Sibelius Monument

...not a particular fan of Sibelius (although I do recognize some of his work) but I had seen photographs of the monument and it had captured my imagination. The memorial is, in fact, one of the most popular "tourist attractions" in Helsinki though I am not sure how many of the people who visit it are familiar with his work. However there are several museums in Finland dedicated to Sibelius so I wouldn't be surprised if many visitors come ...
...MONUMENT

Sibelius died in 1957but the monument was not unveiled until 1967. The decision to have a monument at all was that of the Sibelius Society, founded after the composer's death; the money for the project came mostly from public fundraising and the budget for the project was fairly modest. Forty sculptors from all over Europe submitted designs and five went through to the next round. The winning design was by Finnish sculptor ... more

One of the sights I was most excited about seeing in Helsinki was the memorial to Sibelius, Finland's greatest composer. I'm not a particular fan of Sibelius (although I do recognize some of his work) but I had seen photographs of the monument and it had captured my imagination. The memorial is, in fact, one of the most popular "tourist attractions" in Helsinki though I am not sure how many of the people who visit it are familiar with his work. However there are several museums in Finland dedicated to Sibelius so I wouldn't be surprised if many visitors come home knowing a lot more about the man than when they arrived.

The monument is situated, not in a grand square in the centre of Helsinki, but in the appropriately named "Sibelius Park" (Sibeliuspuisto) in the Toolo district just to the north west of the centre, across the road from a large lake. Many bus tours stop at the park to allow tourists to jump off for a photo opportunity. There are buses and trams that stop nearby but we came on foot having earlier visited the Olympic Stadium about twenty minutes walk away. As you enter the park you can catch a tantalising glimpse of the sculptures between the trees. The park is not gated so you can visit at any time and there is no admission charge. Nor is the monument fenced off or mounted on a high plinth, you can simply walk straight up to it.

Unless you enjoy being charged at by Japanese tourists I would suggest visiting early in the morning or later in the afternoon (or early evening is visiting in summer) once the coach tours have stopped for the day. In the traditional British way we waited politely (while inwardly cursing) while the Japanese tourists posed in front of the sculptures first individually and then in every couple/group permutation imaginable.

THE MONUMENT

Sibelius died in 1957but the monument was not unveiled until 1967. The decision to have a monument at all was that of the Sibelius Society, founded after the composer's death; the money for the project came mostly from public fundraising and the budget for the project was fairly modest. Forty sculptors from all over Europe submitted designs and five went through to the next round. The winning design was by Finnish sculptor Eila Hiltunen and the choice of her design led to a prolonged period of intense debate. Originally the design was to be only half of what you see today. However, such was the outcry against the abstract element of a collection of stainless steel pipes that another sculpture - a figurative sculpture of the composer's head - was added to the design and stands slightly to one side.

Both sculptures are made of acid proof stainless steel which has weathered well and the memorial looks no worse for its forty years out in the elements. The collection of steel pipes does sound very cold and industrial but the cluster actually looks like a set of irregular church organ pipes though it's often likened to a dense birch forest and even the Northern Lights. Each one is a different length or diameter and each has a slightly ragged end as if it had been torn and interesting textures worked into the material. It is often said that the design symbolises the motifs around nature in Sibelius's work. I liked the way you could walk almost "into" the sculpture by walking underneath the shorter pipes; this way you could appreciate the different noises created when the wind moves around the pipes. It wasn't as "musical" as I had expected but it does add another dimension to the art.

