Art turns Espoo’s metro stations into meaningful places – “Without culture there would be nothing”

When you are unable to sugar-coat your words, it is best to be honest. For non-residents, Espoo is a big amoeba that exists in all places at once, yet seems to have no defined location. Fortunately, Espoo’s Cultural Director Susanna Tommila is not upset by this fairly direct characterisation. That is because it is true.

– Structurally, Espoo is not a traditional city but a network of five urban centres. There’s no other city quite like it. Well, there are some, but it’s a bit pretentious to compare us to something like Berlin, Tommila laughs.

Culture truly is her area of expertise. Espoo has beautiful seaside views, Nuuksio wilderness areas and numerous sports fields that make the city a good place for families with children. But what about culture in Espoo, where is it exactly?

– That is undeniably a very well protected secret, Susanna Tommila laughs.

In reality, Tommila does not laugh all the time, although she smiles often. On a more serious note, she has something weighty to say. Such as the fact that there is culture everywhere in Espoo. So much, in fact, that Tommila feels that it is not always necessary to go to the neighbouring city of Helsinki.

– Helsinki is a capital city and bears the traditions, obligations and burdens associated with capitals, such as large art and cultural institutions. The next biggest city is Espoo, but we aim to be more than just a runner-up. We have the freedom to be anything.

This is a poignant statement, but to a person from Helsinki, it admittedly sounds a bit abrupt. This is also a good thing: if culture does not evoke emotions, then what does? Besides, the idea is not a bad one.

– Our asset lies in the fact that Espoo is a young city with a relatively young demographic. Each year, our population increases by 8 000 people, and the majority of them are immigrants. This requires a lot from the cultural authorities, but it is also a factor that keeps our culture dynamic and up-to-date.

Culture has a long-standing tradition in Espoo. When artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela, who lived in the Leppävaara Manor in 1911, needed a slightly better home, he turned his eyes towards the shores of Laajalahti. That is where the Tarvaspää castle with a studio was erected, presently serving as a museum.

It is one of Susanna Tommila’s favourite destinations in Espoo. Partly because of its fascinating and completely unique style, but also because it mirrors the way in which people want to talk about culture in Espoo.

Between 1909 and 1910, Gallen-Kallela made an excursion to the region then known as British East Africa, that is, present-day Kenya. He brought back hunting memorabilia and souvenirs, as well as his own art. By today’s standards, these souvenirs represented a somewhat distant and even possessive viewpoint.

In recent years, the cultural sector has been justifiably questioning what subjects to discuss, who to address, and whose voice to use. In this context, Gallen-Kallela’s Kenyan memorabilia was problematic.

– We could have hidden this production in the storage, hoping that it would fade from memory. However, it was better to exhibit the artworks, but to do it properly and in the right way.

Return to Kenya, an exhibition featuring the artist’s creations from Kenya, was put together last year. Kenyans living in Finland were invited to participate in the planning. As part of the curatorial process, Espoo kept in touch with the National Museum of Nairobi.

The objective of the exhibition was to showcase not only the observations made over a century ago, but also problems related to colonial politics and the concept of otherness, which only entered people’s awareness in the world after Gallen-Kallela’s days. The Finnish Association for Museum Education Pedaali presented the exhibition with an Award in Museum Pedagogy in 2023.

- In Nairobi, people were also excited about Gallen-Kallela’s work, as not that many European artists depicted Kenya those days. For me, this is an example of how art, when properly realised, can connect people across time and borders.

It is always dangerous to talk about culture with a director. Many cultural decision-makers are happy to take credit for the artistic work done by others. This is despite the fact that, throughout the ages, influential art has been created independently, not thanks to support but rather in spite of it.

Tommila understands this provocative viewpoint. The city will not transform itself into an artist. On the other hand, through their activities, the city and its officials can influence how they treat art and culture.

– A wise person once said that if you create the conditions for artists to thrive, everyone else will thrive, too.

In Espoo, this year’s budget for culture is EUR 64 million.

– We could always use more money, but I’m not complaining as our situation is relatively good. That sum enables us to offer a lot to the city residents and visitors alike.

