Love Letters to Nature takes a stand on nature loss
The environmental artwork Love Letters to Nature is a collection of five environmental artworks created by the SISU art collective in Espoonlahti. It is part of the broader Future Stories concept of Espoo’s Cultural Venues and Services and can be seen from 26 August to 3 September.
Love Letters to Nature was created on the basis of love letters written to nature by Espoo residents. Over a hundred letters were collected during the summer, and about a quarter of them are selected to be recited in the artwork in Espoonlahti. Some of the letters have also been published at espoo.fi. The letters are published in the language in which they were originally written.
Reflections on personal relationship with nature
“We were really impressed with the letters and chose a wide range of them for the work. We want the message of the writers to be heard in the work, and we hope that the visitors are as moved as we were when we read the letters,” say Sini Parikka and Suvi Saastamoinen, members of the art collective.
The letters include narrative, poetic, local and cosmopolitan answers. They reflect appreciation of and longing for local nature. The letters also convey concern about the mark left by humans.
In its work, the SISU art collective mainly uses material classified as waste by the Reuse Centre, so the life cycle of the works has been carefully considered.
Works along the Espoo Waterfront Walkway
The works can be found along the Espoo Waterfront Walkway between the Kivenlahti beach and Soukanlahdenpuisto park.
You can come across a single work by chance along the Espoo Waterfront Walkway, or you can go experience all five in your preferred order.
Efforts were made to select as the locations of the works for maximum accessibility but, due to the nature of the terrain, some of the works are not easily accessible. Detailed information on the locations of the works will be updated on the Future Stories website at www.espoo.fi/en/future-stories
Future Stories responds to climate anxiety
SISU was selected as the creator of the work from among some thirty applications in a call for artists held in the spring.
The SISU art collective consists of Suvi Saastamoinen (Landscape Architect, Master of Arts) and Sini Parikka (Landscape Architect, Cultural Producer, Environmental Planner). You can follow the collective on Instagram @sisu.kollektiivi.
You can meet the artists at the Kivenlahti beach on Saturday, 26 August at 15.00.
The Future Stories concept is an event series by Espoo’s Cultural Venues and Services, which aims to address climate anxiety through art.