Pirkkala is rapidly becoming a centre for cast iron art and innovative sculpture. So far, three international three-week biennales (Pirkkala Fe 2001, Pirkkala Sculpture 03 and Pirkkala Sculpture 05) have been organised, each with a different theme. Each symposium has brought a large number of high-class artworks to public interiors and exteriors in Pirkkala. The artistic director of these events is Professor Villu Jaanisoo, an esteemed and award-winning sculptor.

Each of the Pirkkala Sculpture events has culminated in a summer night’s iron-casting session using a cupola furnace. This is an ancient iron-smelting method which to our knowledge has not been used anywhere else in Finland. The idea of organising a workshop focused on cast iron came from the United States. In the 1950s, the American sculptor Julius Schmidt developed an economical and practical way of using a cupola-style furnace for metal smelting. Schmidt’s casting technique has been refined further in Pirkkala. During the three events, an amazing 15,000 kilograms of iron have been cast in the all-night sessions. Subsequent factory castings of larger pieces have significantly increased the amount of iron used. Other materials such as bronze, wood, glass and aluminium have also been widely used in the events.

The summer of 2001 was the first time cast iron was brought to the forefront in Pirkkala. Iron used to be – and still is – an unfamiliar and strange material for most artists. The event provided a wealth of useful information and experience, particularly for participating students. Cast iron is different from most ordinary art materials and it is conspicuously absent from European sculpture. The launch of a new smelting method in Finland was one of the major outcomes of the symposium.

In 2003, the event was linked to the garden city concept, and the foundations were created for an art park surrounding lake Vähäjärvi in central Pirkkala. The focus was on the relationship between humans and environment; on nature; and on materials which have been used or moulded by artists since prehistoric times. That year the numbers of participants and materials used surpassed those of the previous event.

The theme of Pirkkala Sculpture 05 was figurative art. Several pieces were created for the art park, a large mural was painted to adorn the exterior of the town school, and two extensive graphic art series were completed. Some monumental stone pieces were placed in public view for long periods in different locations around the municipality.

The general theme connecting all the events has become the creation of a new attitude towards our living environment. According to the artistic director, the aim is to remove the disinterest and prejudices which keep us from seeing our surroundings in a new way. Another element which has been present since the beginning is putting the artistic creation and production process in view of the public. A large group of art students has received instruction from top international names through the events.

Pirkkala Sculpture has established its name nationwide, with President Tarja Halonen as the patron of the 2005 event. Further support is provided by the Finnish Ministry of Education, the Arts Council of Pirkanmaa and the Finnish Cultural Foundation.

The greatest responsibility for the success of the Pirkkala Sculpture events rests on the shoulders of artistic director Villu Jaanisoo, with due thanks also to his wife, the sculptor Hanna Jaanisoo. There would be no Pirkkala Sculpture without these first-rate artists with their enormous creative energy. In addition, the municipality of Pirkkala wishes to thank all participating artists, students and other assistants. The results speak for themselves.

Pirkkala, 21 June 2006

Risto Koivisto
Municipal Manager

Jouni Salonen
Secretary for Cultural Affairs

When in September 2000 I proposed to municipal manager Risto Koivisto that we organise a cast iron workshop in Pirkkala the following summer, I had no idea that I was part of a “big plan” that would establish Pirkkala as a centre for sculpture. I daren’t even dream that the workshop would become international, expanding to form a recurring meeting point for various institutions, artists and art lovers.

Now, in September 2006, the organisation for next summer’s sculpture event is in full swing. Behind us we have three successful symposia and the establishment of a resident artist programme last summer. The results have been so magnificent and consequential that I sometimes forget that the work has also been hard; hard for organisers, students and artists, who all work almost non-stop for three weeks to make each event possible. At approximately the midpoint we are always teetering on the verge of disaster, with nerves highly strung, materials running out, orders being made and deliveries being delayed… It feels as if nothing good could ever come of it. Towards the end, however, the atmosphere improves, there are more and more friendly faces and helpful people and we are all working towards the same goal. It works every single time, and it never ceases to amaze me.

The most important aspect of these events has always been cooperation: the opportunity for students, artists and the municipality to work together. That is really special to me. It is an international art event born of certain artists’ desire to achieve something important together, outside the boundaries of the usual institutions. By now, Pirkkala Sculpture has a history. It is no longer an experiment, but an independent, continuous project with an established position in the international art scene. Instead of seasonal, our operations have become year-round, which allows the artists who create works for Pirkkala to form contacts and strong relationships with the history, environment and people of the area. I feel that this kind of interaction is essential for the future of the art park and the resident artist programme.

Countless people have told me over these few years that there is a real spirit of togetherness in Pirkkala, which makes people want to come back. I love to hear it. Similarly, it is wonderful that there are still people who want to participate in organising and working for the Pirkkala Art Park, for sculpture and particularly for developing that spirit of togetherness. These are the things that have made the greatest impression on me. Thanks to all participants; we are well placed to go on from here.

Pirkkala, September 2006

Villu Jaanisoo

There were permanent settlements in Pirkkala as early as the Viking period in the eleventh century. This is demonstrated by numerous findings from the Viking era, including tools, jewellery and weaponry. Tools and weapons were made of iron and wood, while the main material for ornaments was bronze. Iron was already known as an important element and crafters were familiar with casting techniques. During the Viking period, new trade links were formed between north and south, and goods were transported quicker than ever before. The trade routes reached as far as the Gulf of Bothnia, from where they followed rivers to central Finland, including Pirkkala. Lake Pyhäjärvi’s situation at the intersection of several waterways made it an ideal place for the development of international trade relations. The main starting point for holding an international sculpture symposium in Pirkkala was the creation of transnational communication channels reminiscent of those established in prehistoric Iron Age times. Further, the cupola furnace is one of the oldest iron-smelting techniques known to man.

Pirkkala has always been known for its craftspeople. They include a famous family of blacksmiths, many generations of whom have been known far and wide as metalworkers, bladesmiths, locksmiths and gunsmiths. There was also a nail factory based on manufacture by hand. Many handcrafted metal items remain on display in private homes and museums. Metal artefacts also make up most of the archaeological findings from excavations in the area. The name Seppälä derives from the profession (seppä = smith), and it is fairly common as a surname and a place name in the region. Jewellery and ornaments found in excavations show that ancient residents had a real sense of beauty.

The stunning, peaceful rural landscape has long attracted artists to live in Pirkkala, where their creativity can be fuelled by the surrounding culture and nature. Many visiting artists have also come by to immortalise the attractive lakeside scenery at Pyhäjärvi. Pirkkala Art School and local associations have worked for decades to keep the art scene alive. This tradition is continued by our series of international sculpture events established at the beginning of the new millennium. Not only have these events left their mark in the form of numerous artworks situated in the landscape and in local art collections, but they have also made a name for Pirkkala as an artistic municipality, nationally and internationally.

I want to thank the municipality of Pirkkala and the event sponsors for funding the series, as well as the municipal Cultural Board for its participation. In particular, we must thank artist and sculptor Villu Jaanisoo for his work as artistic director and teacher. His broad knowledge of the international art world and of iron-casting techniques is what made this event possible in the first place. Naturally, thanks are also due to all participating students and volunteers.

I wish all the best for future art events in Pirkkala!

Pirkkala, 20 June 2006
Jouko Hillukka
Counsellor, Local Affairs