The money amounts to about EUR 235 per Espoo-resident per year, that is, about 64 cents per day. It is not all that bad, as that amount of money makes it possible to have art and culture in places where people move about. Not just in formal settings, such as orchestral pits or galleries, but in daily life, under the scorching sun and pouring rain. Unobtrusive accessibility is precisely the reason why cities must support culture, Tommila says.

– Without art, there is nothing. No clothes, coffee cups or magazines. Culture provides a source of enjoyment and distraction in our day-to-day lives, while also giving purpose and significance to our existence. Through reading, observing and pondering, you can learn to navigate tough situations, while doing things yourself allows you to express yourself in your own way.

All this holds immense importance in a world that seems to be growing more merciless by the day.

Officially, Espoo is a middle-aged city. It celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2022. In terms of identity, the city is even younger.

– My daughter said that the metro turned Espoo from a rural area to a city by making it possible to arrive home in Tapiola with a cup of coffee in hand. This can be done on the metro, but it wasn’t possible earlier on the bus, Tommila says.

That is pretty well put. The rapid subway system and an easy-to-use metro map have connected the remote corners of Espoo seamlessly, creating a line akin to a string of beads enveloped by the vibrant heartbeat of the city.

Tommila says that Espoo has sought to view the metro as something more than just a means of transport. For this reason, a decision was made to decorate some of the stations with works by local artists already during the construction phase of Länsimetro. As an example, Tommila mentions Kim Simonsson’s sculpture Emma leaves a trace, which greets people at the Tapiola station with its colourful hand.

– It is also a sign of hospitality. Art says: welcome to our urban space, this is what our space is like.

The thing is, these days, there is a shortage of money everywhere. I must ask if the metro could possibly operate without any artwork.

Yes, it could, says Tommila, but that’s not the point. Art must be where the people are. Then, the metro, art and perhaps a coffee cup in your hand begin to build your identity. By making art visible on the streets, at metro stations and in everyday life in general, Espoo wants to be a role model to others.

– Grey concrete walls or white tiles reminiscent of a bathroom start to attract a different kind of art pretty quickly. When art is incorporated into stations, people start to regard them as meaningful spaces, which in turn helps keep the stations in good condition.

One thing that we want to transform in Espoo is the culture of reading. It is up to the city to have an effect on this issue or remain uninvolved. It is a choice.

– Children and young people are not reading enough, and that is a problem that needs to be fixed, Susanna Tommila says.

A few years ago, Espoo made the decision to change the traditional perception of libraries. The city has a total of 16 libraries. The largest ones are located in connection with large shopping centres. Does this mean that literature should conform to the world of commercial consumption?

According to Tommila that is not the case.

– If we want to encourage people to visit libraries, they should be located in areas where people typically spend their time.

The newest shopping centre library is located in the Lippulaiva shopping centre in Espoonlahti. It is a cultural living room that makes Espoo’s local authorities proud. It is currently a candidate for the Library of the Year award. This is partly because the library has been set up in a way that differs from the past.

– At first, we asked the users what they wanted from a library. There is nothing new about that. What was exceptional was that they were listened to and their desires were met as well.

As a result, the Lippulaiva library has, for example, a slide that a young girl had wished for, and an open kitchen, where anyone can make coffee during their reading breaks. Although the purchasing authorities first reminded us of the contracting partners, in the end the competitive tendering was won by the Kierrätyskeskus recycling centre.

– If the goal is to increase recycling and responsible consumption, it is not a bad thing if municipalities set an example when possible.

Tommila enjoys talking about Lippulaiva, where the library’s function as a living room for the whole population becomes highlighted – also for those currently lacking a decent, safe or cosy living room of their own. Tommila thinks that it is an example of how a city can foster culture through its decision making, thus enhancing the wellbeing of the entire region.

– Every young person needs a hobby, and now we have included library services in the Espoo Hobby Path.

If a child or young person does not have a hobby, they can go to the library to see and explore what’s on offer. There, they can play instruments and games, do crafts and make art.

– Hobbies do not only include activities specified by mature ladies. The most important thing is for people to learn something new and discover something meaningful and significant that they wish to pursue in life. The library can be a place for such activities.

A Rapport journalist Juho Paavola was commissioned to write this article on a specific topic defined by the client. The article was commissioned by CultureEspoo.