Public art on the light rail line – New piece by Jenni Tieaho unveiled at Vermo Arena

Sign up to the unveiling celebration

Vermo Arena will celebrate the unveiling of the artwork in conjunction with its Wednesday races on November 15, 2023, from 5 pm to 6 pm. Read more and kindly sign up by sending in this form by noon on Monday, November 13. Vermo Arena cordially invites guests to watch the Wednesday races from the VIP box. There will be catering at the event. 

Passengers on light rail line 15 can now admire My Sweet Horsey! by Jenni Tieaho as they pass the racetrack. The piece consists of nine aluminium composite plates presenting photographs of the artist’s horse-themed sculptures from the past two decades. The photographs were adapted into panels in collaboration with light artist Pekka Järvilehto. 

Jenni Tieaho (b. 1969) is a sculptor and environmental artist whose subjects and materials are inspired by nature, especially Finnish forests. The materials she uses in her large-scale sculptures include among others, woolly willow, birch bark and various plant parts. Tieaho was selected for the commission by representatives of EMMA, the Espoo Public Works Department and Vermo Arena. 

“As the creator of countless wonderful horse sculptures made of varied organic materials over the years, Jenni Tieaho was a natural choice for the racetrack commission. The chosen site is the exterior fencing of Vermo Arena, which is now decorated with photographs of Jenni’s past sculptures,” describes EMMA’s chief curator Henna Paunu. 
 
“We at Vermo Arena are delighted to have had this opportunity to renew the racetrack’s rear fencing in collaboration with the City of Espoo. The horse-themed art and the open line of sight into the racetrack are perfect marketing for Vermo Arena. Light rail passengers and other passers-by alike can now enjoy the sight of real horses alongside their high-quality artistic representations,” notes Pertti Koskenniemi CEO of Vermo Arena. 

“This collaborative venture enabled us to greatly improve the view that passengers enjoy as they cross the border into Espoo. Jenni Tieaho's horse-themed art is the ideal fit for this location,” comments Harri Tanska, Head of the Espoo Public Works Department 

The title, My Sweet Horsey! (Hummani hei! in Finnish) refers to the well-known 1953 song Juokse sinä humma performed by Tapio Rautavaara. The song is Rautavaara’s adapted version of a folk tune. Tieaho wanted a title that would evoke a sense of familiarity, perhaps even inspiring viewers to hum the tune themselves. 

Public art on light rail line 15 

Four works of public art curated by EMMA are currently on display along the light rail line. My Sweet Horsey! by Jenni Tieaho is a new piece located between the Vermo and Perkkaa stops. Two other works were completed in October 2022 as part of the per cent for art scheme commissioned for the Espoo leg of the light rail route by the City of Espoo PAAF (Public Arts Agency Finland): As the Bird Flies by Armi Teva at the Otaranta stop and Sheltered by Rhododendrons by Kati Immonen at the Laajalahti stop. In addition, Lippumeri (Sea of Flags) by Germa Huijbers – a community piece originally completed in Leppävaara in 2003 – has been renewed and relocated alongside the Alberga Esplanade stop. 

Read more about the artworks on EMMA’s website.