Programs and Events 2008
Recycled Art Competition
At the beginning of this year, U.S. Embassy Helsinki launched an outreach program for Finnish youth in cities around the country: U.S. Embassy officers visited high schools to speak about U.S. National Parks, conservation, recycling and U.S. perspectives on the environment/climate change. The Embassy also announced an art competition among the participating schools to create a work of art using recycled materials - the theme of the art piece is U.S. National Parks.
Kaitaan koulu from Espoo has won the art competition for Finnish 9th graders to create a work of art using recycled materials. The art piece called “Alaska” was made by Maria Lundell, Tua Suojanen, Jessica Tervo, and Christa Sallasmaa from class 9D. The first prize is EUR 1,000.
Class 9B (Karoliina Kanerva, Daniel Palaz, Kaisa Puro, and Eveliina Sario) from Luostarivuoren yläkoulu, Turku won the “Best technical implementation” prize for their piece “Waterfall”. The prize is a free workshop day at Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art.
Book prizes were given to Hauholan koulu in Kajaani for “Best video presentation” and to Viitaniemen koulu in Jyväskylä for “Best humor”.
The jury of Finnish art professionals, environmental experts and others announced the winner of the Embassy’s “Recycled Art” competition on April 23. The jury consisted of Mr. Berndt Arell, Director of Kiasma, Mr. Pekka Haavisto, Parliamentarian (Green), Mr. Mikko Hartikainen, National Board of Education, Ms. Laura Noreila-Manninen, Executive Director of the League of Finnish-American Societies, and Ms. Heidi Day, Cultural Affairs Assistant of the U.S. Embassy. The chairman was Mr. Kim Hargan, Acting Public Affairs Director of the U.S. Embassy.
Video: Berndt Arell announces the winners (.wmv - 4,5 MB)
Photo gallery of the Competition Award Ceremony at Kiasma