Awarded Art competition entry

The City of Espoo was organising a open art competition to find suggestions for a public work of art for the Alberganportti underpass in Leppävaara. The underpass, which is approximately 18 metres long, is a part of the Alberganpromenadi cycle and pedestrian traffic route. The goal of the art competition was to find an artwork that is ideally suited for this exact location. The City of Espoo received nearly 90 suggestions for Alberganportti underpass artwork. The award ceremony was on 2018.04.06. Work Light of my life received 3rd prize amongs 90 entries.

Idea: tunnel is like a portal between different worlds, and itself form a cave like context for the work. The idea of portal is reflected as dualistic black/white surfaces of the work, it connects two sides of the road, of environment and experience. People passing the tunnel leaves their presence to the tunnel in the form of ”cave drawing” as symbols, characters and connecting lines. Result is a “cave drawing” of everyday; events, experiences and environments as a host of intellectual and emotional connections that infused our lives with meaning beyond the basic impulses, is is a visual representation of things that we could remember and imagine.

Elements of the work

1.Context; the set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event, situation, etc. Context is illustrated as black and white line drawing on the wall.

2.Perception; a single unified awareness derived from sensory processes while a stimulus is present. Perception is presented as identified elements of the site, expressions, objects and symbols.

3.Connections; the state of being connected, the connection between cause and effect illustrated with 3D elements, steeltubes and embedded LED lights

Light of my Life: 3rd price

Juryn arviointi: ”Light of my life” teosehdotus on toteutukseltaan graafinen ja pelkistetty sekä mustavalkoisuutta ja valoa hyödyntävä. Teos perustuu elävään ja vapaaseen piirrosjälkeen, joka vie ajatukset kulttuurin alkujuurille esihistoriallisen ajan luolamaalauksiin ja taiteen perustavanlaatuiseen rooliin inhimillisenä ilmaisukeinona. Erityinen vahvuus teoksessa on suunnitelma osin yhteisöllisestä toteutuksesta. Teoksen kautta moni voi jättää jäljen ympäristöönsä. Light of my life on monitasoinen, energinen ja dramaattinen teos, jossa historia ja nykyhetki ovat vahvasti läsnä.

English translation of the review from Jury

“Light of my life” is graphically reduced a representation of Art in both black and white lines and light. The work is based on a live and free drawing that takes ideas for the early roots of prehistoric cave paintings and the fundamental role of art as a human expression. Particular strength in the work is a plan for the social implementation. Through the work, many can leave a mark and engage on their surroundings. “Light of my life” is a multi-level, energetic and dramatic work in which history and present are strongly present.

Jury: Susanna Tommila, Culture Director Espoo, Chair of the Jury; Mika Rantala, Project Leader of the Leppävaara region; Henna Paunu, head of the Emma Museum; Leena Jaskanen, cityscape architect; Kristina Rocha, Landscape Architect; Iiro Tainio, Leppävaara Society.