EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art

Media INVITATION: Join us in celebrating the relocation of Espoo’s Nelli to Kalajärvi on Thursday, May 25, at 6 pm

11.5.2023 11:00:00 EEST | EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art | Press release

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Espoo's Nelli is a bronze sculpture by Kerttu Horila created for the people of Espoo. It was gifted to the City of Espoo by EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art on the occasion of the city’s 50th anniversary. The sculpture was unveiled in the Espoo district of Haukilahti in spring 2022. The nomadic sculpture will be relocated regularly, bringing joy to the daily lives of as many Espoo residents as possible. Nelli’s new home is Saudarkrokur Park in the district of Kalajärvi. Her new location was chosen by the Espoo Youth Council.
Kerttu Horila, Espoo’s Nelli, 2022. Haukilahti. © Ari Karttunen / EMMA.
Kerttu Horila, Espoo’s Nelli, 2022. Haukilahti. © Ari Karttunen / EMMA.

It was a great pleasure for the Espoo Youth Council to be involved in choosing Nelli’s new location. We feel that public art greatly enhances the appeal of outdoor spaces, and we wanted to foster regional equality by selecting a location that didn’t host any previousart projects. Espoo’s Nelliis an emblem that unites all the residents of Espoo. Bringing her to the northernsuburbs unites the whole of Espoo,” describes the Espoo Youth Council. 

At the event, the Espoo Youth Council will ‘pass the baton’ by announcing theorganization that will choose Nelli’s next destination.  

Speakers at the event:  
Henna Paunu, Chief Curator, EMMA 
Aaron Komulainen, Chair of the Espoo Youth Council 
Elina Leppänen, Secretary, Kalajärvi Society (Kalajärvi-seura) 

Musical performance: 
Sakari Leppänen

Espoo’s Nelli is a motherly, warm-hearted canine-human hybrid who holds a puppy under one arm. The sculpture is part of Kerttu Horila’s Animal Humans and Human Animals series, which features imaginative, storybook characters fusing together human and animal features. 

EMMA’s public art programming brings a significant part of EMMA’s collection within reach of residents all around Espoo. Espoo’s Nelli is the museum’s gift to the City of Espoo and its residents on the occasion of the city’s 50th anniversary.

Saudarkrokur Park

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Artist interview: Kerttu Horila

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Kerttu Horila, Espoo’s Nelli, 2022. Haukilahti. © Ari Karttunen / EMMA.
Kerttu Horila, Espoo’s Nelli, 2022. Haukilahti. © Ari Karttunen / EMMA.
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Kerttu Horila, Espoo’s Nelli, 2022. Haukilahti. © Ari Karttunen / EMMA.
Kerttu Horila, Espoo’s Nelli, 2022. Haukilahti. © Ari Karttunen / EMMA.
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Kerttu Horila, Espoo’s Nelli, 2022. Haukilahti. © Ari Karttunen / EMMA.
Kerttu Horila, Espoo’s Nelli, 2022. Haukilahti. © Ari Karttunen / EMMA.
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About EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art

EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art
Ahertajantie 5
02100 Espoo

http://www.emmamuseum.fi

EMMA – Espoon modernin taiteen museon kokoelma- ja näyttelytoiminta profiloituu kotimaiseen ja kansainväliseen modernismiin, nykytaiteeseen sekä designiin. EMMA sijaitsee Espoon Tapiolassa, professori Aarno Ruusuvuoren suunnittelemassa betoniarkkitehtuuria edustavassa Näyttelykeskus WeeGeessä. Näyttelytilat ovat pinta-alaltaan Suomen suurimmat, ja pelkistetty moderni arkkitehtuuri tukee EMMAn, Saastamoisen säätiön ja Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Säätiön kokoelmien sekä vaihtuvien näyttelyiden kokemuksellista esittämistä. Tervetuloa!

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