Cells community artwork (Solut)
During the art project “Happiness to the Tunnel”, students from the University of Eastern Finland painted a community artwork named Cells (Solut), designed by artist Veera Launonen, in the pedestrian and bicycle underpass leading from Snellmania to Tietoteknia. Launonen was the coordinating artist at the event.
The community artwork aims to highlight the joy of collaboration and teamwork and to serve as a reminder to future students, scientists and citizens of what can be achieved through cooperation. Celebrating community and interdisciplinarity, the colours of the community artwork reflect the colours of the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY). The art project was a success, allowing students in the Savilahti area to leave their mark on the environment near the campus.
Mirka Nieminen (Board Member, ISYY) and Piritta Pennanen (Head of Events, Kulti ry) describe the event as very successful and different from previous student events. Nieminen estimates the number of participants at the event at around 150–200 people. For the art event, ISYY designed unique overall badges to give out to the first 100 participants, and the badges ran out already an hour into the event, says Pennanen.
“We have received a lot of positive feedback from students and questions asking when we will organise more creative events like this one in Joensuu and Kuopio. The event attracted a lot of positive attention and painting was a very relaxing activity,” says Nieminen.
The event was organised in cooperation with the Circle of Light project of Savilahti, the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Eastern Finland.
Location: Underpass under Savilahdentie at the Neulaniementie junction (from the corner of Snellmania to Tietoteknia)
Year of completion: 2023
The artist
Veera Launonen (b. 1989) is an artist from Kuopio who has completed her art studies at the Saimaa University of Applied Sciences and the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava. She has presented her works in several solo and group exhibitions, screenings and festivals in Finland and abroad. Her works are in the collections of the Kuopio Art Museum, Yle Archive and the North Savo Hospital District.
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