Flow of Equality

Eeva-Liisa Manner (1921–1995) was one of Finland’s most significant postwar poets, writers, and pioneers of literary modernism. She was a lyric poet who also wrote profound plays and prose. In addition, she was a literary critic and a respected translator who translated classics of world literature such as Shakespeare and Hesse. 

Eeva-Liisa’s Art Trees is a collection of three works created collaboratively by young and adult artists, inspired by three of Manner’s poems. The works are named after Manner’s poems
 

Artworks and artists: 

Music in a Glass
Janika Viiliäinen
Sammal Tujula 

I’m Tired of Being Strong
Anniina Rentola
Jessica Saari
Valonuppu 

Was It Your Hand That Sprinkled Stardust on My Writings
Heli Rantala
Riikka Järvelä 

Other Team Members:
Karri Harju (Art Director)
Piritta Brusi (Producer)
Marjo Lampila (Concept Designer)
Saara Forsell 

Eeva-Liisa’s art trees were created as a joint production between Avarataide ry’s Galleria Ronga and the City of Tampere’s Youth Services’ Galleria Vivi 

Thank you to the Finnish Writers’ Union for their collaboration 

Printed by Grano Oy

More detailed information about the poems can be found in the following works

Poem: Manner, Eeva-Liisa. “Music in a Glass.” In “Like the Wind or a Cloud” (WSOY 1949).
Poem: Manner, Eeva-Liisa. “I’m Tired of Being Strong.” In “This Journey” (Tammi 1956).
Poem: Manner, Eeva-Liisa. “Was it your hand that sprinkled stardust on my writings”. From the collection “Thus the Seasons Changed” (Tammi 1964). 

The artwork spreads throughout Koskipuisto in the form of illuminated street signs. Near Pikkukakkonen Park, visitors can find a map presenting the artwork’s street names and the people behind them, as well as a list of real, existing gendered street names in Tampere. 

The groundwork for the artwork was created in the early hours of the morning with a baby in the artist’s arms. Later, the work was developed somewhere between Aleksis Kivi Street and Minna Canth Street. The artist grew up in Härmälä, where the streets are named after men. Artificial intelligence was used in the creation process to research the histories and backgrounds of individual street names. 

Creator: Meri-Maija Näykki 

Graphic Design: Raakel Puukko
Technical Design: Elina Nopanen 

Special Thanks: Saara Särmä, Dani Kulonpää, Jarkko Aaltonen, Tarja Virtanen, and all the remarkable women after whom the streets in the artwork were named.

National Treasure in a National Landscape is an artwork honoring the memory of Seela Sella. The work consists of a projection on the wall of the Tampere Theatre and a sound installation at the viewpoint beside the Tammerkoski bridge.

The first part of the work is a video projection on the wall of the Tampere Theatre. The footage was originally filmed for a documentary about the play Love Letters. In the videoprojection, Seela Sella reflects on memories of her hometown, Tampere. 

 

The second part of the work is a sound installation titled This Is Home. The piece invites visitors to sit down for a moment and look at the national landscape together with Seela Sella. By flowing waters and sturdy stone structures, the piece asks:
What is a human´s home? In what ways home is shaped by change, and in what ways by permanence? 

 

Actor: Seela Sella 

 
Sound Installation: Saija Raskulla 

 

Video Installation
Cinematography: Marita Salonen
Video Editing: Heikki Järvinen 

 

In collaboration with: Tampere Theatre, Theatre Telakka

The statues of Hämeensilta bridge have been dressed in a reinterpretation of the competition leotards worn by the Minetit, the Tampere-based team that has won multiple World Championship titles in aesthetic group gymnastics. 

The sculptures’ gymnastics outfits are based on Minetit’s Finlandia-themed competition leotards, which the team wore when winning the World Championship gold medal in 2017. 

In their theatre production, the Gymnastics girls working group has highlighted inequalities related to the appreciation of women’s sports. The group has questioned why the sculptures on Hämeensilta Bridge in Tampere have been dressed in ice hockey jerseys for years, yet never in gymnastics leotards, despite Tampere being home to four World Championship titles and three Junior World Championship titles in aesthetic group gymnastics. 

It is finally time to celebrate our gymnastics heroes! 

The working group proposes that when the next World Championship title arrives once again, we should all be AT THE SQUARE!, welcoming our gymnasts home. 

Credits 

Gymnastics girls Collective:
Katariina Havukainen
Inkeri Hyvönen
Ella Lahdenmäki 

Dressmaker Sari Rytkönen and a group of gymnastics moms and their teenage gymnastics girls from Helsinki  

Original Costume Design:
Natalia Kolomainen 

Links: 

https://www.jumppatytot.fi/

Why Are Men Intimidated by Gymnast Girls? – Kulttuuritoimitus (Finnish culture magazine) 

https://kulttuuritoimitus.fi/artikkelit-kolumnit/kolumnit-ja-esseet/miksi-miehet-pelkaavat-jumppatyttoja-teatterin-katsomossa-istui-273-naista-ja-seitseman-miesta/

Äänestä! Let’s Vote! 

