Check Out the Amazing New Rock Garden on Portland’s Eastern Prom

If you are walking near Portland's beautiful Eastern Prom anytime soon, be ready to ROCK. Hella Rocks that is.

Hella Rocks a super-cool rock garden that is brand new to the Prom. The folks at USM are behind this cool new art installation.

You'll find Hella Rocks just off North Street, tucked behind the Casco Bay Community Garden ( near the tennis courts). Hella Rocks by Ólöf Nordal was created during Nordal’s USM Artist Residency in 2020.

The work is composed of Icelandic lava rock and concrete cast, Maine granite rock, and concrete cast.

According to the renowned Icelandic artist, the installation spurs contemplation on the nature of making in our ever-warming world: “This piece questions the remaking of nature and our ability to judge the truthfulness of what is natural based on our knowledge and experiences."

I'm not sure what all of that means but I do know that Hella Rocks....rocks! This is a great addition to the Eastern Prom. Kudos to the City of Portland for providing the space and Creative Portland for making it happen. Reason number 4327 why Portland rocks!

Creative Portland is also behind other great public art around the city, including all the cool "Mask Up" banners around the city.

According to Creative Portland,

"The Maine granite rock Nordal selected is around 300 million years old. The 5000 year-old lava rock (hraun-hella in Icelandic) shipped to Portland highlights how the ecology, cultures, and economies of two continents are being thrust in ever-closer proximity. Nordal states: 'The work also questions what gets gained and lost in cultural translation, often as a result of misunderstanding…'"

There's actually another rock garden in the area. Below is "Gathering Stones" by Jesse Salisbury and you can find it at Fish Point right in Fort Allen Park on the Prom.