Photo: artist Henri Ijäs, sketch of a detail of the work "Repetitions", 2020
The outdoor work being completed in front of the new section of the Tapala basic service center in Kankaanpää focuses on well-being.
An environmental artwork is being completed in Kankaanpää, where steel is transformed into a visual artist Henri Ijäs under the direction of five gymnastic human figures. The work consists of cut steel, each of which has a shape that echoes the shapes of a human body performing stretching movements.
At the core of the artist Henri Ijäs's idea is repetition, which is one of the basic elements of the physiotherapy and dental care taking place in the new building of the Kankaanpää Basic Service Center Tapala. Ijäs states the basic point that activities that take place at regular intervals and repeatedly guarantee the restoration, maintenance and development of fitness and well-being.
The work "Repetitions" will be completed by the end of the year. Once completed, the work will encourage its viewer to move around and look at it from different directions. The idea of the work only opens up from a distance, from precisely defined points. This allows the experiencer to experience insight and the joy of discovery. The work takes a stand on its surroundings, makes use of the entire rocky area where it is placed and is ideally connected to the functions of the area.
Through competition to implementation
Artist Henri Ijäs's work proposal "Repetitions" won the invitational competition organized as part of the first phase of the Tapala Basic Service Center renovation and new construction project in the spring and was selected to be implemented. Four artists who graduated from SAMK Kankaanpää Art School were invited to the competition: Henri Ijäs, Ville Kirjanen, Laura Lehenkari and Ilona Tala. All four work proposals were of a high standard and interestingly very different from each other.
The competition was coordinated by the Kankaanpää percentage art working group, supported by experts. The group consisted of both experts and a representative of the building's users. The members of the working group were the project architect Jorma Keskikiikonen, the user Posa representative Laura Juhantalo, the director of health supervision, the SAMK/art school's corresponding lecturer Matti Velhonoja and lecturer Heli Ryhänen, the Kankaanpää Art Association's architect and doctor of technology Maija Anttila, the technical director of the city of Kankaanpää Marja Vaajasaari, the city gardener Ilpo Möttönen and the city museum director Kati Vainio.
Once completed, the Toistot (Repetitions) work will complement the work of the city of Kankaanpää. The Circle of Art-entity.
More information
Henri Ijas
050 308 4442, [email protected]
Kati Vainio, City Museum Director, City of Kankaanpää
044 577 2738, [email protected]