The work by artist Harri Ahonen is designed to complement the Kaunis Veera statue already in Lappeenranta’s Rantapuisto park. The jury suggested changing the location and increasing the size of the work.
In Ahonen’s competition entry, a guitar case forgotten in the park is left as a legacy for future generations.
The winning piece is a cast bronze shell that resembles a real guitar case. Inside, there are lights that glow dimly from behind the bronze shell. The design also includes a small thermal resistor inside the guitar case to keep the surface of the case warm even in winter.
According to the jury, Ahonen’s proposal is at the same time everyday, but with a glow and warmth that lifts everyday life.
In its evaluation, the award committee considered the work to be of a high artistic standard.
Jury wants changes to the work
There has already been a small-scale uproar around the work. The artist Harri Ahonen has designed the Lavalla work for the Rantapuisto in the harbor of Lappeenranta to share the same pedestal with the Kaunis Veera statue.
In its reasoning, the jury pointed out that the planned location of the Lavalla work at the foot of the Hirvelä statue is \”problematic\”. According to the city, it is still necessary to find out whether the place of the work can be changed. In addition, the jury hoped that the guitar case \”would be made slightly larger than the proposed size\”.
Accompanied by a story
According to the artist, the placement of the work in connection with Kaunii Veera is part of the story told by the work.
– The works talk to each other through the material. The anonymous guitar case itself is quite simple, and only when it is combined with this Beautiful Veera, it becomes a story, Ahonen sums up.
He also does not warm to the idea of \u200b\u200bincreasing the size of the work.
– It can be somewhat bigger, but only so much that no one notices that it is bigger than a regular guitar case. I don’t want it to be pompous, says Ahonen.
Instead of finished works, the competition was about proposals for works, which are now adapted to the urban space. Citizens were also able to propose their favorite.
Maarit Pimiä, a member of the award committee, says that the city understands the story connection created by the placement of the statues. According to him, the placement of the statue will be discussed together with the artist, Markku Hirvelä, who sculpted the piece Kaunis Veera, and the businessman who donated it to the city.
Markku Hirvelä answers Yle’s call from the artists’ house in Florence, Italy. He praises Ahonen’s work and is sympathetic to the idea of \u200b\u200ba common \”stage\” shared by the works.
– I think the winning work was a good choice. The work has a great, more conceptual side. I think this is clearly a place for discussion and we will surely find a good outcome, Hirvelä states.