Pekka Lampinen
Aura (1931-2011)
Wood sculptures
Pekka Lampinen was an ITE artist from Aura, whose productivity and imagination still delight. The now-deceased ITE artist made versatile oil paintings and graphics, and carved wooden reliefs but it was the wood sculptures that were most characteristic of Lampinen.
Art taught Pekka Lampinen to look at nature in a new way and to find things worthy of a work of art in his everyday environment. In Lampinen’s works, the specific atmosphere and inner voice of the object just described makes the works so personal. You can see that Some works the forms found in nature may have remained in the final work.
ITE Artist Pekka Lampinen
Pekka Lampinen’s interest in visual arts began in 1983, when he joined the art circle of the civic college. The idea of painting had been sprouting in his mind for a long time. Childhood as a war orphan did not include free time, and the years in working life were too busy for hobbies. Lampinen always secretly admired paintings and sculptures, but never thought doing anything similar himself.
The "third life" was full of creativity and fun.
He found time for the hobby after his working life ended. Retirement began Lampinen’s third life, which included the freedom to realize oneself as the most important element. This stage of life bursting with creativity, fun and craziness was the most beloved and the best for him.
Lampinen always had some art art work in progress. If he wasn’t tinkering in his workshop or painting a board, he was looking for ideas and material for his next work in nature.
”You never know in advance which picture will be inside the tree.”
The subjects and inspiration of the sculptures
Tyypillisen ITE-taiteilijan tavoin myös Pekka Lampinen teki taidetta harrastuksena ja itselleen. Innostus saattoi syntyä vaikka keskellä yötä.
Like a typical ITE artist, Pekka Lampinen made art for himself as a hobby. The idea for a work of art could even born in the middle of the night.
The works of the exhibition
Kyläläiset (Villagers)
Pekka Lampinen’s artwork “Kyläläiset” (villagers) is a wonderful example of his ability to work with wood. In the center of the work stand six carefully carved wooden reliefs, depicting the life of the village and the most important characters of the community.
Each character is carefully crafted, conveying a sense of story and history to the viewer as they look at the teacher, the priest, the peasant, the pharmacist, the policeman and the village chief, or rather the woman, as Lampinen has beautifully presented it.
Baltic Sea
Nature was always important to Pekka Lampinen. He often walked in the forest looking for blanks for his next artwork. The Baltic Sea installation includes several works carved from wood by Pekka Lampinen, which have a symbolic meaning here. Over time, the works have reached as bad a condition as our Baltic Sea.
The Baltic Sea is one of the world’s most sensitive and polluted sea waters, and the biggest problem is its eutrophication. Marine litter has accumulated in Finnish sea areas for decades, and unfortunately most of this litter comes from plastic. In the Baltic Sea installation, the littering of the sea is described.
Sarvipäät (moose antlers)
Pekka Lampinen’s artwork “Sarvipäät” (moose antlers) has gained fame abroad as well. The piece was initially exhibited at Kiasma’s exhibition. The journey continued from there to the Halle Saint-Pierre exhibition center in Paris. Even though the work is not in its former glory it still arouses admiration.
According to the artist, the work is a tribute to the majestic animals of Finnish nature. Lampinen got his inspiration for the totem-shaped moose from a field near his home, through which the moose’s hiking trail passed.
Oravanpyörä (Squirrel wheel)
Pekka Lampinen’s artwork “Squirrel Wheel” describes the pulse and repetitiveness of today’s busy life.
Tanssi (Dance)
In Pekka Lampinen’s work “Dance”, the couple dances in the embrace of the wind with the spirits of the forest.a.
