Espoo’s new Family Centre displays artworks from EMMA and Saastamoinen Foundation Art Collection

Espoon keskus Family Centre now features a range of Finnish art from different periods. The art selection curated by EMMA includes 44 works from the Saastamoinen Foundation Art Collection and a new work designed for the family centre and created by Jasmin Anoschkin. Art has been placed on each floor of the Family Centre. 

“The Espoon keskus Family Centre brings together people, families, adults and children from a range of situations in life and cultural backgrounds. For this reason, it has been particularly meaningful to curate this group of artworks to the new Family Centre,” says Laura Eweis, Curator at EMMA.

Art can evoke powerful emotions, images or memories in the viewer. EMMA has extensive experience in projects involving art in public spaces, such as hospitals, day-care centres and residential care homes. The aim of the curation has been to increase the ambiance of the Family Centre's premises and to create a positive athmosphere for its visitors. Works highlighting strong colours and nature, animal and plant subjects have been chosen for the display. The works have been selected by EMMA’s experts in collaboration with the Family Centre’s employees. Their placement has been carried out with the different floors and functions of the Family Centre in mind.

“The Family Centre’s art project has an important function of bringing art into public spaces, where our customers move. The art on display at the Family Centre may be the first art experience for some of our customers, or it can awaken their interest in it. Art is universal. For some, it can bring comfort or strength during hard times, for others it can be an element of empowerment, joy, love or curiosity,” notes Minna Eväsoja, health care specialist at the City of Espoo.

At the entrance lobby of the Family Centre, the visitor is greeted by Jasmin Anoschkin’s new work The Birth of the Random Species. The playful piece built on the wall of the lobby consists of a diverse group of different ceramic creatures, who live together in cheerful harmony. Jasmin Anoschkin was selected as the artist for the commissioned work together with the Family Centre’s employees. The work occupies the tall space of the lobby, stirring the viewer’s imagination.

The group of works represents artists of the Saastamoinen Foundation Art Collection: Eeva-Leena Eklund, Erik Granfelt, Reijo Hukkanen, Kirsi Jokelainen, Auli Järvelä, Johanna Koistinen, Inari Krohn, Pirkko Lepistö, Leena Nio, Mikko Oinonen, Outi Pienimäki, Per Stenius, Marja-Terttu Pitkänen, Jenni Rope, Tuomo Saali, Risto Suomi, Kirsi Tapper, Katja Tukiainen, Sinikka Tuominen, Reijo Viljanen, Veikko Vionoja and Jim Wichmann. The works combine joy, light and different childhood themes. It is also notable that the artworks form the largest group of works from Saastamoinen Foundation Art Collection outside EMMA.

The new Espoon keskus Family Centre has an open day for all on Wednesday 14 September 2022 from 15:00 to 17:00 at Kamreerintie 6. Welcome!

Espoon keskus Family Centre brings under the same roof children’s, youth’s and family services. Various organizations participate in the function of the family centre and offer all sorts of activities for families. From the beginning of next year, the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County will be responsible for health and social services in the region. Find more information on the Family Centre’s services on the City of Espoo website.

EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art presents a cross-section of Finnish and international modernist art, contemporary art, and design. The museum is a landmark of industrial architecture designed by Professor Aarno Ruusuvuori, forming part of the WeeGee Exhibition Centre in the Espoo district of Tapiola. The minimalist modern architecture provides an inspirational backdrop for presenting temporary exhibitions and works from the EMMA collection and those of its partners Saastamoinen Foundation, Collection Kakkonen and the Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation Collection. EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art is a museum for powerful art and transformative experiences. Works from Emma Collection are on public display around the city of Espoo. 

Saastamoinen Foundation supports and enables a variety of initiatives related to art and artists, society, and scientific research, both independently and in collaboration with its Finnish partner universities, EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art and other organisations. The foundation also promotes international networking, scholarships and education, as well as social projects targeted primarily at young beneficiaries. The Foundation is internationally known for its collection of approximately 2,700 artworks, which ranks among the most prestigious private collections in Finland. The collection consists primarily of contemporary art, a selection of which is on permanent display at the EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art.