11.6.2009
Helsingin Energia and artists join forces
The scrap monument Worker’s gone honours the workers at Hanasaari A
Before the Helsingin Energia Hanasaari A power plant in Sörnäinen was demolished, equipment parts and history of the technology and work carried out there were collected for safe keeping. Last year, Helsingin Energia was granted the Industrial Heritage Award for the extensive preservation project. Now the industrial historical material is given a new life as a junk sculpture. The work entitled Työläinen on lähtenyt – Worker’s gone will be unveiled on Thursday 11 June 2009.
The monumental sculpture, designed by art students, echoes the massive dimensions of the power plant: its height is six metres and weight about 5,000 kg. The work will be positioned in front of the Hanasaari district heating plant on Sörnäisten rantatie.
Honouring the work of many decades
The Helsinki University of Art and Design educational programme in environmental art organised the ROMU - From Scrap to Environmental Art workshop, which was also open to students of the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts. The workshop was attended by 15 students.
The huge work of environmental art was executed by an international group of four art students and two of Helsingin Energia's sheet metal workers. Elena Alonso (Spain), Elise Matineau (France) and Jumpei Shimada (Japan) from the University of Art and Design and Antton Mikkonen (Finland) from the Academy of Fine Arts designed and produced the draft and construction drawings for the work.
"The point of departure of the work was to give scrap metal a new lease of life and at the same time to create a monument in honour of the work done in the power plant over many decades", the group of young students describe their work.
The Hanasaari A power plant was commissioned in 1960 and demolished by decision of the Helsinki City Council in 2008.
Time of unveiling: Thursday 11 June 2009 4-6 p.m.
Place: Hanasaari Power Plants, Parrukatu 1 - 3, Sörnäinen, Helsinki
Additional information: Environmental Director Martti Hyvönen, Helsingin Energia
tel. +358 (0)9 617 2705 or GSM +358 (0)50 364 8840.
|
