"Carvings in concrete", Concrete art installation at Östermalmstorg metro station, Sweden

Carvings in concrete is a sculpture installation at Östermalmstorg metro station featuring patterns, symbols, and text designs carved into the concrete surfaces throughout the station. The carved walls extend across multiple areas and remain visible to all who pass through.

Swedish artist Siri Derkert created these permanent concrete carvings between 1961 and 1965 as a significant moment in public art for transportation spaces. The work came into being during the station's construction phase.

The carvings address themes of equality, environmental concerns, and social responsibility through symbols and text that viewers can read directly on the concrete walls.

The installation is easily accessible by taking the red metro line to Östermalmstorg station in central Stockholm. The carvings remain visible during regular operating hours and require no special planning to view.

Siri Derkert was seventy when she transferred her drawings to the wall by sandblasting, not carving: the sketches were projected onto the concrete and then blasted. She worked in heavy protective gear, assisted by artists Carl Nesjar, Valter Janson and Erik Hesselberg, whose names are cut into the wall at its northern end.