What is Häme's drive-in street art?
Riihimäki is the promised land of roundabouts. More than ten roundabouts currently ensure smooth traffic in different parts of the city. And why would you put anything other than art in the middle of these empty circles?
It all started with placing the Eksyneet statue in the city center. The statue is made by Tommi Toija, known for his peeing Bad Boy statue. Riihimäki art lovers immediately took this piece to heart – for better or worse.
Toija's sympathetic Eksyneet statue has gradually earned its place in the hearts of all kinds of Riihimäki residents and has gradually achieved a unofficial status similar to the Havis Amanda, Lilja and Suomen neito statues. The Eksyneet statue is often seen wearing a seasonal decoration – be it a ylioppilaslakki on May Day, a santa hat in December, a tie or any other type of spontaneuous decor.
After the Eksyneet was erected in 2018, things started to happen. Now Riihimäki has practically become a city-wide drive-in exhibition combining history and art!
Among the cultural works related to roundabouts, the classic lynx emblem of the Riihimäki glass factory, which greets motorists arriving from the southern part of the city, deserves special mention. The lynx is not only the animal in the coat of arms of Häme, but it also served as the well-known brand symbol of the local glass factory for decades.
Another noteworthy piece is Uusi Alku by visual artist Jussi Goman. The work of the artist, widely known in our country for his playful and colorful production, is worth experiencing up close. It is also the only public artwork in Riihimäki that you can spot from the window of a train passing Riihimäki.
In addition to the roundabouts, there is a remarkably abundant amount of art present in the streets in other ways. In addition to the traditional sculptures and commemorative plaques that exude power, strength and grandeur, Riihimäki has recently improved its image, for example by allowing dozens of electrical cabinets to be painted with various themes. The project, implemented in collaboration with the local Canstore art supplies and street fashion store, has brought color to every area of the city and in an exceptionally cheerful way! It might be impossible to take pictures of all of them, but seeing the splashes of color is a great addition to the city experience, especially for those who are exploring Riihimäki on foot.
The mural craze that hit Finland hard in the 2000s has also taken on its own form in Riihimäki. For example, Maija Isola, who designed patterns for Marimekko and is known for her abstract design language, received a tribute mural in the city center. The mural summer of 2021 culminated when visual artist Edwina Goldstone, who favors collaborative working methods, created an amazingly detailed image program of Riihimäki on the wall of the Riihimäki Art Museum building. The 72-square-meter mural could tell the story of the entire city and is the children's favorite!
Juho Haavisto, M.A.
A cultural historian and a Riihimäki resident