Äänestä! Let’s Vote! presents works by seven artists. Each has created their own version of a classic propaganda poster encouraging people to vote. The works represent groups that were excluded from voting rights when universal and equal suffrage was introduced in Finland in 1906. 

The artwork can be seen along the festival route as posters and projected video animations. The original artworks are displayed in the windows of Kehräsaari. 

This year marks the 120th anniversary of universal and equal suffrage in Finland. For many people, however, voting rights have a much shorter history, as several groups were granted the right to vote only later: 

1919: Roma people
1944: Recipients of poor relief, 21-year-olds
1969: People who had “lost civic confidence” (including many individuals convicted of crimes),  20-year-olds
1972: People with intellectual disabilities, 18-year-olds 

In 2026, approximately 5% of voting-age residents of Tampere do not have the right to vote in parliamentary elections because they are not Finnish citizens. This group is expected to grow in the future. 

 

Artists:
Iita Annala, Snowdrop Àine-Fae Belmont, Taneli Kemppi,
Tino Nyman, Elina Olanterä, Ilkka Pajunen, Justus Sääskilahti 

Poster Design:
Raakel Puukko 

Animation:
Janne Roivainen 

Special Thanks:
Vimmart, Wärjäämö, Kris Tampere, Piritta Brusi, Marko Annala, Iida Salokorpi, Fanni Noroila 

 

Artist-specific information about the artworks can be found on the event website and at Kehräsaari (site 11). 

 

 Iita Annala, acrylic painting combined with digital illustration
The idea behind my artwork is to encourage young women to vote. The figure in the image wears jewelry, a tattoo, and acrylic nails, as young people often express themselves through their personal style. One of the bracelets is a traditional Sámi pewter-thread bracelet. The tattoo features lily-of-the-valley flowers, symbolizing Finland. 

In the 2025 regional and municipal elections, more than half of people under the age of 30 did not vote. Let’s change that! 

Snowdrop Àine-Fae Belmont, digital art
This poster showcases traditional textile patterns from my home country and culture, Nigeria. It is a tribute to the global struggle of Indigenous peoples and marginalized communities for representation and participation in governance.  

Taneli Kemppi, digital art
The background of this artwork features a location familiar to many people in Tampere, a place that is very important to me. For the hand shown in the poster, I wanted to depict a type of clothing that I have seen worn by many different kinds of people across Finland over the years. The person to whom the hand belongs could, in fact, look like almost anyone. 

Economic hardship is highly visible in Tampere, and I have heard many people discussing the growing lengths of food bank queues. This is an issue that affects people of all ages and backgrounds. Dealing with Finland’s social security system is also something that many people can likely relate to. 

 Tino Nyman, photo collage 

Traditional Roma clothing and jewellery are an important part of the poster. A traditional blouse and jewellery frame the voting hand, while purple and red create a strong and intense atmosphere around the act of voting. The work connects tradition with the present and celebrates the richness of Roma culture and its beauty, which can also be seen as mysterious. 

Elina Olanterä, water-soluble oil pastels, water-soluble coloured pencils, watercolours, cardboard
The artwork depicts an autumn landscape just after the sun has set. Through these captivating colour combinations, I would like to encourage people to make use of their right to vote. 

 

Ilkka Pajunen, oil painting 

The central element of the artwork, a blue hand, symbolizes the health harms caused by substance use. The index finger, cut off with pruning shears, represents the role that criminal activity can play in the life of a person living with addiction. 

The question mark on the ballot paper reflects the indifference and sense of social exclusion that can accompany substance use, as well as the feeling of being disconnected from society and the democratic process. 

 

Justus Sääskilahti, digital vector art 

Low voter turnout among young men and increasing ideological radicalization are growing challenges of our time. This artwork reflects the low levels of electoral participation and civic engagement among young men, as well as the ways in which various actors seek to expand their influence through this demographic. 

The colour scheme in the background symbolizes the growing polarization observed among young men, while the robotic arms represent the influence of internet algorithms on their thinking, opinions, and voting behaviour. 

 

At the Verkaranta Arts and crafts center, you can explore the theme “equality is not complete.” In the center’s windows, you’ll see, among other things, equality observers, a blood-red wedding dress, and the wings of equality. You can also participate in one of the art projects yourself while the Taito Shop in Tampere is open. In the Livebox you can watch the artisans at work. 

https://www.taito.fi/pirkanmaa/ 

Instagram.com/taitopirkanmaa 

facebook.com/taitopirkanmaa 

 

Nadja Räikkä 

Sound design Kimmo Helén & Kai Chalkide-Virtanen 

It’s time to step into the voting booth! 

The artwork ‘Voting for Light’ celebrates equal voting rights in Finland as part of the Tampere Festival of Light and Tampere Equality Square. It invites visitors to engage in a thought experiment, illustrating the profound impact an individual’s choices and actions can have on their surroundings. It also serves as a reminder of equality and everyone’s right to participate.

The concept mirrors a real-life voting scenario: the visitor selects the option that appeals to them most from four different alternatives. This action triggers an audiovisual chain reaction across the landscape visible from the voting booth. When no choices or decisions are being made, the installation remains in a so-called dormant, zero state.

