Ecology Stone, a new piece of public art by Akseli Leinonen completed in Keski-Pasila

The organisers’ wishes come true in the dramatic Ecology Stone. The landmark-like work consists of three parts: the gate, the statuesque boulder and vegetation. The black steel gate placed in front of Tripla is abstract and minimalistically geometrical. A free-form, balancing boulder with a garden plot inside has been hoisted to sit on top of the gate, above passers-by. Over time, the plants typical of Finnish forest landscapes planted inside the garden plot will start to cover the top surface of the boulder cast out of concrete.

Ecology Stone reminds us of the presence and significance of nature in a built urban environment. It highlights the fragile and unstable balance between humans and nature. The artist had this to say about the starting point of his work: “The current reality in central Pasila is fully constructed by humans. The trend is that the environment is getting more and more man-made. When you stand between accurately lined up city blocks, it is almost impossible to imagine that once here used to be a lake and dense forest.”

Artist Akseli Leinonen was born in Tampere in 1983. He earned a degree in architecture from Tampere University of Technology. In addition to working as an architect, Leinonen has realised several public art projects in recent years.

Last year, his work Massa was completed on Kansalaistori Square in front of Oodi. The work was commissioned by the City of Helsinki and is reminiscent of the storage warehouses owned by the government-owned railway company that were once located in the area but destroyed in a fire in 2006. Massa is a depression made out of bricks. It is inviting and makes you want to just lounge around, but it also reminds people of the history of the area and its significance in terms of cultural history.

Both works by Akseli Leinonen have been implemented with the percentage financing principle subscribed to by the City of Helsinki. This means that approximately one per cent of the City’s new construction and renovation expenses are dedicated to the creation of new public art. In recent years, extensive construction efforts have made it possible to commission art for many public buildings in Kalasatama, Vallila, Yliskylä and Töölönlahti, for example. HAM Helsinki Art Museum serves as an arts expert in these projects, and the works are added to HAM’s art collection.

Press photos:
hamhelsinki.fi/en/ham-info/media-bank/ (password: hammedia).