the airport experience itself. 

Photo: Flybussen

The letters are illuminated day and night, so the artwork can be seen and photographed at any time. 

A question that captures the spirit of Bergen 

Bergen is a city with many sides: historic wooden buildings at Bryggen, a lively cultural scene, a celebrated food culture, and easy access to mountains, fjords and the Norwegian coast. For some visitors, it is a city break destination; for others, it is the gateway to a longer journey through the fjord region. 

The BERGEN? artwork reflects this diversity without trying to define the city in a single image or slogan. Instead, it asks a question and lets visitors discover their own answer. 

So, when you arrive at Bergen Airport and see those bright yellow letters, take a moment to consider the question or do as many others have done before you. Take a picture of it.  

BERGEN? is waiting to be discovered by you.

Read more about how to get to and from Bergen Airport and Bergen city centre here.