So, step boldly into the voting booth and make your choice!
Take your vote – in the form of a colorful stone – to the election official and enjoy the results of your choice. 

Background of voting 

Universal suffrage means that all members of the community have the right to vote. Voting rights in various elections are subject to restrictions based on age, citizenship, and place of residence. In Finland, elections are generally conducted via secret ballot, with each eligible voter casting a single vote. 

The word ‘ballot’ traces its origins to ‘ballota’, the diminutive form of the Italian word ‘ball’. In fact, many early voting implements were indeed small balls. In ancient Greece—often considered the cradle of modern democracy – the practice originated from a verb meaning “to throw.” There, voters were given clay or metal tokens as voting implements, and voting was carried out by dropping these tokens into a clay vessel that served as the ballot box. 

Originally, there were two stones in use; a white stone signified a vote in favor, and a black one a vote against. Paper ballots were reportedly introduced in Rome as early as the pre-Christian era.

Equality Market offers election coffee and much more! 

For ten evenings, Vuolteentori Square comes alive with experiences made possible by organizations promoting equality. Visitors can enjoy community art, postcard activities, a wheel of fortune, inspiring equality insights, cultural taste experiences, and warm drinks. 

Drop by for one evening or several and experience the glow of community spirit in the midst of October’s darkness. 

Location: Vuolteentori Square 

Presented by: All of Tampere, Setlementti Tampere Association, Middle Eastern Women’s Association, Tampere Association of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters, and Vimmart – Support Association for the School of Equitable Arts. 

Man Cave is a tunnel-like installation that visitors can walk through.  

The artwork invites us to look beyond the surface and enter a world where toughness and vulnerability converge in surprising ways.

Inside the work, visitors will discover a message to “tough guys” from a legendary Tampere rock musician. 

Creator: Omicon Oy 

The installation includes an excerpt from the song “Hei äijä”, performed by Pate Mustajärvi (from the album Pelkkää Patee, 2023). 

Music and lyrics: Aki Tykki, Janne Rintala
Music: Mika Laakkonen 

Artist: Sini Kallio
Materials: Reinforcing steel, polymer and plastic compounds, paints 

The Fate of Goldilocks is an illuminated underwater sculpture. It continues the story of the mistreated Goldilocks statue and invites visitors to pause in remembrance of victims of gender-based violence. 

Matti Haupt’s Goldilocks sculpture was erected in the Joselinniemi area of Pyynikki in 1953. However, the statue of a nude woman was not left alone and was later found in the bushes with a broken leg. In 2016, the City Council of Tampere decided to relocate the sculpture to Konsulinsaari Island. One of the stated reasons was that the artwork was to be placed under the gaze of the Tampere statue, a shirtless male figure standing in front of the fire station. A local newspaper described the relocation with the headline: “A tied-up young woman ended up on a mattress under a bridge.” 

In Sini Kallio’s interpretation, Goldilocks has had  enough of the mistreatment she has endured, and she has leapt into the rapids. 

The story of a woman escaping abuse only to meet a tragic fate is unfortunately all too familiar. Violence against women continues to claim lives and devastate communities. This year, at least 17 women have already been killed in Finland. Two women have been murdered in central Tampere in the past two years. In almost every case, the killer is a man known to the woman. This cycle will continue until misogyny and gender-based violence are addressed before they escalate. 

Visitors are invited to light a candle in memory of all victims of gender-based violence. 

Candles are available at the Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters information point at Vuolteentori Square during the festival opening hours, from 6 pm to 9 pm. 

Three windows in the Kehräsaari underpass will be transformed into art displays 

1. Riina Tanskanen’s image series looks at emotional and care work. It asks why care and household work are often seen as women’s work, even when men are paid to do the same work? 

The series is from the graphic novel Grumpy Girls: Class Struggles (2025). 

Location: Coeur Studios window

1. Äänestä! Let’s Vote!

Äänestä! Let’s Vote! is a collection of artworks in which seven artists each create their own version of a propaganda poster encouraging people to vote. 

Every participating artist represents a group of people who had not yet been granted the right to vote when universal and equal suffrage was introduced. The Kehräsaari window display features original hand-made artworks as well as prints of digitally created pieces. 

Location: Coeur Studios window 

Artists:
Iita Annala, Snowdrop Àine-Fae Belmont, Taneli Kemppi, Tino Nyman, Elina Olanterä, Ilkka Pajunen & Justus Sääskilahti 

3. The Smithy and Glass Himmeli

A craftsperson’s workspace has been created in the window display. What impression do you form of the person working here? 

Above the workshop, another artist has hunged an installation made of glass himmelies. Who made them? 

What kinds of stereotypes and assumptions are associated with different forms of craftsmanship and making things by hand? Why? 

Location: Craft Quarter, Kehräsaari Shop 

Artists:
www.ahjonakka.fi
Roponen’s Glass Empire 

In cooperation with:
The Finnish Craft Entrepreneurs Association (SKYT) Association. 

 

Iro Mäntykorpi – The Smithy : anvil and forge, tools, forged everyday objects 

Markus Roponen – Glass Himmeli 

Roponen’s Glass Empire: glass-melting technique using glass rods.