Mika Rintamäki
Ikaalinen (1973)
Art from surplus material and scrap
Mika has always been enthusiastic about collecting things, and even as a child he started collecting scrap thinking about what he could do with it. Mika’s works are often created while walking through piles of scrap, when he sees something special in the materials. He has a knack for combining different elements and creating inventive works of art from them. Mika is a restaurant chef by profession, but he has also worked as a carpenter, which has certainly been helpful when he creates works of art from scrap material.
From scrap emperor to ITE artist
Mika used to have the nickname “scrap emperor”, which well described his lifestyle, which revolved around finds and materials. This interest in collecting and valuing old things later led him to a peculiar path as an artist. At some point, the idea arose in Mika’s mind that something should be done with the scrap, and not just collected. He started experimenting with what kind of art could be created from different materials, and that’s how his first works of art were born.
Mika’s works are made of recycled scrap and surplus material. The works are often full of insightful humor. The works typically depict animals, plants, various objects or something that happened.
Mika often finds his inspiration by looking at a pile of scraps with the thought “what would I do with that?”. Rintamäki’s works exude joy and ingenuity, and they bring a smile to the viewer’s face. Thanks to his white beard and easy-going humor, Mika is also as unique and funny as his works.
A visit to the Alpo`s Savanna
In 2021, Mika’s artistic fire gained new momentum when he visited Alpo`s Savanni and spent a long day talking with Alpo Koivumäki. This experience fueled his artistic self-confidence and gave him faith in his own work. Alpo’s encouragement and conversations inspired Mika to let go of previous inhibitions and restrictions that had bound him, for example, in the fact that he did not dare to paint the walls of his house blue if he ever wanted to sell the house. After the day spent on the Alpo Savanna, Mika gave “his own madness” power and started realizing his visions without prejudice.
ITE-Punamäki
Enthusiasm for making art has been so great that it has filled all of Mika’s free time and a huge number of works have been created over the past few years. Mika has set out to create his own art park in his backyard, where he can combine creativity and discovery, giving scrap a new life in his works. Mika’s own art path consists of different installations and sculptures, which can vary from small, insightful objects to large structures. If you want to visit Mika Rintamäki’s art trail, contact us via the Facebook page >> ITE-Punamäki
