Projects / 7/2/2024

A mosaic statue for Lasse the stray cat

ELASTORAPID and ULTRACOLOR PLUS were employed by the artist Ellen Ljungqvist to create a work of art dedicated to Lasse, a Swedish media celebrity

Artist Ellen Ljungqvist created a mosaic statue dedicated to Lasse, a beloved stray cat, in Trollhättan, Sweden. Using ELASTORAPID and ULTRACOLOR PLUS for their durability and ease of use, Ellen crafted the statue over two months, with significant support from Mapei's expertise. The statue, a symbol of the city, was unveiled on June 15, with Lasse present for the occasion.

In Trollhättan, a city in the south of Sweden, everyone knows about Lasse the stray cat. Lasse is a cat with red fur and, every day, he can be seen taking the same two-kilometre journey to a shopping centre where he remains to welcomes shoppers. After winning the affection of the inhabitants of Trollhättan, Lasse became a national celebrity following his appearance in Musikhjälpen, a popular Swedish TV fund-raising show. Thanks to his starring role in the campaign, 1 million Swedish krona were collected to be donated to charity.

Since then his number of followers from all over Sweden has grown and there are now 70,000 just on Facebook. One of the followers is Ellen Ljungqvist, an artist originally from Trollhättan, who was commissioned by the local authorities of the city to create a statue of the cat, which in the meantime had become a true symbol of the city.

"This project is very close to my heart. Trollhättan is my city, I love cats and I adore the art of mosaics. I am grateful to the city authorities for giving me the opportunity to create this depiction of Lasse”, said Ellen Ljungqvist.

ELASTORAPID thixotropic adhesive was used to bond the mosaic tiles onto the statue.

Quality materials and expertise at the service of art

Ellen has a lot of experience working with mosaics, many of them representing animals and on display in various towns and cities in Sweden. And it is this experience that led to her choosing quality materials to bond and grout the mosaic tiles.

It took the artist two months in all, from the first sketches and designs right up to the completed weather-resistant statue. Once the core structure had been properly prepared and strengthened, mosaic tiles in various colours and sizes were then bonded to the surface of. Bonding the tiles was the part that took the longest and was carried out using ELASTORAPID quick-setting and drying cementitious adhesive, which was also chosen because of its high thixotropy, enabling the tiles to be bonded on vertical and sloping surfaces without the risk of them slipping. The artist also appreciated the high level of deformability of ELASTORAPID, with all these characteristics contributing in making it much easier to bond the tiles.

“ELASTORAPID allowed me to give form to even the tiniest details and this enabled me to create a statue that looks like a real cat, almost alive. Also, by applying thicker layers of adhesive, I was even able to “sculpt” it before applying the mosaic, while its deformability allowed me the freedom that other materials do not allow”.

The joints between the mosaic tiles were grouted with ULTRACOLOR PLUS polymer-modified, anti-efflorescence mortar. And thanks to product’s quick-setting and drying properties Ellen’s work was made that much easier and guaranteed a high level of durability for the statue, thanks also to the mortar’s water-repellent DropEffect and mould-resistant BioBlock technology. Apart from ensuring long-lasting durability of the statue, ULTRACOLOR PLUS is also a “guarantee” of sustainability: it is part of the Zero line of products whose CO₂ emissions are measured throughout its life cycle in 2024 using LCA methodology, verified and certified by means of an EPD, and then fully offset through the acquisition of certified carbon credits in support of forestry protection projects.

jJoints were grouted with ULTRACOLOR PLUS polymer-modified mortar.

Expertise beyond the products

"Mapei made an enormous contribution to my work. Apart from high quality materials I benefited from the knowhow of its experts, which made my work much easier”, added the artist. “Even though mine was a pretty small project, the company proved to be highly committed to its completion: a clear sign of professionalism and responsibility to any project it is involved with”.

Application of the mosaic tiles to the statue dedicated to Lasse was carefully supported out by Fredrik Derwinger, a technician from the Group’s Swedish subsidiary Mapei AB, specialised in products for installing ceramic and stone. Derwinger, who had already worked on similar projects with mosaics, made sure the tiles were applied in the most suitable conditions to guarantee the best result possible.

"Fredrik was a great help in every phase of the project. His expertise proved to be invaluable in creating a long-lasting work of art with such high aesthetic impact, as well as in making application operations easier. And all this certainly made my work easier”, acknowledged Ellen Ljungqvist.

The statue was unveiled on 15^th June in Trollhättan, with Lasse the cat there to witness it.