Crane art installation Mater marium to be a permanent memento of the Capital of Culture year

Revamped landmark for the banks of River Aura

A new public art installation, Mater marium, will be unveiled along Aura River to mark the closing weekend of Turku's Capital of Culture year on Saturday December 17th. Artist Tarja Ervasti has designed the work of art on the site of the protected Wärtsilä crane. The work of art includes the elements of illumination, video art and stone sculpture.

- The starting points for the piece lie in Turku’s long history of work at the docks. According to the idea, the crane became transformed into a mother figure holding on to the memories of ships she has waved off into the world, says artist Tarja Ervasti.

- For decades, the cranes have reminded of the shipbuilding traditions on Aura River, and now Mater marium will be a memorial for future generations of an outstanding Capital of Culture year, states Cay Sevón, Managing Director of Turku 2011 Foundation.

Mater marium reflects changes in light and seasons

At dusk, the piece lights up by means of video and illumination. The video is projected onto surfaces attached to the top of the crane, while the crane's structure and stone sculpture are illuminated. Varvintori market square and the streets on both sides of the river provide the best views for the video projection.

The appearance of the piece transforms along with the changing seasons. The colours and imagery are connected to seafaring and shipbuilding. In wintertime, the videos represent images related to steelmaking, while themes connected to wooden boats and the sea will be visible in spring and summer. Some of the major events in the history of the harbour area will be marked on their anniversaries.  

- My video expression does not aim for realistic precision, but I process subjects as abstract forms and colours. As colours blend into each other, images of ships and work carried out at the docks may be glimpsed at times. Memories of the past, says artist Tarja Ervasti from Fiskars.

Led lighting used in the piece is programmed according to the rising and setting of the sun. Stonemason Mari Ojala has created the stone sculpture that hangs from the crane, which is visible in daylight. The theme of the sculpture is inspired by ships embarking for the seas of the world.

Revamped landmark for the banks of River Aura

Ervasti’s piece serves as an addition to the series of modern art that has sprung up along the shores of Aura River over the years.  It will remain as a permanent part of the cityscape.

– As the mouth of the river is located around Wärtsilä and Korppoolaismäki, it was justified to create some type of climax for the series of environmental art in the area. Another aim of the environmental art initiative in Turku has been to ‘refine’ materials and structures particularly from the industrial era into works of art, says Päivi Kiiski, Director of Fine Arts in Turku.

Harmonia by Achim Kühnin, Fibonacci Sequence by Mario Mertzin and, most recently, Remains by Vhils aka Alexandre Farton have been created on the opposite river bank on similar grounds.

Ervasti’s piece was chosen from four proposals, two of which came from Finland and two from abroad. The artwork is produced by Turku Cultural Services/Museum Centre of Turku in partnership with the Port of Turku and Turku Energia.