C.O. Hultén’s glass mosaic at Marathon
In the courtyard of the student housing area Marathon, you’ll find a beautiful glass mosaic by the renowned artist C.O. Hultén. The piece originally adorned the Institute of Colour Photography in Lund but was preserved when the building was demolished.
The artist behind the mosaic
Carl-Otto Helmer Hultén (1916–2015), better known as C.O. Hultén, was a Swedish painter, illustrator and printmaker. He began his career as a commercial artist but soon developed into a visual artist. Hultén was part of the artist groups Imaginisterna and Cobra, and his works are held in major museums, including Moderna Museet in Stockholm and the Gothenburg Museum of Art. He also created public artworks in Skåne, such as murals at the former Malmö Stadium.
About the artwork
The glass mosaic was created in 1955 for the Institute of Colour Photography on Tornavägen in Lund. It’s a striking example of how Hultén allowed his art to reflect its surroundings. The design consists of abstract shapes inspired by photographic elements – such as studio lights, aperture settings, shutters, lens refractions and prismatic forms.
How the mosaic ended up at Marathon
When the Institute of Colour Photography was demolished in 2017, the mosaic was preserved and moved to the courtyard of Marathon at Tunavägen 33. The relocation took place as the student housing area Marathon was being constructed in 2019. To maintain the overall composition, a blue panel was added where there had previously been a door and window.