The other part of the memorial is the figurative sculpture of Sibelius's head. Although this component was added to appease the critics, it was still controversial because Sibelius was represented as he looked at the height of his career. As he did not compose much at all - and definitely not anything significant - in the last thirty years of his life (he died at the age of 92) I think it seems reasonable to do this; pictures I have seen of the man in his last years show a man looking not unlike a cross between Elmer Fudd and Truman Capote. I love the height at which the bust is positioned, which in combination with its modest size brings a great deal of humanity warmth to the memorial in spite of the rather cold looking materials. The setting also takes that harsh edge off the materials. The further away you are from the pipes the more they blend into the trees so that they almost blend in a take on a more natural form. The monument is not positioned on a plinth or a conventionally paved area; instead, it stands on stone like the crags dotted around the park but obviously low level and easy to walk on. The bust is mounted on a stone, a large crag that has been shaped into a low wall. The landscaping was designed by Juhani Kivikoski and when the additional sculpture was suggested there was also much debate as to whether this would be in conflict with the landscaping plans that were said to be as important to the whole project as the sculpture but I think the simple landscaping works wonderfully and is understated yet quietly dramatic, especially for a city park. Even without the sculpture this is a nice place to sit quietly and reflect. The lake across the road gives the impression of an extended space and the atmosphere is generally peaceful - in spite of the occasional incursions from excited tourists. The park was litter free and although the park seems to be popular with dog walkers it looks as if they clean up after their animals.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Eila Hiltunen is a Finnish artist working in Helsinki. Another of her works - a copper fountain - can be seen outside the central bank in Helsinki. She is well known in the sculpture world for the pioneering work she did using MIG welding which was a relatively new method in any industry, let alone in the art world. Unfortunately the intense and prolonged work involved in the creation of "Passio Musicae" (as the work is titled) took its toll on her and she contracted chronic bronchial asthma due to the techniques used and the fact that the work was carried out in a small studio.

Passio Musicae is a deceptive piece of art. I did not find out the actual dimensions until I wrote this article but was surprised as I had not really appreciated how big it is. It is ten and a half metres long, six and a half metres deep and eight and a half metres high. In addition it weighs 30 tons. It took Hiltunen four years to complete he project but she did not work alone; her assistant was Emil Kokkonen and together they handworked the differently textured end sections of each pipe.

ABOUT THE SUBJECT

Finland's most celebrated composer was born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius (known as Jean or, in Finland, Janne) in 1865. He died in 1957. He was working primarily in the late romantic period and one of the reasons he is held with such high regard in Finland is that he was working at a time when Finland was forming a strong sense of national identity. It was an important time for the arts generally in Finland and the dominant architectural style seen in the capital, Helsinki, also originated during this period and was strongly influenced by Finnish heritage and themes from nature.

Appropriately his best known works reflect this; Finlandia, the Karelia Suite and the Swan of Tuonela are famous the world over and are performed regularly in Finland in particular. Sibelius wrote seven symphonies and it is believed there could be an eighth although what exactly he did write in later years is unclear.

SIBELIUS IN FINLAND

Sibelius's legacy can be seen throughout Finland. In the town of Hameenlinna you can visit the Sibelius Museum; he was born in the town and his childhood home has been made into a museum that displays his piano, some family photographs and letters.

There is another Sibelius museum in Turku which is housed in a striking 1960s building near the cathedral. It also has a large collection of musical instruments from around the world. A visit to this museum is an excellent way to learn more about the man and his music. Not far from Helsinki is the town of Loviisa where Sibelius owned a summer home. You can the see house - it's situated at Sibeliuksenkatu 10 - but the town is better known for the Sibelius Festival held each year in June. The town's museum houses a small exhibition on Sibelius too.

I would certainly recommend a visit to the Sibelius monument to visitors to Helsinki. It's an attractive and striking piece of art and, even if you don't much care for it, it's bound to generate some good critical discussion. The park it is set in offers a pleasant place to get some respite from the hustle and bustle of the city and you don't have to go far from town to find this interesting little haven. If you do visit you will be in good company; the Finns are so proud of Sibelius and their monument to him that visiting heads of state are often brought to see the sculpture. This is really not the type of sight where thirty seconds later you shrug and say "OK, I've seen it, now what?" You feel compelled to walk round, then walk round again and to touch the pipes and look at the sculpture from all angles. It's not often that you get free rein to explore such an important monument from more than just the visual impact but Passio Musicae allows you to get into the heart of the piece and use more than just your eyes.

Thoroughly recommended.

 

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