The Iron Rose project is a symbol of the courage, grace and positive power in asking for help and support in a tough time. It takes real courage to stand up and help others. This is what Tobbe Malm set out to do in the wake of the July 22nd, 2011 terror attacks in Oslo by gunman Anders Breivik. Shortly after the attacks, the Norwegian people filled the streets of Oslo with roses in what became known as rosehavet, which loosely translates to the “sea of roses”. The rose is a symbol of love and compassion. Like everyone else, Tobbe - an artist blacksmith and trained social worker - wanted to do something to help. He began to forge roses from iron, and invited other blacksmiths to do the same. He embodied his ethos of action turning words into change by creating a global space for emotional expression. He took the collective, grieving voice of the Norwegian people and gave the world a tool to participate in Norways national conversation.
For the past five years, the international blacksmith community has opened themselves to help the Norwegian people by sharing in their grief and helping to create something positive from an act of terror. For terror is the truth of the attacks and we cannot hide from these difficult things. Though the project began in Norway, it did not fully realise itself until hundreds of roses started flowing in from all over the world. Sometimes people don’t know how to express themselves in difficult times. When given the opportunity and guidance, people give of themselves, their time, and their possessions, in order to take care of each other. They do this without asking anything in return. We show each other who we are and what we are capable of in an act of true love.
To date more than 900 roses have been sent. You can view the entire gallery here.
Project background
When Tobbe Malm participated in the Nordic Blacksmithing Championship in August 2011, he presented the idea of the Iron Rose Project for the first time. The thought of creating something positive tied to the 22 July attacks had been in his mind already. He forged the first rose of the project here, at the competition grounds in Odda, Western Norway. Several other blacksmiths took up their hammers to join him and suddenly the project had contributors from all over Scandinavia. Inspired by this reaction, Tobbe created a Facebook page and put out a global call to blacksmiths. People with no connection to Norway began to send roses.
The creative process as a tool for healing
In early 2012 Tobbe spoke to the national support group and invited them to participate in the project. A small group came to Tobbes workshop and began to work with the hammer. As she beat the metal, one girl exclaimed, “Everything is about love and I am so full of hate!” This struck Tobbe deeply. Others spoke to him about how therapeutic it was to do something physical and creative. He immediately saw the value of the artistic process in healing. With so many feelings of anger against the terrorist, the hammer proved to be a cathartic tool. His background in social work gave Tobbe the confidence to invite more people to the workshop. He did not guide them, simply gave them a hammer and taught them how to make a rose. Each person took their own experience throughout the artistic process. In their hands, the hammer became a tool to express and deal with grief. The role of the artist was simply to hold a space for them.
Iron Rose public monument plan