Tikkurila Oyj : donated murals to Finnish cities to celebrate the centenary of Finland

05.10.2017 11:37

Tikkurila Oyj is one of the official partners of the Finland 100 centenary. Tikkurila recently honored the anniversary by donating murals to four Finnish cities to enrich and brighten up the living environment.

The murals were painted in Oulu, Joensuu, Jyväskylä and Vantaa, Tikkurila's home town.

'We at Tikkurila have had the pleasure of promoting street and urban art for several years and have been able to witness the growing popularity of this art form. We have contributed to dozens of street art projects, and to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Finland, we have now donated murals to four Finnish cities. High-quality urban art is a great way to brighten up our cities, and it has a huge impact on the way people perceive their living environment. Art makes people happy, and murals are a great way to tell a story', explains Päivi Kivilä, Tikkurila's Senior Manager for Communications and Sustainability.

The murals were designed and painted by Finnish artists. We also involved local residents in designing the murals in each city. The murals were painted using Tikkurila's durable Kivisil facade paint, and colors were chosen from Tikkurila Facade color collection.

Oulu

The first of the murals donated by Tikkurila was painted in Oulu in June. The mural was produced by artist and designer Jukka Hakanen, and it depicts ermines and is located in the heart of Oulu on Aleksanterinkatu. We asked the public to contribute to the choice of colors, and more than 1,000 people gave their views in a Facebook vote.

Hakanen is one of the best known mural artists in Finland. In recent years, he has produced imposing wall paintings all over Finland and contributed to international projects around Europe.

Street view of the location

Tikkurila

The Tikkurila Campus of Laurea University of Applied Sciences was given a new colorful look designed by cartoonist and illustrator Tommi Musturi and painted by street artist Ruusa (Rosa Kivinen) in July. Students and staff from Laurea University of Applied Sciences contributed to the design. The mural depicts a river that represents life and growth. Musturi's design makes use of the contours of the building, and the colors are intended to reflect the diversity of Vantaa.

Street view of the location

Joensuu

Tikkurila's third Finland 100 mural was painted in Joensuu in August. It showcases the regional emblems of North Karelia and was designed by Joensuu-based artist Katja Kouvalainen. Almost 2,000 people contributed to the choice of the color palette on Facebook.

Kouvalainen has produced murals for homes, businesses and public places alike. She believes that colors and attractive surroundings have an effect on people's well-being and wants to make art accessible to everyone.

The residents of Joensuu have welcomed the mural with open arms. 'I had several conversations with local residents while I was painting the mural. The public instantly identified with the design and felt that it fit in well with the cityscape. I have been told that the mural is a good reflection of what it is like to be North Karelian. That is exactly what I wanted to convey: unassumingness, cheerfulness, friendliness, pride in one's home region and love of nature. Those attributes are what I think being North Karelian is at its purest', Kouvalainen explains.

Street view of the location

Jyväskylä

The fourth mural was completed in Jyväskylä in September. Artist Rauha Mäkilä designed the charming mural, which is called August II, on Vapaudenkatu close to the center of the city. Mäkilä found the inspiration for her painting in a local kindergarten. She asked the children for their views on what kind of art would brighten up the cityscape.

Mäkilä's work depicts modern life from different perspectives, and she takes her inspiration from music videos, fashion photography, the news and her own life. Her paintings are included in several public collections.

'The mural in Jyväskylä was my first ever mural. However, everything went smoothly thanks to good preparation, detailed plans and my assistant. Working in Jyväskylä was an all-round positive experience', Mäkilä explained after completing the painting.

Street view of the location

In addition to the donated Finland 100 murals, Tikkurila also took part in the UPEA17 urban art festival, which involved painting a total of 21 stunning murals around Finland in September 2017.

Photographs of Tikkurila's Finland 100 murals

For more information, please contact:

Tikkurila Oyj
Päivi Kivilä, Senior Manager, Communications and Sustainability
Tel. +358 40 533 4922, paivi.kivila@tikkurila.com

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