The visual artist Zindy Vähäkangas won the Koski school center's idea competition

A visual artist from Imatra won the idea competition organized by the city of Imatra for the artwork to be placed in Koski's school Zindy Vähäkangas with his work Fortitudo.

─ Winning the competition was a big surprise for me. I didn't expect such success, Vähäkangas commented.

He is a visual artist from Turku, currently living in Imatra, who graduated from Saimaa University of Applied Sciences in 2018.

The second prize was shared between two proposals which are Paula Tellan Gold and steel as well Anne Tamminen Flux.

The competition was aimed at professional artists who have some connection to Imatra. By the deadline, i.e. by the end of December, 25 work proposals arrived.

Koski inspires

Three options were defined as placement locations for the art of the Koski school center: the roof of the central hall, the northeast corner of the courtyard area and the facade of the north end of the school building.

─ As expected, the subject areas of the work proposals that entered the competition dealt with rapids and the movement of water, as well as Vuokse and the nature of the area, as art coordinator worked in the competition Reetta Ahonen says.

─ Happily, some of the proposals also took into account the school's pedagogical emphasis, languages ​​and internationality, the chairman of the school network's steering and milieu working group Anna Helminen thanks

Vähäkangas says that the idea came to him immediately after reading the competition instructions.

─ That's why I felt that an idea born so quickly cannot be successful. I thought about the title of the work for much longer. The word Fortitudo is Latin and means strength. It was important to me that the work embodies touch, says Vähäkangas.

Art for all school centers

In evaluating the proposals, the city's milieu working group emphasized a visually and substantively interesting artistic idea that fits the location and school environment, as well as technical suitability and a solution that can be implemented with the given budget.

The total price of the Koski school center's art budget is 60 euros. The prizes of the idea competition, a total of 000 euros, are part of the overall budget. The main prize is 5000 euros. Those who shared second place will both receive 2500 euros.

The steering group of the city's renewing school network has tentatively decided to procure two competitive works for the Koske school center. Selected works will be announced later.
Percentage art has been ordered for all three school centers. In Vuoksenniska, it was realized by a former student of the school, a visual artist Jarkko Liutu. The artists of the Mansikkala school center are selected Lappeenranta resident working couple Sirpa Hynninen ja Vesa-Ville Saarinen. They are currently working on sketches of the work.

For more information:

Chair of the environment and steering group Anna Helminen, p.  040 548 3790, give. pearlimatra.fi (anna[dot]helminen[at]imatra[dot]fi)