Sculptor Matti Kalkamo will realise the new public art work in Kuhmalahti's school
Sculptor Matti Kalkamo works with different materials from led lights to bronze casting.
Sculptor Matti Kalkamo was selected to realise the new public artwork of Kuhmalahti’s school building in Kangasala through the portfolio-based open call. In the small village school, art will be tightly interconnected with the everyday life of the school students and staff. The new extension of the school is planned to be ready in fall 2023.
As part of the extension construction and remodelling of the school yard spaces, a new public art work is commissioned for the Kuhmalahti’s school. The commissioning was organised as portfolio-based open call. In total, 88 artists submitted their portfolios in the open call coordinated by Public Art Agency Finland.. After the interview phase the jury selected unanimously Tampere-based sculptor Matti Kalkamo to realise the new public artwork for the school.
Matti Kalkamo has wide experience on working with public spaces and he has realised public art works in multiple cities around Finland. His works can be found in school buildings, public outdoor spaces as well as in police station. Kalkamo’s works are often playful and humorous addressing the absurdities of being and humankind, while they simultaneously depict the complexities and challenges of our world and environment in a revealing manner.
Kalkamo’s work 3 Colores is located in the police station of Hämeenlinna and was installed there in 2012. The work consist of 32 parts casted in aluminium.
Kalkamo uses different materials in his works fluently. He works both with classical bronze casting as well as with more experimental materials such as led lights and plastic. Kalkamo’s public sculptors are expressive and enrich the everyday surroundings in surprising ways. His works are included in the State Art Commission’s collections, in Kiasma Contemporary Art Museum’s collections as well as in many art collections of different city art museum’s around Finland.
The now extended school of Kuhmalahti is a small elementary school with around 35 students. The school and its yard spaces are also used by the whole village for different activities, so Kalkamo’s upcoming work will be encountered not only by the school children but also by the whole village. Kalkamo will create an art work consisting of multiple parts and it will be situated both inside the school and outside in the yard spaces. The work is planned to be ready simultaneously with the construction work in the fall 2023.
Altogether around 35 elementary school students study in Kuhmalahti’s small village school. The new extension wing will house classes from 3rd to 6th grade. Image: Arkkitehtitoimisto Akkuna.
Detail of Kalkamo’s work 3 Colores in Hämeenllinna’s police station.
The project is part of the public art programme of Kangasala City and it is realised through the one percent rule. This public art acquisition is supported by Arts Promotion Centre Finland.