Art will be incorporated into the architecture of every metro station along the Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section. The aim is to make the stations more attractive, inviting and recognisable. The metro stations will feature art in various forms – light, sound, paintings and sculptures. The Kivenlahti main station will be adorned by Kalle Mustonen’s Kulkijat (‘Wanderers’) sculptures. The installation of the Wanderers on the metro platform has been taking place this week. Once installed, the sculptures will be protected so that construction work in the station can be completed.
The main station’s landmark consists of two wooden figures that are approximately two and three metres high. The humorous figures, which appear to be running in the middle of the metro platform, are endearing and will stand the test of time. Created in warm wood, the sculptures contrast with the otherwise light tones of the metro station. “Surface treating the sculptures was more work than I had anticipated, but I didn’t want to make any compromises that would show on the Wanderers’ living wooden structure,” says the Wanderers’ creator, artist Kalle Mustonen.
“It is very rewarding to complete a long-term project and see the Wanderers in their right setting at the Kivenlahti metro station. Creating art for a metro station is a unique experience, as the sculptures are sitting in place, waiting to be seen by the public. Only a few construction workers have seen them in person. Creating art for a metro station is also different from other art projects in that it’s difficult to grasp the scale of the metro station. Although the metro platforms are quite long, for instance, the lighting on the platforms changes one’s impression of the space. I am pleasantly surprised at how my handcrafted installation and the almost futuristic lighting work together. The outcome of this combination is a retrofuturistic scene,” says Mustonen, describing the atmosphere during the installation and completion of the Wanderers.
A naming competition for the artwork will be organised at a later date.
Read more about the metro station art and see the art in the other metro stations.