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this picture and the next one by Rikka Lempiänen from Pelastakaa Parikkalan patsaspuisto (Facebook) |
The picture shows part of the around 550 sculptures made by Veijo Rönkkönen (1944-2010), as displayed around the house where he lived in the neighbourhood of Parikalla in the south-east of Finland.
Life and works
At age sixteen, in 1960, young Veijo Rönkkönen went to work in a local paper mill. Around the same time he began making sculptures, mainly depicting people in a rather naturalistic way. He displayed these creations in the park-like garden of the family house.
His sculpture garden has become rather popular in Finland. In the years before Rönkkönen died every summer some 25.000 people would visit the site. It had become a tourist attraction indeed.
Although Rönkkönen would not meet them personally, these visitors were very welcome and they didn't have to pay an entrance fee, provided they signed the guestbook.
Veijo Rönkkönen also did not like the idea that his sculptures would be transported to be shown on expositions. However, he is one of the self-taught artists whose work could be seen (by photographs, I presume) on an exposition in 2009 about Nordic outsider art, entitled Other Art.
In 2007 the Finnish state awarded Rönkkönen with a national cultural price.
Early 2010 Veijo Rönkkönen unexpectedly died.
A series of pictures on the website of Parikkala Sculpture Park, August 2022, shows how beautiful the site is.
* Article by Eva Pursiainen, Joogaavia patsaita ja tekohampaita. Parikkalan patsaspuistossa voi katsoa. on website Yle.fi, with a variety of pictures
* A large series of pictures (2018) by Sophie Lepetit on her weblog, here, here, here, here and here
* On her weblog Sophie Lepetit also published an impression of her visit to the site in 2018.
At age sixteen, in 1960, young Veijo Rönkkönen went to work in a local paper mill. Around the same time he began making sculptures, mainly depicting people in a rather naturalistic way. He displayed these creations in the park-like garden of the family house.
One of the features of his work is a collection of about two hundred males in various asanas (yoga poses) , displayed as a group in a part of the park. Compared to what would be exercised in a yoga class these are many poses (and a lot of sculptures too...)
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| picture courtesy of Carlos Hoyos, Flickr, april 2009 |
All his life Rönkkönen lived in the house were he was born, first with his parents and later, after his parents had died, alone. He liked to be on his own and was not much around in his garden to meet visitors.
His sculpture garden has become rather popular in Finland. In the years before Rönkkönen died every summer some 25.000 people would visit the site. It had become a tourist attraction indeed.
Although Rönkkönen would not meet them personally, these visitors were very welcome and they didn't have to pay an entrance fee, provided they signed the guestbook.
Veijo Rönkkönen also did not like the idea that his sculptures would be transported to be shown on expositions. However, he is one of the self-taught artists whose work could be seen (by photographs, I presume) on an exposition in 2009 about Nordic outsider art, entitled Other Art.
In 2007 the Finnish state awarded Rönkkönen with a national cultural price.
Early 2010 Veijo Rönkkönen unexpectedly died.
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| sculptures along the entrance of the park |
Future of the site assured
No arrangements for the future of the sculpture garden had been made and admirers of his creations took action to save the site for the future. Both a group of friends and a committee of experts on outsider art were active in promoting the continuity of the site.
In October 2010 it was announced that the site (house and garden) had been bought by Reino Uusitalo, owner of one of the most important Finnish paper industries. Plans have been developed to provide the site with its own management and to ensure a sustainable exploitation of the site.
On July 23 2011 the sculpture park was reopened for the public. This was featured with an exposition in memory of Veijo Rönkkönen, which lasted until september 30, 2011.
In 2018 the sculpture park had about 40.000 visitors.
In October 2010 it was announced that the site (house and garden) had been bought by Reino Uusitalo, owner of one of the most important Finnish paper industries. Plans have been developed to provide the site with its own management and to ensure a sustainable exploitation of the site.
On July 23 2011 the sculpture park was reopened for the public. This was featured with an exposition in memory of Veijo Rönkkönen, which lasted until september 30, 2011.
In 2018 the sculpture park had about 40.000 visitors.
Situation in 2022
Documentation
* Article on website ITE-taide
* A book by Veli Granö, Veijo Rönkkösen todellinen elämä (The real life of Veijo Rönkkönen), Maahenki, 2007 (first edition sold out, second edition can be bought at the shop of the sculpture park, extracts on website Books from Finland)* Article by Eva Pursiainen, Joogaavia patsaita ja tekohampaita. Parikkalan patsaspuistossa voi katsoa. on website Yle.fi, with a variety of pictures
* A large series of pictures (2018) by Sophie Lepetit on her weblog, here, here, here, here and here
* On her weblog Sophie Lepetit also published an impression of her visit to the site in 2018.
Videos
* Video by Veijo Vaakanainen showing the sculpture garden in wintertime (6'46", YouTube, april 2012
Kuutostie 611
Koisanlahti
59130 Parikkala, Southern Karelia, Southern Finland
public visits: in summer tue-fri 9.30-17, sat 9.30-15
streetview (includes a series of pictures of the site by Pavel Raysin)
* Video by Veijo Vaakanainen showing the sculpture garden in wintertime (6'46", YouTube, april 2012
* Video by Veli Granö (9'05", November 2013) with neighbours talking about Rönkkönen (subtitles in English)
* Video by Vanha Suomi (7'58", September 2013, YouTube)
first published May 2009, last revised August 2022
Veijo Rönkkönen
Sculpture Garden Kuutostie 611
Koisanlahti
59130 Parikkala, Southern Karelia, Southern Finland
public visits: in summer tue-fri 9.30-17, sat 9.30-15
streetview (includes a series of pictures of the site by Pavel Raysin)
Amazing Henk... I'm running to keep up with you these days... many, many thanks for your message, will get back shortly, have been up to my eyeballs in alligators... my wife does yoga, she's going to like this one alot... don't know when we'll be able to go to Finland though !
ReplyDeleteBest, Owen
Dear Mr. Henk Van Es.
ReplyDeleteIm very honoured for you to visited and read my blog. Thank you for your very kind opitions. Im now enjoying your blog as well. Yes, i cannot hide my admiration for the artist who draw and follow of course, their own path. It is maybe in those outer circles where someone can follow the traces of the changes that give form to history of art. Mr. Rönkkönen for example is aware of the tolls the freedom takes, but that is no reason for him to give it up on his personal satndings and points of view. Is in there when somebody can bump with the more honest kind of art manifestations. At least, on my point on view.
There is a story, that during a great war in 1700's two young men (teen?) we captured nearby The Lake Pyhäjärvi (south east from Oulu city), where Rönkkö families lived, to help building St. Petersbourg. Yet they managed to run away, probably not that far way from the Veijo's site. It's being said that one of those brothers was the first Rönkkönen. Why the name change - we are not sure. However 'nen' can mean 'smallish' in Finnish language allowing us to guess that this person who was not necessarily a grown up, was called 'smallish Rönkkö', i.e. Rönkkönen. Br, TR
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous: quite interesting information, thanks a lot.
ReplyDelete